Located in the heart of the City of London, Vintry & Mercer is an ode to the area’s complex and rich history. Named after the merchant guilds that once operated in the area to trade wine (Vintners) and silks (Mercers), the 92-bedroom hotel is hidden away in the warren of lanes between Mansion House and Cannon Street.
Situated on Garlick Hill, you follow a cobbled street to the hotel, which is found next to the church of St James Garlickhythe, dating back to the 12th century. Enter to find a plant-filled lobby and plenty of charm (the antithesis of what you’ll find in a big-chain hotel). From your bedroom, you can occasionally hear the church’s bells evocatively ring out from the belfry tower.
Vintry & Mercer is the second hotel by Anton Fedun, owner of The Ampersand Hotel in South Kensington. Both have been designed by Studio Moren, with Vintry’s décor playing a riff on the area’s mercantile history as well as giving it a contemporary edge. Specialist finishes in joinery—such as metal meshes to doors, leather wrapped niches and metal stud detailing—give a nod to the age-old artisans that once worked in the surrounding streets. Throughout—in the bedrooms and on the ceiling in the library, for instance—there are ‘faded’ hand drawn graphic maps, which merge the old City with the new, and are digitally printed as wallcoverings. Meanwhile, bespoke carpets reflect the fabrics manufactured in the trading period; curated artwork connects to each of the guilds; and a statement, floral light installation near the lobby ‘pulls’ guests through the building into the main spaces.
Bedrooms are boutique in style—with plush velvet, button headboards in regal jewel colours—such as scarlet-red and emerald-green—while damask textiles and carriage-style mirrors evoke the golden-age of train travel. Windows are dressed with claret drapes, and some have balconies overlooking the roofs of historic buildings, with the city’s skyscrapers, such as the Shard, pointing up to the sky in the distance. Insignia embroidered cushions give an almost medieval take on luxury; while retro dial phones, Marshall radios and C.E. Bigelow and Ortigia bath products give an indulgent touch in the bathrooms (teal subway tiles and power showers also add to this luxe feel).
While there are plenty of nods to the old, there are also plenty of modern touches, such as the reading lights, USB plugs and room controls handily built into the beds. Bathrooms are equally sumptuous yet practical, with underfloor heating, marble vanities and anti-fog mirrors.
A copper, spiral staircase off the lobby leads guests to the hotel’s subterranean speakeasy bar, Do Not Disturb (DND). On the way, you’ll pass the library, with its collection of vintage books, and a wall of old, leather suitcases. In DND, meanwhile, you sit in rose-lit booths reminiscent of 1920s New York, with pictures of hand-beaded Ziegfeld Follies girls on the wall. After dark, the cocktail bar is an atmospheric spot with a signature menu of drinks inspired by the Prohibition era.
By day, guests can visit for its inventive afternoon tea. The Magic of Afternoon Tea is inspired by myths and magic potions: treats include owls crafted from white chocolate and blueberry, the Excalibur’s Sword (a white chocolate and mango cheese cake) and the Book of Spells (a coffee, chocolate and almond Opera cake). There’s a version for children that is served with hot chocolate and marshmallows, while adults can enjoy three speciality cocktails, such as the Witches Brew, Mystic Orb and Enchanting Hat, or a choice of Champagne and artisanal teas. Claim one of the mustard velvet armchairs, trimmed with fringing like a flapper girl, and soak up the old-school detailing—Art Deco lights, a marble and brass bar and decorative claret mouldings on the walls.
As well as the ground floor Vintry Kitchen, which serves breakfast, a highlight of Vintry & Mercer is its rooftop restaurant, Mercer Rooftop Terrace. its menu champions the best of British cuisine—from Wye Valley Asparagus to Maldon Rock Oysters; Roasted Dorset Lamb Rump to Coastal Stone Bass. With floor-to-ceiling windows, the space is flooded with light, with the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral peaking out of the skyline. Sage green and grey hues are juxtaposed with brass detailing and honeycomb-patterned tiling. There’s also outdoor dining on the terrace, which has strings of bulb lighting hung, fiesta-style, glass dining pods and potted plants for a Mediterranean feel.
For those wanting to explore the area, Vintry & Mercer, puts you in reach of some of the City’s gems: such as St Paul’s, Shakespeare’s Globe and the Tower of London. Available with The Tour Guy, is a ‘must-do’ experience while in the area. The company, an expert in giving insider access to many attractions across the world, offers tickets to the Tower of London’s historic Ceremony of the Keys. Giving you access to the Tower after it is closed to the general public, you will embark on a tour led by a traditional Beefeater, the historic guardians of the Tower of London, followed by the ceremony of locking the fortress gates. As night falls, the blood-red coats of the bear-skin-hat-wearing Grenadier soldiers, seem poignant against the lamp-lit Tower. The secretive tradition has taken place every night for the past 700 years (you watch in silence with no photography allowed), ending with the mournful The Last Post, played by a grenadier on a bugle. This one-hour experience gives you a rare glimpse into a part of London’s history, just like a night does at Vintry & Mercer.