Monday, February 16, 2009

Rough Luxe










All images Rough Luxe

My favourite Aussie abroad Vicki A. over @ French Essence recently posted a fabulous & very comprehensive list of her London Loves (places, not people!). I did have a very big drool & so wanted to catch the next plane over, but MOTH laid down the law, 'A new bathroom Millie dear or a plane ticket with a couple of weeks swanning around Vicki's fave places.' Mmmmm, decisions, decisions. On the very off-chance I might be able to get him to change his mind & let me have both treats, I thought I'd better have a quick look at my options.

Firstly there was the small matter of accommodation befitting my very fussy criteria. Of course there were the usual suspects, The Connaught, Brown's, The Lanesborough, One Aldwych, The Goring, Covent Garden Hotel, The Pelham - all of course, quite suitable for Miss Millie. However, in reacquainting myself with these fine establishments, I stumbled across Rough Luxe in Birkenhead Street. Oh, I thought, this looks promising a Grade II listed home transformed by internationally acclaimed designer Rabih Hage, luxury @ affordable prices. So onto their home page I go & so far so good:

'Rough Luxe. Half rough, half luxury. A little bit of luxury in a rough part of London. A little bit of rough in a luxurious London. Our philosophy is simple; you are staying with us in our home, so just ask.'

Yep, this is definitely a goer, so I get deeper into the description:

'Our look is a mix of old and new, furniture and art; combining colours and beautiful fabrics with cheap materials and existing distressed original walls. Cheap materials are treated as precious items and preserved for their beauty and memory of the site.'

Wonderful, I'm thinking, something a little quirky & different:

'Just nine amazing rooms. '

Oh goody, small & homely, but reading on I'm stopped dead in my tracks by the next paragraph:

'Guests at a Rough Luxe hotel might share a bathroom or have a small room, but the luxury is in the choice of the wine, the bed linen, the art on the walls and the people looking after you.'

SHARE A BATHROOM - you've got to be joking!!!!! I'm sorry guys but no amount of fine art works, interesting furniture, swish sheets, great wine, Rabih Hage design or gorgeous spunk @ Reception is going to get me to share a bloody bathroom with anyone!!! And certainly not for 280 quid a night!!

And by the look on MOTH's face when I was doing a little more pleading (read as whineing at the same pitch as a Boeing 747!) about a possible trip, I'll have to temporarily postpone my little sojurn. I've printed off Vicki's post & have it tucked under my pillow, so each night I can dream about heading off in the future. But let me tell you, it will be The Pelham for this girl - Rough Luxe's off until they get Rabih baby back to upgrade their plumbing !

15 comments:

  1. Oh Millie, your post made me laugh! It was the best medicine for the 'sitting at home working on a Monday morning' blues. Bathroom or London? That's a damn tough choice! But I'm with you on the shared bathroom - No way!! Instead I'll just enjoy the pretty pictures thank you very much.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hilarious!
    I'm with you on the bathroom, I grumble through even sharing mine with my hubby somedays!
    Love the sheep in the last image...

    ReplyDelete
  3. lol, great post Millie! I gather it is a bathroom for your home now...and I'm with you, you don't pay those tariffs to share a toilet and shower!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ah yes I enjoyed your post too - gave me a giggle. I'm afraid that I'm not very good at sharing a bedroom - (other than with my DH!) - let alone a bathroom.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I agree, dear Millie. Sharing a bathroom is just ok when doing the el cheapo B & B, but in an expensive hotel - NEVER! And imagine the rush that would be on each morning after the rooms had been serviced to grab the free shampoo and conditioner!
    Clare

    ReplyDelete
  6. Well I guess Millie sometimes the head has to rule! As to sharing of bathrooms - no thank you. That was my number one requirement when designing our house - his and hers bathrooms.

    ReplyDelete
  7. It was looking very promising until they just happened to 'slip in' the mention of the shared bathroom. Could you imagine if you missed that bit, and went all the way over there, only to discover the shared bathroom?
    I'm like you though, I've saved Vicki's post on London for future reference.
    Oh and thank you so much for your lovely award - I'm chuffed!
    Catherine xx

    ReplyDelete
  8. I must have missed the lesson in sharing when I was in pre-school. I do not share well with others, especially bathrooms on holiday!

    Funny story, Millie.

    xo
    Brooke

    ReplyDelete
  9. He he! I would not want to share a bathroom, although I would just to go to London!

    However, I always have this discussion with the hubby. He wants the trips, I want the home improvements. The trip will go fast and be over, but the home improvement will last forever. Of course, so will the trip memories...so hard to decide!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Funny story Millie - I always say the key to happy marriage is seperate baths. My hubby uses the guest bath - and we are VERY happy!
    xx-Gina

    ReplyDelete
  11. You made me giggle - I never suggested sharing a bathroom Millie !!! I hate sharing too, xv
    ps but pleeeease come to Europe one day - I would love to meet.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hello All - this is Rough Luxe. You only share a bathroom with your mates if you want to. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  13. LOVE ém!!! that! that! that & ARRGGHH
    all of them, pls?

    Whew... lots to choose!

    Great post, Lady Millie!!! How I wish, the day-bed is mine.

    Cheers for the wonderful week ahead!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Dear Rough Luxe guys - lovely to get your comment (& even lovelier it wasn't through your Lawyer!). Thanks for the heads up on the shared bathroom issue - I think I'd still struggle sharing with my mates, but you sound so nice I'm sure you'd make sure I got one of your gorgeous en-suite rooms.

    I just love your hotel, the decor & everything about RL is so sublime. I was only joking about The Pelham, of course there's only one place in London for me - Rough Luxe! (Hope that's got me back into your good books!)
    Love from your No. 1 fan - Millie from Australia.

    ReplyDelete
  15. We'll get the kettle/champagne on then and look forward to seeing you soon. All at RL

    ReplyDelete

And none will hear the postman's knock
Without a quickening of the heart.
For who can bear to feel himself forgotten?
~W.H. Auden

Related Posts with Thumbnails