The stunning ME London hotel successfully fuses avant-garde architecture and design with an equally contemporary – some would even say future-forward – approach to luxury hospitality, right in the pulsating heart of London’s West End.
As a luxury hotel in the vibrant global epicentre of culture, fashion and commerce that is London, being able to build and maintain social currency defines success. This is something that the ME London – a landmark hotel in the heart of Covent Garden, a bustling hub of entertainment and leisure attractions – has excelled at for over a decade.
But what is the hotel’s secret sauce? To truly understand, we go back over more than ten years to when the hotel first opened. The London hotel scene was then defined by modern takes on old grandeur, timeless elegance and white-gloved service (often with a stiff upper lip). They were usually found in historic old buildings, served traditional afternoon tea in bone china and delivered classic British opulence.
Then a disrupter came along, in ME London, part of the ME by Meliá family. The brand set its stall as a ‘remarkable collection of design hotels inspired by contemporary European culture, embracing the distinctive character of each destination it is part of’. With a bold and daring spirit, it promised sleek design, state-of-the-art amenities and unique experiential offerings. It set out to be pioneering, setting the scene for the future of hospitality in London.
And boy, did it deliver.
| Perfect for | Fly into | Right on time |
| The Insider | LHR / LGW / LCY | GMT |
| While you’re Out There |
| ME by Meliá’s brand offering includes access to a ‘more than just a concierge’ guest experience specialist called an Aura Manager. With us musical theatre fans wanting to get tickets to the hottest show in town (we are after all, right in the heart of London’s Theatreland by Covent Garden), they managed to bag us seats at a nearby hot-ticket show said to be ‘sold-out’ and even a hard-to-get dinner reservation. They also provided us with insider tips on ways to explore the local area that surprised and delighted even us Londoners! |
When it opened, we lauded its architecture as a masterpiece of modern – almost futuristic – design, crafted by Sir Norman Foster (the posterchild of innovative and avant-garde architectural aesthetics that emphasised innovation, sustainability and the harmonious integration of cutting-edge culture, technology and structure) of the infamous Foster + Partners. It quickly became the talk of the town, with its artsy installations, 157 streamlined rooms and suites and, for what was then a first for London, a buzzy rooftop bar with views overlooking the Thames and the London Eye.
Over a decade later, we still gasped out loud as we entered the ME London. Discreetly hidden from public view, The Atrium is a 100-foot-high hollow white marble pyramid with ethereal projections cast upon and across its three walls. It’s where we checked in and enjoyed a glass of champagne as we marvelled at the space and its timelessness.
Celebrating local arts, ME London houses a revolving art installation in its lobby area and showcases an innovative cultural calendar curated by The Culture Collective, an initiative intended to explore the future of creativity by fostering creative thinking, to bring together ground-breaking contemporary culture across art, music, tech and digital mediums.
We walked down corridors clad in black marble, a stark contrast to the whitewashed and minimalist interiors in our suite, where natural light flooded in from floor-to-ceiling windows. This enhanced its airy, serene ambience… which was punctuated by modern conveniences and technology that complemented the tranquillity. The entire room (particularly our plush, king-sized bed, dressed in fine linen) ensured a restful escape from the city’s relentless pace. But, the suite’s pièce de resistance was its expansive marble bathroom, featuring a freestanding tub and a rain shower, creating a sanctuary that beckoned relaxation.
The Radio Rooftop Bar has been given a new lease of life. Acquired in 2023 by noteworthy food, beverage and hospitality innovators Upmarket Leisure, it reopens in 2024 following an extensive renovation that will tie in the hotel’s restless creativity and broadminded expression.
This sense of open thinking, authenticity and belonging is underpinned by ME by Meliá’s commitment to inclusivity, especially for the LGBTQ+ community. ME London is – and in fact, all ME properties are – dedicated to championing and celebrating queer guests and their fellow travellers. The property is a Queer Destinations Committed hotel, meaning that staff go through rigorous training to ensure that an unrivalled standard of responsible, respectful and inclusive actions that breeds excellence in service for everyone that comes through the hotel’s doors.
Photography courtesy of Meliá Hotels and Resorts
