Hospitality Experience Review
Written by Kaitlyn Skov
From court of law to court of luxury… Sydell Group brings approachable luxury to London
An exciting new chapter for an iconic London property.
Formerly a place of justice, Bow Street Grand Magistrates’ Court has been artfully revitalized and transformed by Sydell Group into the new home and first international outpost of its beloved NoMad brand. NoMad London brings the brand’s infamously mysterious and moody New York vibe over the pond to London’s vibrant Covent Gardens district, making a splash in one of the world’s hottest hospitality markets.
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RATING 4.7 / 5 *’s
Unpretentious & cool, a new kind of luxury.
Back in 2009, Sydell Group founder and CEO Andrew Zobler envisioned a new kind of high-end hospitality. A luxury brand that was unpretentious and cool that stood apart from other luxury outlets focused on outdated services, exorbitant prices and flair.
Targeted at sophisticated travelers seeking a more design and experience-centric luxury, NoMad bridged the gap between small, design-centric boutique hotels and large scale luxury brands. Built in partnership with Parisian designer Jacques Garcia, design group Be-Poles (now Saint Lazare) and culinary masterminds Daniel Humm and Will Guidara, Zobler opened the first NoMad Hotel in New York, 2012. And boy, did it make waves…Attracting three Michelin-stars and a passionate following of guests sharing in the brand’s explorative spirit and high standard for design, NoMad New York quickly gained attention and a reputation for its culinary prowess, chic bohemian vibe and premium experiences.
As the New York brand mounted in popularity and demand, Sydell decided to extend its sights to other major cities; expanding NoMad Hotel into DTLA, the Las Vegas strip and now London’s Covent Garden.Debuting earlier this year, NoMad London represents the first international outpost outside for the brand. Entering one of the most competitive luxury hotel markets in the world, I was curious to see how NoMad’s “approachable luxury” would appeal to the opulent desires of London travellers…
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Read on to find out…
Photo Credit : NoMad London
Evocative & intriguing; design that draws you in…
What sets NoMad apart is their passion for storytelling and placemaking. Artfully intertwining the story of their brand into the fabric of the cities they inhabit, NoMad creates new narratives through placemaking and design to transport guests into elevated personal journeys within the city.
Understanding the importance of place, Sydell meticulously selects the right vessel for every NoMad location and experience; opting for existing (often historic) buildings in central neighborhoods that embody the spirit of the cities they call home.
And NoMad London is no different… Honorable. Resolute. Commanding. Bow Street Magistrates’ Court and Police Station hold a commanding presence and importance in the capital city. The site of London’s first metropolitan police station and stage for the city’s most high-profile court cases, including the infamous Kray Twin gangsters and Suffragettes’ movement, the building is steeped in history. One that NoMad London continues on in a newly crafted narrative.
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Filled with lush greenery, rich textures and story-driven art and design elements, Bow Street Magistrates’ Court has found new life.
Having hosted 266 years of London history, the Bow Street building holds hidden stories deep within its walls; stories that Andrew Zobler and Roman and Williams (NoMad’s newest design partners) delicately unravel in the interior spaces. From abstracted artwork collections to the pinstriped details of staff members’ uniforms, NoMad tips its cap to the building’s grand history in their own style and fashion. As I walk through the space I notice the intricately designed details and clues captured in stenciled mirror art and paper opera models within the library’s shelving, like artful breadcrumbs hinting at the deeper narrative of this place. The environment engages me with a recurring sense of discovery, encouraging me to explore it and to dive in deeper.
What lies beyond NoMad’s doors?
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Visitors are welcome.
Winding between narrow bookshelves densely filled with literature spanning The Great Theatres of London to novels on New York’s notorious gangsters, NoMad’s library offers a velvet-lined hideaway for its guests to escape the busy streets of London.
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Interestingly enough, Nadim informed me that NoMad London’s library space was not dreamt up as a public venue, but a private retreat for its guests. Having changed in response to recurring demand from visitors and locals, the space evolved its program to serve a larger audience. As Andrew Zobler put, “It’s all conceptual until you see how people like to use the spaces you’ve created.” and for NoMad London, their market wanted more access to their experience.
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What’s the crowd like?
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Espresso in-hand, I sit along the back wall taking in the surrounding guests and conversations. A couple exchanges laughs beside me, speaking in Portuguese while I overhear a well-dressed women on the red sofa tell her friends about her son’s recent outing with Putin to his personal estate (...yeah, “that” Putin). I think that I may be the least interesting person here; but that’s how I like it.
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Drawn to its explorative spirit and seductive spaces, the NoMad brand attracts a diverse range of people from guests to staff.
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With staff members from Lebanon to Los Angeles (and everywhere in between), NoMad London brings together an international staff with a passion for creating high-end hospitality experiences. Despite opening in the midst of a global pandemic, the team keeps the environment light; from the young bartender playfully posing in dramatic fashion behind Side Hustle’s bar for my picture to Nadim’s passionate narration of the deeper stories behind their new home. NoMad is a place where people want to be.
Experience Takeaways
Transportive, Evocative, Mysterious, Immersive…
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After three hours of exploration, I find myself back on busy Bow Street watching Covent Garden crowds stream by and taxi cabs zip past the Royal Opera out front. NoMad London’s doors feel like a portal between worlds, taking me from one story to another within this great city.
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What I leave feeling is a sense of authenticity. The genuine nature of the stories it tells, the people it brings together and the the food it puts in front of you, the NoMad brand is built on a commitment to authenticity in its experiences from start to finish. Something that sets them apart in London’s competitive luxury space; a component of experience that more or us are seeking when we travel; to explore and connect, authentically.
Experience Review
Nomad Hotel London. 4.7 / 5 Memorable
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“A transportive experience rich in hospitality and history...”
Entering through NoMad London’s nondescript front doors the light drops and noise softens…
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Dense greenery welcomes you into the elevated lobby, natural light creeping into the space from the back atrium. The faded sound of conversations in the distance from NoMad’s library lounge carry into the lobby, where staff members calmly traverse the space warmly engaging with guests.
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The atmosphere pulls you in, it’s evocative and intriguing. You can’t help but wander, taking in the building’s depths, exploring its hallways, discovering what’s within its many hidden rooms. Though, on my visit I didn’t have to dig up the building’s secrets on my own; having met Nadim Nehme, NoMad London’s Head of Events Operations, while lounging in NoMad’s library - a staple fixture of the brand.
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Part of the opening team, Nadim guided my journey around the property revealing the building’s rich backstory and their team’s vision for its new life. He took the most pride in the recently converted courtroom, now an immersive event space seeming to borrow design cues from Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night's Dream, and Sydell’s most recent culinary debut, Side Hustle.
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Occupying the former Bow Street Police Station (est.1832), Side Hustle serves up a refined, approachable menu of Mexico City inspired fare complimented by Nomad’s notorious cocktail program. A playful yet edgy experience that continues to earn NoMad its reputation for approachable luxury and culinary finesse.
*Stay tuned for the full scoop on my experience at Side Hustle… Coming soon!