No.1 The Townhouse at Great Scotland Yard

Great Scotland Yard No.1 The Townhouse

LONDON

The former home of the Metropolitan Police welcomes a new recruit in the shape of a five-storey Georgian residence, brought to life by EPR and David T’Kint.

Words: Ben Thomas • Photography: © Courtesy of Hyatt

Synonymous with law and order, Great Scotland Yard has enough stories to fill a book; it was here that the crimes of Britain’s most notorious villains were investigated over the years, from the violent heists of West End gangs to the grisly murders of Jack the Ripper. Now, the iconic street between Whitehall and Northumberland Avenue is writing itself a new chapter, welcoming a luxurious private residence that forms part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt’s UK debut next door.

Despite nearing completion before the pandemic, No.1 The Townhouse has timed its opening to perfection given the growing demand for self-contained suites in the city. Restored to its former glory by EPR Architects, the property provides guests with 2,000ft2 of seclusion while offering a direct link to the adjacent hotel via a former butler’s staircase, meaning they can make use of its fitness centre, meeting facilities or F&B outlets, which include The Parlour for afternoon tea, 40 Elephants for snacks and aperitifs, and private whiskey bar Sibin for late-night drinks.

Having taken the lead on the hotel’s interiors in his previous role at HBA EMEA, where he devised a scheme that unlocks the secrets of London’s past, designer David T’Kint – who has since set up a hospitality design consultancy of his own – was entrusted with balancing old and new once more, this time across five floors steeped in Georgian history.

“I envisioned Sir Robert Peel having a pied-à-terre in the middle of Whitehall,” begins T’Kint, who goes on to explain that his approach involved staying true to the structure’s history while ensuring it did not become gimmicky or overly themed. “Rather than being labelled Edwardian, Victorian, contemporary or classic, the townhouse is a fusion of all of the above, creating a unique environment that does not ignore the roots of its heritage whilst at once catering for the comforts of today’s traveller,” he confirms.

Arriving at the Grade II-listed dwelling through their very own front door, or a drive-in entrance for VIPs, residents are welcomed by a dining room featuring a 10-seater table, bespoke artworks and a Georgian-style chandelier, where they can host banquets or business meetings against a backdrop of decadence. From here, stairs lead down to a games room equipped with a chess board and drinks cabinet, while sunken even further into the basement are a kitchen – stocked with seasonal fruit and snacks or used by the hotel’s in-house chefs to prepare full meal services from a choice of menus – as well as a snug with original log burners, oversized sofas and a Bang & Olufsen TV where guests can kick-back and relax come evening.

On the first floor, an elegant drawing room is bathed in tones of peach, cream and blue, and an office is furnished with a high-back chair and desk, while up on the second and third levels – affording glimpses of the capital’s rooftops – are two spacious double bedrooms, both with en-suites boasting walk-in marble showers, rolltop copper bathtubs and toiletries from London perfumery Floris.

Despite sharing the same address as Great Scotland Yard Hotel, T’Kint is quick to point out that the aesthetic of the townhouse is much more residential in style than the hotel. “Whilst the space caters to the functions expected of a Presidential Suite, it does remain an independent property with its own character and façade – the yellow brick versus the red brick of the main building, for instance. The design inside has its own look and feel too, with different elements to those found in the wider property.”

Working within a Georgian-era building didn’t come without its challenges however, with the biggest for T’Kint coming in the form of its compact spaces, which are stacked on top of one another unlike a regular suite, and had to be retained due to the structure’s listed status. For the designer, this meant navigating a series of approval processes before modifying elements according to regulations. The use of heavy materials and furnishings was another obstacle, with T’Kint having to be extremely careful with weight on every level in order to retain the original structure of the floors. “We were very lucky to have a freestanding copper tub in the bathrooms approved!” he quips. “However, that meant no marble on the floor, only tile – so the marble is on the walls instead. The same applies to all of the building’s other rooms, with timber flooring or carpet being the only option except for in the kitchen, which is decked in marble as it is in the basement.”

Serving as an urban abode for business tycoons and heads of state, Great Scotland Yard’s newest recruit celebrates all the hallmarks of a classic British townhouse, championing tradition and modernity in equal measure through a scheme that does justice to the street’s heritage while recognising the needs of the modern era. Sir Robert Peel may well have passed away over 150 years ago, but if the former Prime Minister and Home Secretary – regarded as the ‘father of modern policing’ after he founded London’s Metropolitan Police Service in 1829 – were around today, the residence would most certainly get his seal of approval. EXPRESS CHECK-OUT Owner: Twenty14 Holdings Developer: Galliard Operator: Hyatt Architecture: EPR Architects Interior Design: HBA, David T’Kint www.hyatt.com