One of London’s most striking hotel dens, the Blue Bar has held court at the Berkeley since 2004. The retreat, designed by the late David Collins, invites patrons to linger over cocktails while surrounded by distinctive “Lutyen’s Blue” lacquered paneling. Now, as part of the Maybourne Hotel Group’s massive refurbishment of the property, the Blue Bar has a new look thanks to a meticulous renovation by local firm Robert Angell Design International. Angell, who worked at David Collins Studio for 15 years, had the mighty task of doubling the bar’s size to accommodate the glass pavilion dreamed up by local architect Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners. Part of the building’s contemporary new façade, it’s supported by a series of carbon fiber beams typically used in the construction of Formula One cars.

“The obvious choice was to respect what had gone before and yet bring a twist to the bar that would, in effect, be what David would have brought if he had been designing it today,” Angell explains. Except for that beloved paneling, every element is brand new, including a blue leather floor, onyx-topped tables, and stools with glass pedestal columns, instilling a midcentury feel that “retains the intimacy of the original,” he adds. Jean Prouvé-inspired rotating brise soleil window screens amplify the unconventional fiber beams’ architecture.
Angell also pays tribute to his mentor with the transformation of the Caramel Room into the natural light-filled Collins Room. Set within the glass pavilion, it features two spaces connected by banquettes, showcasing blue, lavender, and white hues. Porcelain chandeliers, pale gray Dalmatian marble, and convex mirrors blend sophistication with whimsy. “I wanted to make David proud of what I have created, while also designing an interior reflective of where he would have loved to have afternoon tea,” Angell explains. Collins, who was enamored of florals, surely would have relished the custom embroidered branches and flowers on the walls that are a modern riff on de Gournay cherry blossom wallpaper, as well as the floors flaunting marble mosaic petals with inlaid rugs “to feel as if the leaves have fallen off trees,” says Angell.

The Berkeley’s final stage of renovation includes new suites by London designers Helen Green and John Heah. For his collection of first-floor rooms, Heah, known for working with such brands as Amanresorts, wanted to inject “the hustle and bustle of London’s urban hotel scene” with a sense of subconscious serenity. Inside, there are one-of-a-kind handmade rugs embracing the likes of Thai and Chinese silks, Nepalese wool, and Moroccan weaves, while the not-oft-seen terraces truly illuminate tranquility. Elsewhere, “The lanterns positioned in the corridors are a link between the Asian resort and traditional British hotel,” says Heah. “It’s something I’ve never seen before in London properties, but it seems so natural.”