The Mondrian hotel in London is dubbed “The Sea Containers,” a nod to the hotel building’s history. The building was originally Sea Containers House. Sea Containers Ltd. was a Bermuda-registered company which operated two main business areas: transport and container leasing from its London base. The company went bust in 2006, and, in 2011, agreement was given to develop a hotel. The hotel opened in 2015.
The Dandelyan bar is a great place to meet for coffee or a cocktail…or two.
The hotel staff were extremely friendly and helpful, some of the nicest hotel staff this roving journalist has ever encountered.
The restaurant, in keeping with the hotel, is styled on the golden age of transatlantic travel.
The hotel layout was developed by Design Research Studio under the creative direction of renowned British designer Tom Dixon.
The main aim of the design was to encapsulate 1920s cruise ship glamour. One of the artistic delights is giant, copper clad wall inspired by the hull of a ship, running from outside the building, through to the lobby and on to the river side of the hotel.
There are some nice touches, highlighting the sea-going past.
There are also some quintessentially British touches, like the classic post box.
One of the delights of the hotel is a basement cinema, run by the specialist cinema chain Curzon. The cinema screens some latest movies and many classics.
An old-fashioned looking popcorn machine was a delight and the popcorn was delicious.
The cinema contains some classic film posters:
An a realistic space suit, straight from a 1950s sci-fi B-movie.
The cinema is an intimate 56 seat screening room. The size and exclusivity provide a great place to relax. The cinema has 4K digital projection, Dolby 7.1 surround sound and luxurious seating. Drinks, including alcoholic beverages, and hot food can be taken into the cinema. Small tables align most seats.
The hotel’s location, close to right on the Thames is really good for river walks and to explore the South side of the river.
The hotel is located at 20 Upper Ground London, SE1 9PD. It is well worth a visit.
