Ian
26th April 2006, 09:10 PM
yliL wanted me to make my pics available in one place, & since I can't be bothered to create new webpages on my site for them (though I might do eventually), I thought' I'd put them here for peeps to see :)
Firstly, the hotel we stayed in (the Hotel Russell, on Russell Square, close to the British Museum):
Exterior shots
This (http://www.imsmultimedia.co.uk/Images/Hotel4.jpg) shows the height of the building, while this (http://www.imsmultimedia.co.uk/Images/Hotel3.jpg) gives a better idea of its overall size. It was built in 1900, & at the time was unusual in that most of the rooms had en-suite bathrooms, something that's still not universal in hotels, even in London.
Interiors
Going through the main entrance, this (http://www.imsmultimedia.co.uk/Images/Hotel6.jpg) is what greets you. The mosaic floor showing the signs of the zodiac was damaged by bombing during WWII but has been restored to its original appearance. Reception is to the left, the bar & the stairs to the right.
I didn't get a pic of the bar itself, all oak panelling & deep-buttoned ,eather chairs, but here (http://www.imsmultimedia.co.uk/Images/Hotel5.jpg) is the view from the bar entrance, looking along towards reception (which is hidden by the pillars). The pic is a little bright because of all the chandeliers, but you can see the marble pillars (and marble walls!) well enough.
The staircase (http://www.imsmultimedia.co.uk/Images/Hotel2.jpg) is also marble, both steps and bannisters, & this shows LL in film-star mode jst before we went out to dinner on the Saturday night. And sitting on a corner post on the 2nd floor, we found this (http://www.imsmultimedia.co.uk/Images/Hotel7.jpg) little fellow! Oddly there was nothing on any of the other posts, just this single bronze dragon!
Our room
Considering the age & style of the hotel, our room was very modern, but still very luxurious. The bathroom (http://www.imsmultimedia.co.uk/Images/Room1.jpg) was bigger than a lot of hotel bathrooms I've known (though the bath was small even for LL!), and of course had to have some marble in it. ;)
The bed (http://www.imsmultimedia.co.uk/Images/Room2.jpg), while nowhere near the size of the ones in the Marriott in Atlanta, was very comfortable, & we didn't really want to get out of it on a morning! As well as the usual bedside wall lights (above the mirrors), it also featured flexible reading lights, which was a nice touch & not one I've seen before.
Other facilities included a cupboard with hair drier, iron, & fold-out ironing board (which was tiny!), & a wardrobe (http://www.imsmultimedia.co.uk/Images/Room3.jpg) with a TV on sliding swivel shelf & another sliding shelf below that with tea & coffee making stuff. The light fitting was nice too :)
Anyway, that's enough for one post, next up there'll be pics from some of the places we visited, including the Narnia-themed staircase at Hamley's on Regent Street.
Firstly, the hotel we stayed in (the Hotel Russell, on Russell Square, close to the British Museum):
Exterior shots
This (http://www.imsmultimedia.co.uk/Images/Hotel4.jpg) shows the height of the building, while this (http://www.imsmultimedia.co.uk/Images/Hotel3.jpg) gives a better idea of its overall size. It was built in 1900, & at the time was unusual in that most of the rooms had en-suite bathrooms, something that's still not universal in hotels, even in London.
Interiors
Going through the main entrance, this (http://www.imsmultimedia.co.uk/Images/Hotel6.jpg) is what greets you. The mosaic floor showing the signs of the zodiac was damaged by bombing during WWII but has been restored to its original appearance. Reception is to the left, the bar & the stairs to the right.
I didn't get a pic of the bar itself, all oak panelling & deep-buttoned ,eather chairs, but here (http://www.imsmultimedia.co.uk/Images/Hotel5.jpg) is the view from the bar entrance, looking along towards reception (which is hidden by the pillars). The pic is a little bright because of all the chandeliers, but you can see the marble pillars (and marble walls!) well enough.
The staircase (http://www.imsmultimedia.co.uk/Images/Hotel2.jpg) is also marble, both steps and bannisters, & this shows LL in film-star mode jst before we went out to dinner on the Saturday night. And sitting on a corner post on the 2nd floor, we found this (http://www.imsmultimedia.co.uk/Images/Hotel7.jpg) little fellow! Oddly there was nothing on any of the other posts, just this single bronze dragon!
Our room
Considering the age & style of the hotel, our room was very modern, but still very luxurious. The bathroom (http://www.imsmultimedia.co.uk/Images/Room1.jpg) was bigger than a lot of hotel bathrooms I've known (though the bath was small even for LL!), and of course had to have some marble in it. ;)
The bed (http://www.imsmultimedia.co.uk/Images/Room2.jpg), while nowhere near the size of the ones in the Marriott in Atlanta, was very comfortable, & we didn't really want to get out of it on a morning! As well as the usual bedside wall lights (above the mirrors), it also featured flexible reading lights, which was a nice touch & not one I've seen before.
Other facilities included a cupboard with hair drier, iron, & fold-out ironing board (which was tiny!), & a wardrobe (http://www.imsmultimedia.co.uk/Images/Room3.jpg) with a TV on sliding swivel shelf & another sliding shelf below that with tea & coffee making stuff. The light fitting was nice too :)
Anyway, that's enough for one post, next up there'll be pics from some of the places we visited, including the Narnia-themed staircase at Hamley's on Regent Street.