Written by Menswear Style in Travel on the 26th February 2015

Stuck right in the heart of London’s theatre district is one super slick, uber cool, St Martin's Lane hotel. If you like your hotels minimalist enough that it cuts out all the chintz of those big London chains, you've come to the right place. The lobby is large and inviting with cool art installations you can Instagram to show off to your friends or pretend you've already been on a trip of cultural discovery the minute you arrived in London.

The vibrant St Martins Lane Hotel is a 204 room urban resort has an electrifying lobby scene and the rooms at the hotel offer a sensuous and luxurious sanctuary where guests can unwind.

Expressing an experiential approach to minimalism, they’ve used the expansive floor-to-ceiling windows as a unique backdrop to low and simple furnishings to create the feeling that guests are floating over the city. Linen drapery, polished aluminum, teardrop lighting fixtures and pale leopard print carpets soften the space, while the updated iconic interactive light feature allows guests to elevate their mood selecting from a spectrum of colours with a custom-designed dial. 

The newly-painted room will enhance this lighting effect, which will also reflect off of the newly dichroic laminated glass desk as well as the illuminated surface that holds the new flat-screen smart TV.

The Room 

Interior designer Tim Andreas of Banjo Ad Inc pays homage to the original ethos of the hotel by blurring the lines between baroque and minimalist, extravagance and simplicity. The new rooms epitomise high-concept design while enhancing the guest experience through comfort and functionality with elements like a new white leather chair that rotates 360 degrees for optimal viewing of the entire room, bedside reading lights, additional USB charging stations near the bed, and media hub with high-current USB charging, HDMI video and music playing capabilities. 

With a distinctive service style and refreshing new guestrooms, St Martins Lane is modern and functional. We particularly liked the different colours that light up the room which can be adjusted depending on your mood, and the TV is just ginormous!

Asia De Cuba Restaurant 

Cafecito’s afternoon tea sends guests into the mystique and ambiance of a Cuban teahouse through a fusion of Asian and Cuban inspired treats, offering an alternative to the traditional afternoon tea format. Despite dining in the restaurant on a cold Monday afternoon, the place was booming. Asia De Cuba is clearly the place to be, whether you are a hotel guest or not. As the name suggests, it serves food with Asian and Cuban influence. The menu is fun and imaginative, and the food is delicious. Their afternoon tea took an interesting twist on the old English classic. Scones with mojito butter, chilli chocolate, and all washed down with some fabulous teas. It’s an experience to remember.

Guests are taken on a journey to Cuba, where each diner receives a classic, handmade wooden cigar box, containing their tea utensils. Each delightful tea blend has been hand selected from a range of the finest leaves, from specialty and luxury tea supplier JING, to compliment the colourful food offerings. 

The menu is made up of fun and distinctive options, including a Cubano pressed sandwich with BBQ pulled pork, beef and vegetable empanadas with Caribbean hot sauce. Leading into the afternoon’s sweet treats, guests can then indulge in Asia de Cuba’s renowned mini Mexican doughnuts filled with butterscotch sauce, banana spring rolls filled with white chocolate and coconut ganache and key lime pie topped with a soft meringue all served on a three-tiered stand.

We visit and review the Covent Garden London based St Martin's Lane hotel featuring afternoon tea at Asia De Cuba.