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Tuesday 30 July 2024

The VSL team were delighted to head to one of London's most vibrant neighbourhoods to visit The Mandrake Hotel. Located on Newman Street in Fitzrovia, The Mandrake is a mysteriously seductive five-star boutique hotel that combines luxury and artistic flair, to create a unique sensory experience. 

On arrival, immediately you are drawn to the hotel's low lit central courtyard, an open-air terrace adjacent to the Waeska bar. This botanical oasis is filled with hanging plants, twinkling lights and two enormous potted Tasmanian Ferns, which are more than 150 years old. We headed on through to the library for a quick glass of fizz before beginning our site visit at this incredible property.

Starting at the Private Dining Room, this red lacquered room has been carefully finished with an impressive 28 layers of paint! The result is both distinguished and dramatic; ideal for a private dinner, intimate lunch or even unique breakfast event for up to 20 guests seated. We then moved through to the Waeska Bar where immediately you are captivated by the impressive collection of striking artefacts, ornaments, and priceless collectables displayed behind the marble bar. Waeska offers the perfect spot for late night drinks receptions and intimate gatherings, along with their ever-evolving menu of cocktails that continue to surprise and delight.

Moving one level up you’ll find the beautiful Jurema Terrace, designed by the world-renowned landscape architects Bureau Bas Smets. Guests can expect a relaxed cabana setting, surrounded by luscious green hanging flowers and jasmine plants. This impressive space can host up to 120 guests standing and in 2019 won the Best Outdoor Space at the Global AHEAD Awards, so as you can imagine, this striking and elegant backdrop is the perfect spot for any outdoor event.

We then ventured down into the basement of the hotel, where we did not expect what was coming next. The Mandrake’s very own exclusive night club. Masha Hari combines three major artworks with a flawless bar. The room boasts cutting edge AV making it ideal for an array of events including screenings, live performances, and extravagant late-night parties. The space can take around 30 for a seated event or up to 80 comfortably standing.

The final space to explore and perhaps the most impressive of all was the Mandrake’s main restaurant YOPO. Here we enjoyed a seated meal sampling the menu that is both innovative and refined; each course was presented with artistic flair and character, as you would expect. The cuisine is South American inspired, with Executive Chef George Scott-Toft drawing influence from his travels through various countries including Chile, Peru and Argentina. YOPO bar and restaurant can, of course, be privatised and is a truly impressive space to host an for exclusive event.

It goes without saying the event spaces at The Mandrake are nothing short of spectacular. Each permeates the same mystic, elusive and luxurious design that features throughout the entire property. The use of cool tone lighting which contrast against dark marble textures creates the perfect contrast. The Mandrake is entirely unique, their ethos and style is evident throughout each of the spaces and the consistency is striking. From intimate gatherings to high end celebrations, the versatility and sophistication of the spaces is ideal for those looking to host a unique and extravagant event.