from dark loft to hotel-style en suite

Read article : from dark loft to hotel-style en suite

‘We wanted a guest room, as we often have people to stay,’ say the owners. ‘But in order to find the space, we had to turn to the loft.’

The couple found a local company to help them plan the conversion. ‘The space was really dark and we were worried it wouldn’t have enough light,’ they say. ‘But going for the biggest Velux window we could afford has worked far better than we expected.’

The pair made a contemporary freestanding bath the focal point, with a big vanity unit on one side and the shower on the other. ‘We splashed out on the silver tile border,’ they say. ‘It keeps the room bright and is the first thing people comment on.’

Lowering the floor here gave the owners the head height necessary for a walk-in shower, which can be tricky in a loft. In terms of decor, the couple love grey. ‘Our scheme features a mixture of pale and dark greys with silver accents,’ they say. ‘And we’ve gone for four types of tile to add texture, rather than colour, which isn’t our thing.’

Twin basins enhance the hotel-style feel and help with the morning rush to get to work. Drawers beneath offer a good amount of storage space, too, which helps to keep the room uncluttered. A hit of black in this corner adds depth to the neutral scheme.

Want more bathroom storage ideas? READ: Clear the clutter with clever bathroom storage solutions

‘We didn’t want to ruin our lovely silver tiles with wall-mounted fittings, so we’ve gone for bath taps coming up from the floor,’ say the owners.

It may have been intended for guests but the couple have claimed the loft as their own quiet retreat. ‘Now we have a hotel-standard bathroom without having to travel,’ they say. ‘It’s a wonderful luxe space that’s just for us grown-ups. ‘

Get the look

Buy now: Virginia bath, £1,607; floor-standing bath-shower mixer tap, £749.87; shower mixer, £824; loo, £612.50; Kalahari vanity unit, £1,389.01; and Kalahari double basin, £408.74, all Roca

Buy now: Aurora Borealis border tiles, £260 per sq m; and Erebos brickbond tiles, £190 per sq m, both Original Style

Buy now: Shine Niquel wall tiles, £68.51 per sq m; and Ferroker Niquel floor tiles, £81.40 per sq m, both Tiles of Wisdom

Buy now: glazed screen, £316, Mirrors & Glass

Buy now:radiator, £328, Ultra Finishing

This bathroom originally appeared in Ideal Home, June 2017.

Image credits: Colin Poole

Excel Group acquires Washington, D.C. hotel

Read article : Excel Group acquires Washington, D.C. hotel

Washington, D.C-based Excel Group, a real estate investment firm, has acquired the Hyatt Place Washington DC / US Capitol, a 14-story, 200-room hotel. No financial terms were disclosed.

PRESS RELEASE

ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Washington DC-based real estate investment firm Excel Group has announced its recent acquisition of the Hyatt Place Washington DC / US Capitol, a 14-story, 200-room hotel, which opened in June 2014.

The newly-constructed property sits squarely in the center of DC’s burgeoning NoMa neighborhood, a 35-block district of Northeast Washington. Well-funded by private developers, NoMa is a rapidly transforming area that will see an additional 20 million square feet of new office, residential, hospitality and retail development over the coming years. Referred to as the city’s “most connected” area, NoMa is highly accessible, with Amtrak, Virginia Railway Express (VRE), MARC, two Red Line Metro stops, seven Capital Bikeshare locations, and I-395 access.

“It’s an exciting time to be in NoMa, and we’re thrilled to announce this acquisition,” remarked managing partner Shoham Amin. “As an early stakeholder in this up-and-coming area of Washington, we’re very confident in the local market’s outlook, and look forward to the continued commercial and residential growth coming to the neighborhood.”

Hyatt Place will be Excel’s closest acquisition in proximity to its headquarters —a significant move as the firm continues to expand its footprint. With a current portfolio of 17 properties, Excel Group is among the fastest-growing real estate companies in the nation, most recently ranked third by Inc Magazine in 2016.

ABOUT EXCEL: Excel Group is a Washington, D.C.-based private equity firm that owns, develops, and asset manages hotels in high-growth markets across the Eastern U.S. Excel Group is focused on disciplined, cycle-appropriate hotel real estate acquisitions and asset management.

ABOUT HYATT PLACE WASHINGTON DC / US CAPITOL: With over 200 rooms and an ideal location in DC’s vibrant NoMa neighborhood, the 14-story Hyatt Place Washington DC/US Capitol is a contemporary hotel offering style and comfort to travelers visiting the nation’s capital. Rejuvenate with KenetMD bath essentials and sleep soundly on a Hyatt Grand Bed. Free hotel-wide Wi-Fi, free hot breakfast, 24-hour gym and indoor pool make your stay more comfortable. Hyatt Place also features 1600 square feet of meeting space for small meetings or large events.

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Travel: G&V Hotel, Edinburgh - The Scotsman

Read article : Travel: G&V Hotel, Edinburgh - The Scotsman

Do not disturb: Old Town’s exotic eyrie

G&V has ripped up that straight-backed and slightly stuffy approach to five-star hospitality and conjured up a replacement that is full of colour, creativity and modernity.

Budget or boutique?

The name of Italian fashion house Missoni was above the door of this hotel until 2014 but the new owners have stepped confidently into their stylish shoes.

The foyer and lounge have a space-age feel, as though you’re checking in for an intergalactic flight, with low-hanging silver globe lights, high-gloss surfaces and the alluring pink glow from a hydroponic grower where the herbs for the bar are produced.

Clusters of chairs and sofas ooze comfort by the flickering flames of the fire. It’s all very intriguing and you can’t help but want to investigate further.

Room service

Off the dark and dramatic corridors of the G&V there are 137 rooms, many with 180 degree views of the capital. From room 503, you feel as though you can almost touch Salisbury Crags and the Pentlands stretch out to the south. Although one of the greatest cities in the world is out there waiting to be explored, you’ll probably want to stay here for some time.

Local artists have customised some of the rooms and ours has been blasted with zingy bright prints and accented with hand-painted details on the wall. Signature furniture pieces add further character, including a huge glass coffee table resting on a tree trunk. The bed is king size and dressed in pure white.

All the practical things are here too, including a Nespresso machine, two flat-screen televisions, a DVD library and a mini bar.

The bathroom is one giant wet room split by thick glass panels into a shower, toilet and bath area. And decked out in black mosaic tiles and purple high gloss, there is one moody looking loo. No wonder Lady Gaga chose to stay at the G&V.

Wining and dining

Eating and drinking is another dimension of the G&V experience. The Epicurean bar is on the ground floor and sits like a dark cavern off the foyer. There is some serious alcohol artistry practised here, and as if to emphasise the fact, a little paintbrush is secured to the cocktail menu, which is themed around the Scottish Colourists. The Plein Air, named after the practice of painting outdoors, mixes gin, fennel soda and a dash of violet liqueur which is suspended in the glass like a drop of pigment. Drinking it is indeed like meeting a stiff breeze. The Miel Royale, a mix of fresh rhubarb, gin and champagne, is sweetened with honey from G&V’s rooftop apiary. The Epicurean alone is worth a visit if you are feeling experimental.

The hotel restaurant, Cucina, delivers a modern Italian menu. An interior designed by Timorous Beasties, a soundtrack of deep house and an army of smiling staff set the scene.

Food is smart and super fresh. In my white crab and avocado starter, the fruit had been smoothed and reset with fennel and cream and little shards of white meat gave a sweet sea punch. The sea trout main was plump like a pink pillow and dressed in a sweet almond crust with salted spinach on the side. My partner had rabbit with hazelnut. Now this is a man who loves his rabbit, preferably fresh from the field with the legs hanging over the plate, but here the little beast looked like it had been brought back to life as abstract art – my partner wished he’d had the pork ragu.

A glorious selection of puddings, such as milk sorbet, honeycomb and white truffle honey, was on offer, but we shared the perfectly balanced cheese board.

Worth getting out of bed for

The breakfast is fabulous, from the cold continental buffet to the hot traditional plates and the special egg menu. Step outside and you’ll be right in the heart of the Old Town and all it has to offer. The Meadows, the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh Castle and Mary King’s Close are a stone’s throw away.

Little extras

Small dogs are welcome in all of the hotel bedrooms and a pet bed and bowls are provided for a charge.

Rooms from £210 B&B to £425 B&B for a standard Signature room. Room 503 starts at £650 and goes up to £1,500 B&B. G&V Hotel, 1 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1AD, tel: 0131-220 6666