Gifted stay at The Telegraph Hotel in Coventry.
I think it must be 20 years since I last walked through the doors of the Coventry Telegraph. The newspaper's former head office was built in 1958 and stood proud in the heart of the city's Belgrade Square for half a century before shutting up shop ten years ago.
Back in its heyday, it was alive with the hustle and bustle or hundreds of journalists, printers and machinists. Even then, I was struck by the masculine beauty of its late-1950s Modernist design, from the terrazzo tiling to the never-ending wood panelling and marble pillars. Today, the iconic building is home to the city's chic Telegraph Hotel and the team behind its new incarnation have ensured so many of those headline-grabbing features have been restored to their former glory.
It's a masterclass in Mad Man-esque interiors and every corner oozes mid-century style. You'll find countless original features that remain intact, including the zig-zag metal railings and parquet flooring, and have been perfectly paired with authentic Danish furniture and modern-day copies.
There are the 88 uniquely-styled bedrooms - large doubles, twins and split-level suites with mezzanine bed decks; even the old dark rooms as snugs - and each one is very much in keeping with the style of the hotel, drawing on it’s history with clippings of the Coventry Evening Telegraph on the walls.
We stayed in the stunning Lord Iliffe Suite, which has been designed to reimagine the original owner’s private apartment (although it comes with a hot tub, and I don't recall him ever having one of those!).
At 72sqm, it's huge: there's a large dining area, lounge with a built-in corner bar, and giant picture windows overlooking The Belgrade Theatre. The super king bed hardly makes a dent in the bedroom area; and there's even a stand-alone bath perfect for sipping martinis.
It's easy to see why I loved the style of the hotel so much. In a world of monochrome interiors, it's wonderful to see somewhere that whole-heartedly celebrates flat-roofed modernism and post-war design in all its Brutalist beauty.
My stay at The Telegraph Hotel was gifted. To can find out more about the hotel click here.
Spot on review. It would be so easy to be a pastiche of mid century in less sensitive hands but the styling feels authentic and respectful of the heritage of this iconic building.