The George - Hamburg

The port of Hamburg is the German city most reminiscent of London – the straight up-and-down brick housing, the manner of its citizens, the trading heritage and wealth that brought grand buildings... not forgetting the weather. The George Hotel loosely interprets a sense of contemporary Britishness that hides behind the ‘plain Jane’ sweeping façade of this seven-storey building. Originally planned for office-use there was much discussion with the builder, Hochtief, to ensure the height of the ground floor was maintained and that walled sections were introduced to the glass façade to create some intimacy for the ground floor DaCaio restaurant.

The hotel sits between the shores of the Außenalster, the city’s large lake, and the creative quarter of St Georg, from where it gets its name. Typically for the neighbourhood, DaCaio and the adjacent bar spill out on to the pavement in the summer months. Accessed via the book-lined library, a rear courtyard garden of neatly trimmed buxus offers more privacy.

Although the hotel only opened in November 2008, the welcoming interiors already exude an established patina. The oak flooring has been stained and beaten by local carpenter Thomas Mehlig to develop that ‘lived-in’ feeling. Bronzed sheet-metal framed mirrors and soft leather seating combine to provide a temporal depth to the hotel. There are glamorous elements of high sheen and satin finishes in drapes and cushions, lacquered lamp bases and silver leather upholstery by Maries Corner from Belgium. The impression is one of affordable luxury.

To gain inspiration for The George, interior designer Sibylle von Heyden travelled with owner / operator Kai Hollman to Barcelona and London to see several different hotels, notably the Firmdale properties in London. Whilst the lobby does not have a signature artwork nor is each of the 125 guestrooms (double the number of the average Firmdale property) individually decorated, von Heyden has managed to capture some essence of what makes Kit Kemp’s marriage of the traditional with the contemporary work so well. “Classical with a twist”, is how von Heyden describes her approach.

Apart from the High Tea served each afternoon and the array of whiskys that takes the bar menu to over sixty pages, British design touches include the liberal use of “oh so very (modern) British” Osborne & Little wallpapers and Designers Guild fabrics. Of the bold patterned wallpapers von Heyden explains, “I needed to show Kai Hollmann the effect of the patterned wallpaper to get his buy in. Once I had it, he wanted more”.

Much of the casework and lighting was designed by von Heyden and constructed by Mehlig or other local craftspeople. There are also elements of clever thriftiness. Mehlig made the high tables surrounding the bar from off-cuts of the wood flooring. Remnants of the silver leather and white cowhide upholstery were cut up into random amorphous patterns and stitched together to cover ottoman blanks. The doors to the built-in guestroom wardrobes do not reach to the ceiling, allowing cleverly positioned ceiling lights to illuminate the cupboard and eliminating the need for internal lighting.

Von Heyden took the advice of specialist lighting consultant, Tom Schlotfeldt of Schlotfeldt Licht to get this “fourth dimension” right. The interior and exterior of the hotel’s lighting can be customised according to the ambiance required. Lamp designs by von Heyden include the circular reception desk lamp with mixed strings of citrene, smoky quartz and berg crystal beads that she made herself. She designed others, the electrical components were added in Kiel, and the shades made up on the outskirts of Hamburg. Large black pleated pendant shades with gilt interiors hang in groups of three down the length of the slim restaurant, where the recessed rows of LED lighting provide sufficient adjustability for differing times of day.

Surprisingly for continental Europe, the guestrooms are carpeted and in shag pile – all part of the glamorous ethic. Dark wood casework, houndstooth-patterned bed throws, a velvet upholstered stool at the (too narrow for working) desk, and white Eames rocking chair with Union Jack cushion provide further comfort in the guestrooms. Sheer organza and black out curtains line the opening windows. Toiletries from the White Company are found in the simple and clear monochrome bathrooms. In most rooms, a separate WC and shower are either side of the Villeroy & Boch rectangular basin. The Barca-rooms, facing the street of the same name, are slightly smaller than those overlooking the rear courtyard. Corner junior suites have tiny triangular terraces.

The top floor of the hotel is taken up with a small Moroccan-inspired spa. The Maghrebi touches of engraved tin trays used as table-tops and coloured glass candle holders are justified within the “New British” approach to the design by taking cues from multi-cultural Britain. The roof terrace offers a further event space in the summer months.

The clever design touches and a sense of humour (see the slightly saucy high-gloss photo-portraits and octopus-like wall lamps) complement the cosy warmth of the dark colour palette and dependable service. It’s a combination that makes The George a uniquely modern choice in Hamburg.

The George
Barcastrasse 3, 22087 Hamburg, Germany
Tel: +49 40 28 00 30 0
www.thegeorge-hotel.de

Rooms    125 guestrooms
Dining    DaCaio Restaurant
Drinking   The Library
Leisure   Spa
Facilities    2 meeting rooms, courtyard garden and roof terrace in summer