New Soho hotel Chateau Denmark is breaking all the rules

23 March 2022 by

In London's Denmark Street, Chateau Denmark's rooms pay homage to gothic, punk or Victoriana, with staff dressed to kill and bars in the bathrooms

Chateau Denmark is a hotel like no other. Located across 16 buildings in the heart of London's Soho, the venture is jaw-droppingly bold and brave in its nod to the hedonistic rock 'n' roll scene which played out on its doorstep for some 50 years.

It is not actually described as a hotel, although it is very much one in that it is somewhere you check into a room – albeit a room like no other – for an overnight stay. Any of the usual references to a hotel are banned, explains Carrie Wicks, founder of CAW Ventures, the operating company behind Chateau Denmark, which will open on 4 April. So, housekeepers are chateau keepers, bedrooms are session rooms and standard operating procedures are "anything but standard".

You get the vibe: this is a business that has turned all the usual methods of hotelkeeping on its head. The result is a unique proposition, both stylistically and operationally. Wicks was excited to take on the challenge of such a bold project. "It was an amazing opportunity for a highly unique and supremely tailored operation," she says. "It has given us the platform to break away from tradition. There are no half-measures in anything we do."

The creation of Chateau Denmark came about as part of the wider ambitious redevelopment of the locality by Consolidated Developments, which incorporates the Now Building, which features an immersive media space operated by Outernet Global. Once complete, it will feature what is believed to be the world's largest LED screen. There will also be retail spaces, a recording studio, fitness and wellness space and three live venues ranging in capacity from 360 to 2,000 people.

Chateau Denmark's musical rooms

Chateau Denmark itself is situated on Denmark Street, a stone's throw from Tottenham Court Road tube station, soon to be one of the major hubs for Crossrail. It's the location for properties dating back to the 17th century and one of the few remaining streets in London to have retained its original facades. Its links to the music industry stem back to the early 20th century, when music publishers set up shop, with recording studios establishing a major presence during the 1960s and 1970s.

It is this link to the music industry that has informed the interior design of Chateau Denmark, created by Taylor Howes, a company best known for its design of high-end residential properties. Working on the project was a major challenge – heightened by the idiosyncrasies of working across a variety of different buildings – for the firm's founder Karen Howes and creative head of studio Jane Landino, but one which they took on with enthusiasm and relish.

"We were encouraged to push the boundaries like we never have before," says Landino. "The only time Carrie said ‘no' was when we suggested a piece of art with a controversial religious reference."

Certainly, some of the interiors are not for the fainthearted, but all have been created with a sense of fun and cheekiness in mind. Neon lights above each room depict them as locations for sinning, while the laundry bags are appropriately emblazoned with the word ‘Filth'.

"We know the reaction from some guests may be extreme, but we think it is good to get people talking"

Skulls and serpents are reoccurring themes throughout, be it on House of Hackney wallpaper, door handles on the bespoke cabinetry and generously sized Champagne flutes and cocktail glasses, while some of the sexually graphic artwork and bondage accessories (securely bolted to the wall) reflect Soho's history as the centre of the pornographic industry. "We know the reaction from some guests may be extreme, but we think it is good to get people talking," says Wicks.

Inspired by the history of the surrounding area and the street's musical connections, Taylor Howes has created four distinct narratives across the 14 session rooms in the Now Building and 39 apartments situated in a collection of Grade II-listed townhouses, a mews house and mansion buildings on Denmark Street. Each one has a different rock 'n' roll-inspired name: ‘Untold Story', ‘All The Sinners' and ‘I Am Anarchy' among them.

The narratives include Vintage Gothic, which features dramatic spaces with a dark and moody palette, carved four-poster beds, antique brass chainmail curtains and a black rubber floor. Timeless Grandeur offers an opulent and indulgent Victorian-era aesthetic, with a sculptured fireplace and blood-red roll-top bath on a marble plinth. Modern Psychedelia recreates London life from the 1960s and 1970s through neon artwork and a wet-look, peacock blue sofa, while Punk Now presents the irreverent side of the anti-establishment movement through gold-trimmed, graffiti embossed headboards, safety-pinned curtains and tartan chairs with Mohican embellishment.

The intention is that Chateau Denmark will very much be a party venue where excess will abound, so mini-bars are out and maxi-bars are in. Some of the apartments feature bar-throoms in which guests will be encouraged to gather around the bespoke marble-top bar with brass gantry, showcasing a generous selection of more than 20 full-sized bottles of spirits and a dozen bottles of wine, all charged at little more than retail prices. A dramatic roll-top bath, in various deep hues, sits alongside.

Giving the hotel a personality

With music being the driving force behind Chateau Denmark, it is no surprise that the audio systems in the room are first class and form a key element of an operation that prides itself on state-of-the-art technology. As well as enjoying eight curated audio playlists and music videos on 65-inch screens, guests will also be able to livestream events from the nearby Outernet venues. Entertainment specialist Butler Harwell has co-ordinated the products from leading audio companies, such as Meridien, Void, Artcoustic and PMC.

Choosing the right team has been essential. Everyone, including general manager Sam Shepherd (a former graduate management trainee at Firmdale Hotels), have been selected for their sparkling and flamboyant personalities and willingness to be part of something new.

"We went about the recruitment process by asking the candidates to tell us something about themselves in just 60 seconds, either in writing or via a video," says Wicks.

Every team member also has had to display a keenness to become multi-skilled. As a result, many of the staff came on board up to six months before the opening to ensure the most comprehensive training programme could be fulfilled. The person who checks in a guest will also provide a concierge service, mix a martini or organise breakfast or dinner.

With regards food and beverage, there is no in-house restaurant at Chateau Denmark. However, guests will be able to access Tattu, a Chinese restaurant located on the top floor of the Now Building, situated above the session rooms. The launch of the restaurant marks the first site in London for the independent group, which also has a presence in Edinburgh, Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham.

"There are no half-measures in anything we do"

Further restaurants are set to open in another Outernet building and nearby Flitcroft Street. Additionally, guests will be able to order, via the butler (or BTLR) assigned to each room, any food they choose at any time of the day or night, from a variety of local suppliers that Chateau Denmark has formed links with.

Besides Chateau Denmark's own lounge bar, Thirteen, which is expected to open in the summer, there are no other specific public areas for the venture. Hence, Denmark Street itself is expected to be where a lot of the meeting and greeting will take place. It is for this reason that the outfits (not uniforms) worn by staff are equally extravagant as the session rooms and apartments. Brocade frock coats and pink-snakeskin-lined, gender-fluid skilts (a cross between a kilt and a skirt), designed by Studio 104 and teamed with high-top white trainers, will make a statement to any passerby who may unwittingly think they have wandered onto an 18th-century film set.

There is certainly something of a cinematic quality to Chateau Denmark in that the experience of the spaces take the guests into another dimension and will undoubtedly appeal to an audience that is expected to largely come from the music and entertainment industries. Its creation has enabled much of the historical and cultural charm of Denmark Street to be restored, although some may find its juxtaposition alongside the futuristic Now Building to be a touch jarring. What can be certain though, is that Chateau Denmark has established a whole new genre for hospitality in London.

Who is Carrie Wicks?

The launch of Chateau Denmark marks the highest-profile project for Carrie Wicks since she launched her management consultancy business CAW Ventures in 2016.

Wicks originally started her career in South Africa, where she spent 12 years working in restaurants and hotels in Johannesburg and Cape Town, after graduating with a HND in catering and institutional management at Oxford Polytechnic (now Oxford Brookes University).

Upon returning to the UK, she joined Firmdale Hotels in 1997 as general manager at the Covent Garden hotel. Within two years, Wicks went on to oversee her first opening at the Charlotte Street hotel. Later, as operations director, she was also responsible for the opening of Knightsbridge, No 16, the Soho and Ham Yard hotels – all in the capital – as well as the group's first property in New York, Crosby Street.

Wick made her name in the wider hospitality industry during the 19 years she spent at Firmdale, becoming known for her work around people development across a 1,200-strong team, which resulted in her receiving The Caterer's Manager of the Year title at the 2009 Catey Awards.

On leaving Firmdale in 2016 and prior to getting CAW Ventures off the ground, Wicks spent eight months as chief executive of Leeu Collection, the owner of three luxury boutique hotels in Franschhoek, South Africa, and Linthwaite House in the Lake District.

Her first key independent project was to support the opening of the new Annabel's Club in Mayfair for Richard Caring before focusing her time on the creation and launch of Chateau Denmark.

Outernet Global expects its London development to be replicated worldwide with Wicks involved in the creation of any complimentary hotel-style ventures.

Denmark Street – the UK's Tin Pan Alley

The importance of Denmark Street to the history of British popular music was recognised with the granting in 2014 of a blue plaque referring to the location as Tin Pan Alley, the name that was originally given to an area of New York famous for its songwriters.

While the buildings in Denmark Street date back several centuries, it is only in the past 100 years that the area has become synonymous with the music industry and in particular is regarded as the birthplace of British popular music in the 1950s.

Industry publications Melody Maker and New Musical Express were founded here in 1926 and 1952 respectively. It was also the location where the Rolling Stones recorded some of their earliest works, Elton John and Bernie Taupin wrote songs there and David Bowie is believed to have conceived Ziggy Stardust in Gioconda Café.

The Sex Pistols rehearsed on the street and graffiti believed to have been created by Johnny Rotten has been preserved in the interior of one of Chateau Denmark's apartments. A live music scene was established at the 12 Bar Club, which became renowned for launching the careers of the likes of Adele, Katie Melua and Keane. While the club closed in 2015 – despite opposition from ardent music lovers –a new version is set to open as part of the wider redevelopment of the area.

Today the street has retained its connection to the music scene via the profusion of shops selling musical instruments. Favourable leases for the stores will guarantee their long-term future, with a clause stating that any new business has to be music related.

Owner  Joint venture with Consolidated Developments

Operator  CAW Ventures, headed by Carrie Wicks

Chateau manager  Sam Shepherd

Rooms  14 session rooms and 39 apartments

Rates  Starting from £450 for a superior session room up to £2,110 for Clifton apartment

Chateau Denmark, Denmark Place, London WC2H 0LA

020 3656 1000

www.chateaudenmark.com

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