You have to give Lost Property points for originality: it's certainly an imaginative name for a hotel. The latest in Hilton's Curio Collection, this boutique bolthole was only three months old when we visited – and still has that new car smell. Or rather, new spa smell – it’s a lovely aroma, whatever it is.
The Lost Property name relates to the concept of losing yourself rather than your possessions. Inscribed on the floor by the elevators in gold metal writing, it says ‘To be found one must first be lost’ – a riff on the need to let go in order to find yourself.
Despite being located a busy main road literally opposite St Paul’s Cathedral, it certainly has the feeling of a calming escape from the City’s hectic streets.
The vibe
Lost Property lobby
Just enough Wes Anderson references without it feeling like a pastiche, it’s clean, classy and stylish in equal measure. The ‘art deco lite’ design is understandably popular at the moment – and it’s been artfully enacted here.
The chandeliers throughout the shared spaces are all Murano glass from Venice, with the restaurant’s chandelier the crowning glory. Crafted in the shape of an eagle in flight, it comprises more than 100 miniature glass birds – eight different colours and shapes, each representative of a species that has gone extinct (or been ‘lost’).
For your own escape, there’s not space for a spa here, but head to the basement for a fully equipped gym, which despite its subterranean location benefits from natural light from the two-story high ceiling.
Food & Drink
You have a couple of options here. On one side of the hotel is Tattle – the name inspired by coffee room gossip and a nod to the famous Whispering Gallery across the road. It’s a cosy café supported by a rare partnership with artisanal coffee maker Monmouth.
For a more serious meal, head to the rear of the hotel to find, er, Found. The restaurant includes a funky oval counter table for more informal dining; a bar for a range of classic and signature coffees; and a comfortable restaurant for tucking into traditional English and French fare. The restaurant’s ‘Found’ moniker is inspired by the menu, where head chef Rumel Pinnock scoured through old reference cookbooks from the likes of the legendary Auguste Escoffier to find hearty favourites to fill a comfort food-filled line-up.
The rooms
Properly comfortable beds; excellent sound proofing; electricity plugs and USB points all over the shop; and a comfortable chair with marble table: everything you need, nothing you don’t. The bathrooms are reassuringly lavish with smart dark chrome fittings and plenty of Penhaligon’s on tap.
Just make sure you book one of the hotel’s seven suites if you’re after a view of St Paul’s.
Inside track
Head to the bar at Found between 5pm – 7pm on Wednesday to Fridays and it's just £10 per cocktail for a selection of signature and classic cocktails. Happy hours are always better when they come in pairs.
From £170 per room per night. Lost Property, 3-5 Ludgate Hill; 0204 5530 555; hilton.com
