Kelandjon.com

Tophams finally had a review in the newspapers this weekend, we didn’t do too badly.

“The horror, the horror of Victoria Station on a Saturday afternoon. Italian tourists in their uniform of brown quilted jackets, Americans expecting Hugh Grant, but getting a surly fast-food server who throws an overpriced pasty at them, and desperate souls scouring for cigarette butts.??

With half an hour to kill before meeting my girlfriend, I flee to the nearest pub. The Shakespeare is probably the worst pub in the world. That sullen teenager behind the bar, a drink-sticky carpet, crowds of catatonic tourists. The manager barks at me for sitting in the (near-empty) dining area with just a pint and a paper. I don’t move, so he moves on to menace other tables.??Victoria is hell, the Shakespeare Satan’s torturer-in-chief, but salvation lies just two minutes’ walk away.

Enter Belgravia and the crowds vanish. Street upon street of beautiful Georgian terraces and on Ebury Street lies The Tophams Hotel. A Belgravia institution since the Thirties, and a welcoming oasis in the hubbub of London for generations of guests, it reopened in the summer after a two-year renovation.??Stepping back through its doors must have felt, to regulars, like seeing a maiden aunt returning from Los Angeles sporting a boob job and Botox. Done classily, mind.

Certainly one American regular who was passing by while I was at reception seemed startled, but approving, of the new look.??And what’s not to like? The design is a crisp monochrome, with confident accents of colourful fabrics - a set of fuchsia chairs here, a shocking green sofa there. Our room was all pale tones, except for one wall of bold print wallpaper. However, the design was let down in places - there are 48 rooms, more than the old Tophams, and narrow corridors made the walk to our room feel rather claustrophobic, more Weston-super-Mare boarding house than boutique hotel.??

The hotel does not have a restaurant but there’s a host of great ones close by, including Santini, a renowned Italian just across the street, and Ken Lo’s Memories of China. The hotel has an elegant bar for a perfect pre- or post-dinner drink.??Tophams is clearly aimed at business travellers, but there are plenty of reasons for those not blessed with an expense account to pay a visit. Many sights, such as Buckingham Palace and the South Kensington museums, lie nearby.??The old Tophams prided itself on being a home from home for its visitors and the renovated hotel is trying hard to do the same thing. It was with a heavy heart that I left and walked back into Satan’s station.”

Not too bad I guess, I sort of resent the comment about the corridors though, there isn’t really anything we can do about that.

After what has been a really tough few weeks, Tophams is finally starting to look great. We opened today, a lot of the Hotel isn’t ready yet, but what is done is fantastic.

STRAD
NICE!  Going to work this afternoon.  Don’t know what to expect!  

But I do think there are too many tables and chairs in the breakfast room.  Hopefully, it wouldn’t seem crowded.
MONDAY, JUNE 23, 2008 - 12:42 PM

Along with launching his new business, Kel is currently in the process of getting his face in as many newspapers as he possibly can.

The first one popped up today. He was asked a few questions about current affairs in the ‘On the Spot’ section of The Docklands newspaper.

As you know The Knightsbridge Green has been in a state of flux over the last few weeks as our new owners make their mark and transform the place into something rather different.

I took a few photographs of the ‘new’ reception. All in all it took the painters a couple of weeks to do most of it, then we had the carpet replaced, followed by the Crocodile Skin (which is actually cow skin made to look like croc).

Opinions of the makeover have been mixed, but mostly positive. To be honest I’d prefer a look that provokes a reaction in people than one that makes me feel like I’m sitting in a dentists waiting room!

The bedrooms are also being refurbished. We’ll wait and see what it all leads too.

After a few weeks being lazy, (well trying to recover from this ruddy bug), I looked out of the window at the semi-sunny sky and decided today was the day to get back on my bike and cycle to work.

It looked so nice outside, but once I’d traveled all of 10 yards I regretted my decision. There was a bugger of a headwind - 20 mph to be exact. That doesn’t sound like much, but on a 10 mile cycle ride with the nagging feeling you’ve left your brakes on for most of it, it soon gets a little boring.

The whole journey took about 45 minutes and I felt every second of it.

Of course rather than admit I’ve got a bit rusty in the last few weeks, I put it down to the weight of a bottle of shampoo I had in my backpack.