A look inside London's most majestic new suite

Deeply woven into the fabric of London’s history for centuries, The Connaught is about as British as it gets. Since opening in 1815, the hotel has seen the city through its most significant phases, staunchly overlooking the neighbourhood in all its red-brick magnificence and welcoming guests from Edward VII and Charles de Gaulle to Princess Grace of Monaco, Cecil Beaton and Lauren Bacall.

In 2007, nearly 200 years after its first iteration, Guy Oliver reimagined the hotel for the 21st century – a man as intricately spun into London’s interior design web as the hotel is to the city’s hospitality scene. Trusted with design projects such as the State Rooms at 10 Downing Street and legendary hotel Claridges, the former Royal Naval officer knows a thing or two about creating a British icon. The Connaught’s design has long been lauded as a blend of London’s historical grandeur with a contemporary global outlook, bringing in craftsmanship and heritage from all over the world.

The King’s Lodge, newly unveiled in February 2024, is the perfect demonstration of this duality. A passion project for Guy Oliver, the suite is a second collaboration between the designer and Turquoise Mountain, a charity founded by King Charles – then Prince Charles, hence the first suite’s name – that supports artisans across the Middle East, Afghanistan, Myanmar and India. The first partnership resulted in 2010’s The Prince’s Lodge, a decadent suite inspired by Kabul’s 19th-century Peacock Palace.

The King’s Lodge retains much of the best-loved features of The Prince’s Lodge – a heavy reliance on tradition, craftsmanship and heritage, with a view to creating sustainable income opportunities for artisans. Turquoise Mountain, as well as connecting creators with giant global projects such as this, trains craftsmen and builders to ensure their work can continue to generate opportunities in future. “Since it was built, The Connaught has been known as the handmade hotel, constructed by the finest artisan builders and cabinet makers,” Oliver explains. “Now, working with Turquoise Mountain, we can support the highest level of craftsmanship in communities at risk around the world.”

The suite certainly doesn’t shy away from demonstrating the remarkable craftsmanship that went into the project. Enter to be immediately enveloped in a cosseting atmosphere. Intricate architectural woodwork from Jordan is laced over mirrored glass insets from India, and hand-woven rugs from Afghanistan with tapestry-like detail are draped over dark wooden floors. Inspired by the historic Mughal style, the suite feels simultaneously cosy and warm, nestled into the eaves of The Connaught with snug reading nooks and deep jewel tones, yet majestic with mirrored walls creating space and length in the rooms, hidden doors leading into grand marble bathrooms and light streaming through stained glass windows.

The sprawling four-poster bed is truly special – hand-drawn motifs inspired by Mughal columns are carved into headboards and posters, creating a soft, airy space that complements the surrounding rich Myanmar fabrics and vibrant paintings from Afghanistan. The marble bathroom is similarly spectacular, with carved panelling sourced in Makrana, India, where artisans are descended from the Mughal court and are thought to be some of the world’s finest stone carvers in the world.

“The King’s Lodge has brought together over one hundred master artisans and team members from across Afghanistan, Jordan, Syria, Myanmar and India, to create and celebrate the finest craftsmanship and heritage design,” says Dr. Thalia Kennedy, creative director at Turquoise Mountain. “Thanks to commissions like this suite and the vision and commitment of Guy Oliver and The Connaught, artisan communities and these important traditions continue to thrive today.”

For more information and to book, visit the-connaught.co.uk