Rough Luxe

Mr & Mrs Smith have just got back from an anonymous review trip to this boutique hotel in London, and just as soon as they've unpacked their Mandarina Duck weekend bags, an account of their stay in King's Cross will be with you. In the meantime, just to get your attention, here's a brief snippet penned at Rough Luxe...

This is definitely not a hotel for everyone. Some people won't be keen on the surrounding area (in spite of its redevelopment, King's Cross is not London's most glamorous corner), others might baulk at the paucity of amenities,  the flaking wallpaper and the scratchy patches of paintwork that must date back to the 50s. Some people, however, (Mr & Mrs Smith included) take one step inside and find their jaws dropping in astonishment and rapture.

Rough Luxe is in itself a thrilling design statement. A permanent 'no vacancy' sign hangs outside (you can only book in advance), playing up to the illusion that this is just another crowded King's Cross b&b, but creak open the door and the truth hits you smack between the eyes. Decoratively, Rough Luxe resembles a house that's been gutted for renovation, its walls a patchwork palimpsest of the the renovations of yesteryear. Here and there a curling sliver of dated wallpaper, a rusting chandelier,  stripped floorboards mottled with paint – it's a building that visible embodies its history through its interiors.

That's the rough bit. The luxe comes courtesy of the art, the modern design elements and the service. Every room and corridor is hung with striking one-of-a-kind artworks, ranging from Daniel Baker's Dining Room mirror, which brazenly announces 'this is shit', to the mind-blowing trompe l'oeils by Massimo Listri, which perfectly depict the ornamented interiors of Italian palazzi. Gleaming modern furniture from architect Rabih Hage (who created Rough Luxe's interiors) somehow sits harmoniously alongside antique writing desks and ravaged walls.

The manager, Leo, couldn't do more to make you feel like a guest in his home, because, in fact, that's precisely what you are. He and his dog Spud (who has his own website at www.myspud.co.uk) live on-site and take care of everything. Don't expect five-star service; at Rough Luxe you come and go as you please, knowing that when you come, you'll get the most friendly welcome in town and, when you go, you'll be promising to return.