With a bold design and a novel approach to hospitality, The Other House South Kensington aims to authentically connect visitors with their locale.
In the upscale London neighbourhood of South Kensington, The Other House offers a new hospitality concept that combines residential-style accommodations with the services of a hotel and the amenities of a private members’ club.
At the heart of the proposition is the desire for guests to feel as though they are locals, and that the space is their other house, whatever the length of stay.
Two hundred ‘Club Flats’ are offered in several categories, ranging from studios to three bedrooms, and between 23 square metres to 61 square metres in size. Club Combos see the option to connect two, three, or four Club Flats behind a single front door or around a private internal courtyard, affording up to 155 square metres for larger groups.
Private facilities for residents include two bars, a screening room, and wellness spaces such as a vitality pool, gym, and meditation hub. The Other Kitchen café and The Owl & Monkey cocktail bar are open to residents and locals alike.
The South Kensington house is the first of several to open, with two more London houses underway in Covent Garden and Belgravia, and plans to expand globally.
Design notes
The Other House sits behind the façade of 11 Victorian townhouses, with the interiors entirely reconfigured. Co-owner and CEO, Naomi Heaton, who has an extensive real estate investment background that has proved pivotal in bringing the concept to life, commented:
‘Working with heritage architecture brings its challenges and there have been unexpected discoveries as well as some delightful surprises, in many cases not uncovered until the strip-out process in the early stages. Restoring historic buildings is incredibly rewarding and is what will make our Residents’ Clubs individual, unique and embedded with history.’
London-based Bergman Design House, whose other projects have included the luxurious Bjorn Norway hotel, and the opulent Laowai cocktail bar in Vancouver, was chosen as The Other House’s interior design partner. English eccentricity and whimsy informed the design inspiration, with living spaces in the Club Flats painted with rich colours and layered with velvets, British tweed, and wool.
Design details in the lobby and reception areas include a 30-foot chandelier by Cox London, geometric tiles, and a gold-painted screen by Edinburgh-based artist Hedi Munro. A highlight of the Private Club spaces is the Keeping Room, with blue Anaglypta textured wallpaper, underground vaults, and a whisky locker.
In The Owl & Monkey, exotic jungle wallpaper is contrasted with cut-bronze mirrored walls and jade marble flooring. A red leather bar, animal prints, and gold leaf-shaped lighting fixtures add to this sense of quirky luxury.
Sustainability
Sustainability initiatives implemented during the construction phase through to the house’s daily operations aim to achieve Excellent status from BREEAM—the world’s leading provider of built environment sustainability assessment—representing the top 10 per cent of buildings in the UK.
Furniture, fittings, and fabrics have been sourced from British design houses, eco-materials were used in the renovation, and products are sourced from environmentally friendly suppliers.
Electricity is used instead of gas, and guests can measure and control their energy usage through The Other House App.
There are no limes on the menu at The Owl & Monkey bar due to their carbon footprint—instead, British buckthorn offers a citrusy note, while pineapples from vetted suppliers are transported by boat once a month.
Club Classics start from £350 (about AUD$630) per night, or for long stays (90 days or more), from £995 (about AUD$1,790) per week.