Natasha Higgins visits the Sanctum Soho Hotel where, among other things, they pride themselves on their bespoke cocktails created by their talented staff.  

Here’s a thing worth knowing about Soho’s five-star Boutique hotel, Sanctum: the barman makes a mean Cosmopolitan – it’s so good, it’s reason enough to visit the hotel. Furthermore, on the fifth floor, high above Carnaby Street, is a terrific terrace with a hot tub, outdoor heating and a bar.  

This five-star boutique hotel brands itself ‘rock’n’roll’. The dark aubergine walls, similarly dark oak floors and corridors lined with black and white photographs of rock stars, give it a Paint it Black  kinda feel.

To give you an idea, upon entering the lobby through the glass revolving door,  a striking iron enclosure is home to the hotel’s lift. A grand original staircase leads up to the bedrooms. The furniture, rugs and joinery are all custom made. 

In a nutshell, the aim was to create “the urban glamour of London, from Carnaby Street to underground clubs. The design also draws on Soho’s history as a centre of artistic activity and bohemia,” says Mark Fuller, the hotel’s owner. 

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It’s the perfect venue for a London stop-over, an after work drink or an evening meal at the hotel’s restaurant – No 20 – with its ‘rhubarb and custard’ theme designed to evoke  a classic British pudding with lashings of vintage glamour. It’s all leather chairs and wooden tables creating a cosy yet exclusive look.  Everything down to the wall lights are custom designed including the bar with its mermaid bar clamps. 

The restaurant serves up starters along the lines of a butternut squash and chargrilled halloumi salad, followed by Jacobs Ladder Rock n Roll Ribs and Toffee Apple Crumble Tart – true British fare all to the tune of The Who’s My Generation. 

Alternatively, if you’re just popping in for a drink, keep in mind the hotel’s cocktail menu states the following: “At Sanctum Soho Hotel we pride ourselves on making cocktails that are completely bespoke to you. Tell us what you like and we’ll come up with a delicious concoction that really hits the spot. Or if you’d prefer one of the classics read on…”

The rooms

The rooms are an extension of the theme and a feast for the eyes. Think classic art deco:  Timber veneers, chocolate wall covering, velvet drapes and cocktail bars instead of desks. “They reflect glamour and slight eccentricity – we want guests to feel they are entering a magical chocolate box of a room!” says Fuller..  

The Junior Suites have a bath in the middle of the floor set on glowing pebbles with twinkling white lights over it. The columns, wardrobes, furniture and tiles have reflective surfaces and the windows are adorned with silver drapery and glass beaded wallpaper. 

Many of the Doubles have a purple colour scheme and these rooms are all about the bed – a black four poster flanked by a huge black framed Louis mirror, silk drapes and a chaise longue. 

Another design scheme in the two-room suites is ‘baroque’ – a blushing boudoir with French Louis XIV style furniture, pale satins and velvets reflected in crystal lights. Magnifique!

The Cinema Room

Another fun feature of this hotel is its cinema room. The design that draws on an era of cigarette girls and the glamour of the Odeon cinemas of the 1930’s for its inspiration. – perfect for hosting private events.

All of this in the heart of Soho – London’s centre for music and entertainment – how fitting.