A round-up of London’s coolest places to sleep, meet, play and eat.
SLEEP
Designer Ian Schrager’s latest collaboration The London Edition hotel has opened in the UK capital with 173 rooms and two meeting spaces. In partnership with Marriott International, the Fitzrovia-based hotel is Schrager’s first foray into the London hotel market since he helped launch the Sanderson and St Martins Lane hotels 15 years ago. The hotel’s 140-seat Berners Tavern restaurant is run by Michelin-starred chef Jason Atherton. There are two bars and two meeting spaces, as well as a 195sqm penthouse suite. One meeting space can accommodate up to 60 theatre-style, or up to 80 for a standing reception. The other is a boardroom for up to 12.
www.edition-hotels.marriott.com/london
MEET
The Crystal opened in September 2012 as Siemens’ global centre for sustainability. From its vast interactive exhibition to enlightening lectures and thought leadership conferences, the Crystal aims to educate all of us about future technologies and solutions that can help to improve the way we live. Housed in an iconic glass building, its panoramic views of the London skyline and historic Royal Victoria Dock make for a compelling and memorable venue. The conference facilities at the Crystal include a state-of-the-art 270-seat auditorium with large cinema screen, high-quality broadcast facilities and Wi-Fi, seven meeting rooms, which can be used separately or combined to suit larger groups, and a business lounge and other breakout areas for informal discussion groups.
www.thecrystal.org
PLAY
Ping is a shabby chic hangout on the opposite side of town to all the other Shoreditch-type bars but it’s got great cocktails and, more importantly, ping-pong tables. Opened in July 2012, photographs adorn the walls of famous people playing ping-pong whilst the food menu has a distinctly Italian home-cooked feel. It features hand-made pizzas along with quirky salads such as the feisty feta and focaccia. You can also play table football or relax and admire the street art on the walls. The lounge area can be reserved for 70 people, Monday to Thursday or the whole space can be hired for 420 from Monday to Wednesday.
www.weloveping.com
EAT
Located in the heart of Soho, MASH is the ideal venue for private and corporate events. An upmarket modern American menu heavily focused on steaks and accompanying wine, together with the largest private dining space in London waiting downstairs, makes MASH unique in the Capital.
Boasting exquisite interior design throughout, MASH’s private event space is perfect for parties and dinners. This room can accommodate up to 120 guests. A semi private dining room is located in the main body of the restaurant, but if exclusivity is key, a more intimate private dining room can be booked for up to 18 guests. The elegant art deco space is complemented by unique branding and decor, whilst dramatic design features make the experience an unforgettable one.
www.mashsteak.dk/restaurants/mash-london