Property of the Month: A Mayfair red-brick in the same building as Claridge’s
In how many cities can you buy within a building that has hosted Queen Victoria and Mick Jagger? Step forward this newly-renovated Mayfair apartment, which has high specifications and star quality in equal measure
This month’s focus property is a true period gem: a home located within a Grosvenor Square-style red-brick in the heart of Mayfair. Claridge House was constructed in 1924 – the work of architect S. Gordon Reeves of the American firm responsible for the Earls Court Exhibition Centre and Dolphin Square apartment complex in Pimlico. What is most interesting about this property, however, is that it resides in the same Grade II-listed mansion block as Claridge’s.
The hotel was founded in 1812 as Mivart’s Hotel – a terraced house which later expanded into neighbouring houses. In 1854, it was sold to Mr and Mrs Claridge and, in 1894, it was bought by Richard D’Oyly Carte, the founder of the Savoy, who demolished the old buildings and replaced them with the ones we know today.
Claridge’s flourished after the First World War, and an extension was built in the 1920s – the same extension that now hosts our Property of the Month. During the late ‘20s and early ‘30s, residents of Claridge House were even able to get room service from the concierge at Claridge’s to their apartments, arguably making Claridge House an early example of the now-booming branded residence.
Despite the building’s illustrious history, this particular three-bedroom, three-bathroom apartment is brand new, having recently undergone a full refurbishment. Touches like underfloor heating in the bathrooms, a pre-programmed smart system, and Crittal telescopic doors dividing the kitchen and living room are eminently modern. But the presence of the original restored ceiling in these spaces tie it to the illustrious associations of Claridge House.
This fourth-floor property is bright and airy, boasting extensive lateral living and entertaining space, the kitchen is fitted with Gaggenau appliances and Cippolino Verde marble worktops, and can be hidden behind doors that close to create a formal dining setting. The Crittal doors that separate the kitchen and reception can also be hidden by retracting into the walls – this is a property full of forward-thinking quirks.
An impressive Volakas fireplace with bookcases fitted on either side comprises the centrepiece of the grand reception room, while all three bedrooms have en suites, underfloor heating and bespoke wardrobes. The entire space is kitted out with Lutron lighting and timber floors, while the building benefits from a 24-hour porter and a lift.
Celebrities, politicians and royalty have frequented this gilded stretch between Grosvenor and Berkeley Squares. Claridge House is within striking distance of halls strode by Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn, Alfred Hitchcock, Brad Pitt, Joan Collins, Mick Jagger and Whitney Houston. Winston Churchill, when unexpectedly defeated in the general election of 1945, was temporarily without a London home and took a suite at Claridge’s. In its 1878 first edition, the Baedeker travel guide listed Claridge’s as ‘the first hotel in London’, and Queen Victoria was entertained here. Being privy to these stories is, surely, what living in the capital is all about.
The Claridge House apartment is on the market for £6.5 million, carterjonas.co.uk
