Hotel of the Week: The Newman

WHAT MAKES THE NEWMAN SPECIAL?  

Recently handed a Michelin Key – one of just four new London hotels to receive the honour –the newly opened Newman arrived in London shrouded in hype. Its real charm, lies in its neighbourhood roots. Fitzrovia has long been a home for artists, poets and fashion icons, who gathered in pubs and bars, and that creative spirit runsthrough every inch of the hotel. The biggest influence is Nancy Cunard: heiress, activist, poet and original “It girl”, whose bold style and love of patterns shape much of the design. One of her signature hats, a triangle-patterned number, is reincarnated through the bespoke wooden flooring, with her other prints carried through the carpets and finer furniture details. 

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It isn’t only people who get a nod. The surrounding Fitzrovian architecture has clearly been channeled, with references to its landmark buildings woven throughout. Subsequently, the hotel feels like part of the street, built into its very history, rather than a polished newcomer dropped onto it.  

WHAT ARE THE ROOMS LIKE?

Across its 81 rooms, suites and apartments, The Newman is Art Deco with the edges softened: glowing globe lights, sweeping curtains and armchairs so plump you'll want to sink into them with a book and forget your plans for the afternoon. Light pours inthrough floor-to-ceiling windows, bouncing off high ceilings and warm wood, so even a grey London morning feels golden. And of course, Nancy has left her mark here too. The bedposts are stacked like an armful of her bangles, and the rug is trimmed with those now-familiar triangles. Once you start spotting her, you can’t stop.

If you think the bed looks cool, just wait till you’ve seen the bathroom. A rosy marble sink, modelled on the nearby Shropshire House, sits against cream-and-burgundy checkerboard tiles inspired by The Langham, just down the road from The Newman. It’s like stepping into a 1920s powder room, but with better water pressure.

WHAT WELLNESS EXPERIENCES CAN GUESTS EXPECT?

Taking inspiration from Swedish Grace, the spa brings a little Scandinavian calm to the city centre. A small and peaceful hideaway, it feels a world away from the hustle and bustle of Soho and Oxford Circus, though only a few minutes walk from both. Warm up in the sauna or steam room, float in the hydrotherapy pool, breathe deep in the salt room, then cool off in the ice lounge before starting all over again. If you’d rather someone else did the work, treatments range from Signature Muscle Recovery Massages and Age-Defying Facials to the CBD Mind Unwind Ritual, for when it’s more than just your body with aches and pains.

If you’re less of a lounger and more of a mover, there’s a state-of-the-art gym, plus a Wellness Studio offering up an array of classes: breathwork, yoga, Pilates and sound baths.

WHERE CAN YOU EAT AND DRINK AT THE HOTEL?

Start the evening at Brasserie Angelica, a bright and airy spot that’s as good for a lazy brunch as it is for a long dinner. The man behind the menu is Executive Chef Christian Turner, an Adelaide native who swapped Australian sunshine for London's grandest dining rooms and honed his craft at The Wolseley and The Delaunay before launching Manzi's in Soho. But at Brasserie Angelica, it’s all about fire. A whole section of the menu comes off the wood grill, from king prawns swimming in garlic butter to a 600g rib of beef for two. Once the plates are cleared, the night’s only just getting started.

Head downstairs to Gambit, a sultry, low-lit speakeasy where edge and energy become one. Expect classic cocktails with a Vorticist twist, alongside an array of local craft beers. Wednesdays bring live jazz, soul and contemporary music, and on the first Saturday of every month, the disco ball comes out.

WHAT IS THE NEIGHBOURHOOD LIKE?

Fitzrovia’s best-kept secret might be just how close it is to everything else. Mayfair is only a short walk away, and you can find SPHERE’s full guide to its best restaurants here, but to give you a taster: 

• Where to eat: Maru, an intimate, 10-seat omakase with a 20-course menu that changes daily. Sketch for a lunch with plenty of people-watching on the side, or Cecconi’s for a leisurely breakfast that might just roll into brunch. 

• What to do: Closer to home, The Cartoon Museum on Wells Street is a treat for all ages. Whether you’re eight or eighty, there’s something to make you laugh among the thousands of original British cartoons and comics. When you need some fresh air, Fitzroy Square Gardens is a peaceful green escape, a perfect hideaway when you need a break from it all. 

And if you find yourself falling for the area (easily done) The Newman’s Neighbourhood Club lets you join in on the action. The monthly membership links the hotel with a handpicked collection of independent Fitzrovia businesses, offering members special rates, perks and invitations to curated events. Even better, all profits go to local charities, so each coffee and stay gives a little love back to the community that makes Fitzrovia what it is.

WHO ARE THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE PROPERTY?

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The Newman is the first hotel from Kinsfolk & Co, a London hospitality group launched in 2023 by founder and CEO Paul Brackley. He’s no stranger to a luxury opening, having launched The Beaumont in Mayfair and run Shangri-La’s flagship hotel at The Shard. And there’s more on the way. Staying in the heart of Fitzrovia, the group is soon opening Dila, an Eastern Mediterranean restaurant with its own micro-distillery, and Clay Pigeon, an all-day café, both on Charlotte Street.

The interiors are the work of design studio Lind + Almond, who blended Victorian touches with Art Deco to bring Fitzrovia’s bohemian past into the present. They’ve also curated an extensive collection of artworks celebrating George Orwell, occultist Aleister Crowley, furniture designer Gerald Summers and of course none other than Nancy Cunard herself, all of whom called Fitzrovia home during its golden years.

SPHERE’S TOP TIPS FOR A TOP STAY

• If you’re staying at The Newman, time your trip for a Tuesday and head down to Gambit for Tiny Tini Tuesday, when mini martinis are just £5 each
• Or if you can’t make it, try one of Gambit’s Signature cocktails, we’d recommend the Dazed and Confused
• Book the Penthouse Suite for access to its private rooftop sauna, where you can unwind with London’s skyline stretched out in front of you.

Rooms start at £478 per night. Find out more and book your stay at thenewman.com