THE MANDRAKE FITZROVIA, LONDON S ituated just ten minutes away from Piccadilly Circus, Bond Street, Soho, and Theatreland, The Mandrake offers an ideal location for discovering the West End of the city. But as you enter, London feels a world apart from the magical fantasy that lies ahead. The Mandrake opened in the autumn of 2017, and its entrance is so unremarkable that you're probably going to walk right by it. The dark doors appear to be the entrance to a closed nightclub, but once inside and along the lengthy, dimly lit hallway, you will find yourself in a strange place with taxidermy, esoteric symbols, and an outdoor atrium covered in jungle vegetation. The design studio led by Tala Fustok created remarkable interiors to create places that perfectly represent London's eccentricity and Paris' luxury. The idea behind this is to "stay beyond yourself," based on the conviction that the soul requires just as much nourishment as the body and mind. Enter the "spiritual wellness concierge service," which provides a selection of complementary therapies derived from conventional and ancient wellness methods. Fitzrovia, located off Oxford Street and in a key position, is surprisingly laid-back despite its address on Newman Street. Almost all of downtown London's major tourist attractions are accessible by foot from this location. Rooms The 34 luxurious bedrooms, which are arranged over four stories and several of them have doors leading to balconies, are tastefully decorated to evoke pleasure, sensuality, and delight. They range from the opulent and enigmatic to the vibrant and bright. The Mandrake's most affordable rooms are small yet cosy, with top-notch bedding. The bathrooms are characterised as "caravan-esque" and are a little small, but they are wellstocked with premium toiletries. Food & Drink The colourful highlight of the hotel's restaurant, YOPO, is "Showgirl," an ostrich designed by Enrique Gomez de Molina that is remarkably dazzling and stands tall in the middle of the space. George Scott-Toft, the highly regarded executive chef, drew inspiration for the menu from his travels throughout South America. Small tapas-style items that are meant to be shared are offered on the a la carte menu. It was a delight to look at and taste each dish that was placed on our table. The highlight was the grilled octopus, which was served with sliced potatoes and smoky paprika, like a hash with deliciously juicy chunks. Our verdict The Mandrake, named after a plant whose root is supposed to have hallucinogenic qualities, aims to offer an "immersive" experience unmatched by any other hotel in London, and it is undoubtedly successful. It’s a luxurious, lush, and eerily beautiful "urban jungle" in Fitzrovia. Amazing Destinations 77
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