Hotelier Andre Balaz's first foray abroad, the Chiltern Firehouse, is currently the hottest reservation in London. Located in a 1889 Neo Gothic former firehouse in Marylebone, the restaurant features original tile floors, exposed brick walls and a woven canvas ceiling meant to be a nod to the hoses original stored there.
The guest rooms were designed by the French firm Studio KO. The design duo has a talent at striking the right balance between finding the cultural roots of a project and keeping it feeling modern. I had the pleasure of staying at another one of their projects, L'heure Bleue in Essaouira, Morocco, and thought the design was both authentic and sophisticated.
