Pan Pacific Hotels Group’s first European property opened in September, to great success. Here, Hospitality Interiors explores the hotel’s compelling offering and its stylish design aesthetic by Yabu Pushelberg.
Pan Pacific London is housed within the striking 43-storey bronze tower of Bishopsgate Plaza – a prestigious development just moments from Liverpool Street Station. Conceived by PLP Architecture, the development captures the very best of London’s old and new architecture.
As well as Pan Pacific London, the development encompasses 160 luxurious residential apartments and, connected by an impressive public plaza, the 144-year-old Devonshire Row, with its array of dining outlets, bars and designer shops.
The framing concept behind Pan Pacific London’s architecture and interior design was to honour the brand’s Asian heritage, while creating a highly contemporary property that would chime with its London setting.
The serenity and warmth of Pan Pacific, both in terms of the interior and service, impresses upon guests the moment they enter the hotel lobby. The very best attributes of Singaporean hospitality have been incorporated here- from subtle design references to the carefully recruited staff members – yet with touches of traditional English design throughout.
The welcoming lobby space sets the scene for Yabu Pushelberg’s soothing, neutral scheme. Extensive wooden panelling and polished concrete flooring combine with the elegant curves of the reception desks and staircases to create a soft, organic feel. Pops of colour come from the lush planting, as well as the spectacular custom murals depicting South-east Asian flora and fauna by Moss & Lam.
“The serenity and warmth of Pan Pacific, both in terms of the interior and service, impresses upon guests the moment they enter the hotel lobby”
This natural theme extends into the hotel’s 237 elegantly appointed guest rooms, where a muted colour palette, wooden panelling and neutral plaid carpeting create a calming feel.
The unconventional shape of the rooms adds real visual interest here, the curve of the panelled walls echoing in the soft, rounded lines of the furniture. The bespoke Hypnos beds, too, are unusual in their positioning, as Yabu Pushelberg has oriented them at the appropriate angle to catch the warm morning light. As the sun goes down, striking lighting pieces from Chelsom create a warm, residential feel.
As in the lobby space, the theme of Asian and English gardens brings a touch of vibrancy. Moss & Lam has created custom murals for the headboards, centring around four arboreal themes – oak, elder, elm and maple. Elsewhere, brightly coloured pillows emblazoned with butterfly and bee motifs catch the eye.
The expansive marble bathrooms feature a separate toilet, walk-in shower and bathtub, complete with luxury bathroom solutions from Laufen and Kaldewei, heated floors and Diptyque amenities.
An in-room wellbeing experience goes the extra mile to look after guests, from a custom-designed programme featuring a temperature-regulated sleep system, to bespoke jetlag programmes and curated in-room reading.
Indeed, guest wellbeing runs through the very heart of the hotel, encompassing fitness, nutrition, treatments and mindfulness. This dedication manifests itself in the property’s 1083m² world-class destination wellness floor. In addition to the dramatic 18.5m infinity pool, its floor-to-ceiling windows offering spectacular cityscape views, there are two soothing treatment rooms, sleeping pods, a sauna and steam rooms.
“The theme of Asian and English gardens brings a touch of vibrancy”
Usually an afterthought, the hotel’s high-performance interactive gym has been carefully considered, offering a comprehensive selection of cardio and strength equipment. Exclusive to the hotel, the TecnoBody D-wall training system involves body recognition and an interface gesture which engages guests in the course of training.
Unlike traditional methods of exercise, each session focuses on real-time biofeedback and long-term joint health through mindful training. This technology-driven analysis provides guests with an in-depth understanding and live feedback of their problematic areas, which might include nutrient deficiencies, sleeping disorders or stresses which may be preventing their body from achieving optimum health.
In terms of F&B, Pan Pacific London offers five distinctive restaurant and bar venues. Led by multi-award-winning executive chef, Lorraine Sinclair, and renowned executive pastry chef, Cherish Finden, each incorporates unique elements of the flavour, diversity and elegance of modern Singapore.
Flowing on from the lobby is Pan Pacific’s atmospheric bar, Ginger Lily. Complete with an extensive champagne list, rum and cocktail menu, the space evokes the buzz of Singaporean bar culture. The elegant Orchid Lounge, meanwhile, offers a serene and inviting drawing room for afternoon tea by Cherish Finden.
Situated at the top of the lobby’s spiral staircase, all-day dining restaurant Straits Kitchen showcases the melting pot of cuisines represented in multicultural Singapore. Named for the Straits of Malacca – the main shipping channel between the Indian and Pacific oceans – the restaurant makes use of purely Asian ingredients, sourced and grown locally in the UK to minimise their carbon footprint.
The dining room features a bolder, eclectic aesthetic, with floor-to-ceiling windows, mustard-toned banquette seating and quirky murals from En Viu depicting key ingredients from the menu.
The hotel’s destination cocktail bar, meanwhile, is located in Devonshire House and has been designed by Tom Dixon’s Design Research Studio. The interior complements the existing architecture and heritage of this striking building, and brings an exciting new offering to East London’s bar scene.
Concluding the offering is Pan Pacific’s sophisticated event and conference spaces. A notable design highlight is the extensive 464m2 smart Pacific Ballroom, which can accommodate up to 400 guests. Set to host the Hospitality Leadership & Design Conference’s (HLDC) London event in February 2022, the ballroom benefits from direct access from Bishopsgate Plaza via a glass escalator and elevator, or can be accessed by guests directly via the hotel.
“Pan Pacific London’s dedication to guest wellbeing manifests itself in the property’s 1083m² world-class destination wellness floor”
The Pacific Ballroom is equipped with advanced technology including flexible lighting options, surround sound and SMART LED 4k video walls for an immersive experience, and will also have connectivity capabilities via a live feed to the VIP Room located in the pre-function area. The space is subdivisible into two separate soundproofed rooms to provide extra flexibility. Burgess Furniture has supplied a range of its furniture for the hotel’s conference facilities, including its sleek and highly comfortable Evola chair design.
Meeting Place on the fifth floor encompasses five meeting rooms, named after renowned coaching inns that were once located in and around the current hotel site from the mid-1400s. With an 81m2 breakout area known as Punchbowl, all the meeting rooms enjoy natural light from floor-to-ceiling windows – most with views over the bustling Bishopsgate Plaza. Accommodating up to 294 guests, the entire floor can be hired exclusively.
Market Square, meanwhile, is the hotel’s relaxed, creative meeting space. Incorporating four meeting rooms, named after the markets located throughout the Square Mile, these feature state-of-the-art technology and are wrapped around a central area, Market Kitchen, featuring a home-style kitchen pantry stocked with snacks and beverages alongside breakfast, break and lunch options.
