Blakes London presents itself as a contemporary redux of an English city residence. Our home is a popular, desirable and highly aspirational destination. Blakes' appeal lies, critically, in the element of surprise. Whilst the juxtaposition of contemporary aesthetic within an exquisite heritage building is now familiar it is important to remember the audacious bravery such a vision represented at the time of it’s birth. Over 40 years later it is still a graceful narrative, and our family at Blakes is always looking for ways to improve what happens within and how we relate that to you.
There is an unsolvable grammatic device: a paradox wrapped inside an enigma - it can never be fully explained or defined.
The perfect hotel should offer a sensorial experience where another layer is waiting to be unwrapped. Having stayed at Blakes, you should upon check out have in the back of your mind the niggling doubt that there is still more to be discovered; the choice of book, a surprise music choice, a selection of beautifully curated goods for sale. Maybe it is a charming example of psychogeography but where better to play with surprise than Blakes.
Step into the
restaurant to the scent of a blend of artisan coffee and a
food menu of temporary seasons. Step into the immersive late night experience of
Blakes Below, where you happen upon a secret bar with a curated cocktail selection amongst the classics. What if all we present to you could be packaged into a black box, wrapped and taken home? Does this inform our unsolvable riddle?
As we modernise, the new does not replace the original experience. Rather, it contrasts and actually preserves and benefits the dynamic. Blakes is maturing into a heritage brand one that resides in the domains of boutique and bespoke yet is often included in the trope of luxury. There is a beauty in this - nothing is more covetable than heritage but heritage is not history. The true heritage brand continues to respond and even precipitate the current and coming spirit. Who is the dreamer?
Navid Mirtorabi, Owner