The hotel and rooms themselves are modernist but functions as a multi-functional space that crosses a romantic vacation, a business trip or even a solo adventure. It’s almost a hybrid hotel with all of the charm of a boutique hotel and the functionality of a business hotel – without the boringness! There are three dining establishments within the space and there’s a constant flow of tastings and teas in the space.

Another highlight is the inner garden, which, when quiet can function as your own private city centre sanctuary.

Two local dining experiences I’d love to share with you are TerraZen and Vegan Junk Food Bar. Both are 100% vegan/plant-based but super different in styles. TerraZen is two blocks from the Kimpton De Witt – a literal five minute walk away and boasts a Caribbean-Japanese Fusion menu and Kombucha served in an urban and low key vibe environment. Vegan Junk Food Bar caters to the classic ideas of junk food but it’s not processed, just high end burgers and “junk food” classics, served in a neon Americana style diner. Both have awesome interiors, staff and menus and I would recommend both on your next trip to Amsterdam!

You can book your stay at www.kimptondewitthotel.com and follow on Instagram @kimptondewitt

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Upon entering the hotel now, you’ll notice that the entire front has also been remodelled and the exterior architecture features an eight-metre high façade and double-height reception space which is absolutely breathtaking and really elevates the space.

Taking inspiration from the pretty incredible panoramas that can be experienced all over the space, the redesigned windows have been framed to reinforce a memorable visual experience famed for its connection with London – windowsills have been lowered and curtains replaced by two sets of automated blinds – one blackout and one privacy in order to leave views unobstructed. Doors have also been widened so so that guests can immediately take in the city from the moment they walk into a room.

Room categories start with Classic Double Rooms, priced from £219 per night. I’d say that overall, the renovation definitely justifies the reinstatement of ‘Royal’ in the hotel’s name!

The Royal Lancaster London can be found at Lancaster Terrace, London W2 2TY.

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Portrait shot at The Royal Lancaster London for a series by Aaron P Bergmann coming soon.

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So when Robert Nadler invited me to stay for a couple of nights at The Nadler Victoria, I wanted to go through the process of what I would essentially do at a hotel in New York or Paris or Milan – and I have to say, the entire experience – from the wi-fi to the beds, the check-in process to the bathroom and most of all the functionality as a whole – was completely seamless.

Let’s start with a little bit of background on Nadler Hotels Group and Mr Robert Nadler himself, with whom I had the pleasure and honour of catching up with during my stay here. As a boutique hotel group, the company concentrates on providing luxury and comfort in a unique and design-led environment but with a focus on comfort and the rooms – eliminating the “extras” that are often not required from a city hotel when one is travelling for business particularly, or for tourism. There are now four Nadler Hotels in total – London Victoria, London Soho, London Kensington and Liverpool. It’s a five star service at four star prices. Really ideal for someone like me, and probably many of your reading this right now – discerning but conscious of cost versus time spent in situ!

Back to the specifics of The Nadler Victoria. First and foremost, the hotel is aesthetically primarily monochrome with a warm and golden glow as you can see from the images below. Robert described it as “the inside of a cigar box” which is a wonderful expression. There are 73 rooms in total, all with cutting edge technology, mini-kitchens, wifi, HDLED TVs, USB sockets for days and all with comfort at the forefront. Really, I couldn’t describe a more ideal pop office if I tried.

If you want to work out, you have access to the local Fitness First, there is a 24 hour concierge, access to St James’ Theatre for breakfast and Victoria as a central location is perfectly ideal for navigating London. All in all, highly recommended!

Shoes featured by Sons of London, bag by Louis Vuitton, watch customised by me with Bruggler Watches.

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The event was hosted on THE helipad of the the world’s first/only seven star hotel. This was admittedly a title created by the press, but there is a sense that the hotel loves it – or at least the guests do – even the first option of a location tag on Instagram is “Burj Al Arab 7* Luxury Hotel” – so we are all in a modest place to begin with.

The momentous sense that this specific location brought on board was somewhat surreal. In fact, really surreal. No matter what I’ve experienced before – we’re talking 29 course molecular cuisine with Fernan Adria and El Bulli to jumping off the highest bungee in the world in South Africa. This is up there, in fact way above there. This was a legit career highlight – and the best part? I got to share it with Ella and Oz.

So what am I talking about and why was I there… Let’s begin with this video…

Jumeirah Group, the Dubai-based luxury hotel company and a member of Dubai Holding, has launched Jumeirah Inside – a virtual platform comprising 360° video and photography which enables users to make hotel bookings, access never-before-seen footage, discover hidden treasures and share them with the world.

You must have seen on Facebook now how immersive video has become, so it makes sense for Jumeirah and the Burj to be at the forefront of the immersive marketing game. Hello, 7 fictional stars.

BUT, this is so much more than immersive marketing, this is a milestone in exploration. Not everyone is blessed with the opportunity to visit these wonders of the world. I see myself as an explorer and the reason you guys are reading this is because you have either (i) experienced it and want to see my take on the space or (ii) want to experience it through my eyes or (iii) stumbled across this post with the desire to have a better understanding on the concept.

Well here goes. Click on this link www.inside.jumeirah.com on mobile or on tablet or desktop – I mean even on Google Glass!

It’s pretty groundbreaking – took 7 months to shoot all around the world. I met the team that created it last night and they’re incredible – humble and so enthusiastic about the product which they should well be!

Jumeirah Inside, developed in collaboration with Google, is a hotel industry first and offers a fully immersive digital travel platform which is accessible through jumeirah.com.

The platform provides access to Burj Al Arab Jumeirah which is brought to life by 360° video, 3D sound, playful interactions and exclusive hotspots – this is not just a tour through a building, it’s a journey through a brand.

Before his speech which you may have seen on my Snapchat, I had the honour of having lunch at the Skyview bar with Ross McAuley, Group Vice President of Brand, Digital and Loyalty, Jumeirah Group, where he said: “We aim to exceed our guests’ expectations whenever they visit our luxury hotels around the world, so is our aim to give an unforgettably rich, immersive online experience in advance of their arrival” but what was equally poignant is the digital experience that Jumeirah and Google are giving those who might never experience it.

Look at the way the world is at the moment, it’s really tense – and this is rippling into your life no matter what area you work in or the life you have curated or created. The world is at war and we are losing people, architecture and palaces on a continual basis which is why I urge you to find ways to make peace in whatever means you can. My choice is to do it creatively and these are my words and photos. Bringing to life digitally the story that an explorer would want to tell.

With that having been said, Ivan Jakovljevic, Google’s Head of Travel & Finance, Middle East and North Africa, talks about the consumer experiencing travel in a whole new way and this is why I am super excited to be able to share this with you as close to first hand as possible. There was also tonnes of documentation on my Snapchat which can be viewed here.

The virtual journey begins at the world’s most luxurious hotel where guests can see, hear and move around like never before. Users can uncover new information and explore the vibrant colours and playful water features in the atrium through 360° video. Other experiences include the chance to dive into the Talise Spa infinity pool, take a leisurely stroll through the magnificent Royal Suite, and explore Dubai from the exclusive helipad.

Here are some of my personal photography highlights of my experience over the last few days. Including chauffeur service by Rolls Royce, the Helipad rooftop for the launch, the Royal Suite, details of the building’s architecture and more. Make sure to also check my Instagram, Oz’s Instagram and Ella’s Instagram for even more.

Also stay tuned for another Dubai post featuring the incredible downtown hotel Jumeirah Emirates Towers.

Photography all by Nik Thakkar (or photos of Nik by Ozat). Fashion credits – swimwear by Paul Smith, shirt by Ada + Nik.

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