You walk through a dark, velvet-shrouded tunnel off Newman Street and suddenly, London just... vanishes. It’s gone. Honestly, if you haven’t been to The Mandrake Hotel London, you’re probably expecting another stiff Fitzrovia establishment with marble floors and polite afternoon tea.
Forget that.
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This place is a fever dream. It’s what happens when you mix a high-end art gallery, a botanical garden from a parallel universe, and a very chic private club. It opened back in 2017, but even now, it feels like it’s operating on a completely different frequency than the rest of the city’s luxury scene.
Most people get it wrong. They think it's just a "boutique hotel." It’s actually more of a sensory experiment. Named after the medicinal (and supposedly mystical) mandrake root, the hotel leans hard into the occult and the botanical. Owner Rami Fustok didn’t just want to sell rooms; he wanted to sell an atmosphere that sticks to your ribs.
The Juju Terrace and why everyone tries to take pictures there
If there is one thing that defines the experience here, it’s the courtyard. They call it the Juju Terrace. Imagine three stories of hanging gardens—cascading jasmine and passionflower—supported by massive, ancient-looking timber. It is the green heart of the building.
It feels like a rainforest in the middle of W1.
You’ll see people sitting there with a cocktail, looking slightly dazed by the sheer amount of greenery. The hotel actually won the "Best Outdoor Space" at the AHEAD Awards shortly after opening, and it's easy to see why. It isn't just a few potted plants. It’s a living, breathing ecosystem that changes how the air feels. On a humid July evening, it’s arguably the best spot in London to disappear.
The Terrace is overlooked by the rooms, which creates this weirdly intimate, voyeuristic vibe. You aren't looking out at a gray street; you’re looking into a private jungle.
Living with the art
The Mandrake doesn't do "safe" art. You won't find generic watercolors of Big Ben here. Instead, you’re greeted by a massive, terrifyingly beautiful sculpture by Enrique Gomez de Molina—a hybrid creature that looks like it crawled out of a myth.
It’s polarizing.
Some guests find the decor a bit "much." There’s a lot of taxidermy, dark velvet, and surrealist paintings. But that’s the point. The hotel employs an "Artist in Residence" program that has hosted everyone from tattoo artists to performers. They want you to feel something, even if that something is a little bit of discomfort mixed with awe.
The rooms: From "C terrace" to the Penthouse
The Mandrake Hotel London has 33 rooms, but they aren't uniform.
- The Terrace Rooms: These are the ones you want if you like the outdoors. They open directly onto the Juju Terrace.
- The Mandrake Suite: This features a massive white four-poster bed and a freestanding bathtub that feels more like a throne.
- The Penthouse: It’s excessive. It has a retractable roof. You can literally lie in bed and look at the London stars—or more likely, the London clouds—while a Veronese marble bathtub waits in the corner.
The lighting in the rooms is intentionally moody. It’s "sexy lighting," as one regular guest told me. You won't find harsh overhead LEDs. Everything is soft, amber, and designed to make you look better than you actually do after a flight into Heathrow.
The Spiritual Concierge
This is where things get really "Mandrake." They have a Spiritual Concierge.
Yeah, you heard that right.
While other five-star hotels are bragging about their pillow menus, this place offers sound healing, shamanic sessions, and crystal therapy. It sounds like something from a satirical movie about Los Angeles, but they take it very seriously. The program is curated to help guests "reset." Whether you believe in the power of a gong bath or not, it’s a fascinating pivot away from the traditional gym-and-spa model of luxury travel.
Eating and drinking in the dark
YOPO is the main restaurant. It’s South American-inspired, focusing heavily on ingredients from the Amazon and the Andes. Think wild seabass, grilled octopus, and a lot of smoked chilies. The design is—surprise, surprise—dark and dramatic.
The food is genuinely good. It’s not just "hotel food." The executive chef has managed to make the menu feel as experimental as the decor without sacrificing flavor.
Then there’s the Waeska bar.
The cocktail list is basically a botanical encyclopedia. They use a lot of house-made tinctures and infusions. If you ask for a basic vodka soda, they’ll make it, but you’ll feel like you’re missing the point. You should be drinking something that has "ethnobotanical" roots. The bar counter itself is a slab of giant labradorite, which supposedly has protective properties.
What most people get wrong about the location
People see "Fitzrovia" and think it’s going to be quiet or professional.
Actually, The Mandrake sits in a weird pocket. You’re five minutes from the chaos of Oxford Street, but the hotel feels like it’s in a different time zone. It’s popular with the fashion crowd and musicians precisely because it’s tucked away. There’s no huge neon sign. If you don't know where the entrance is, you’ll walk right past it.
Is it actually worth the price?
Let’s be real: it’s expensive. You’re paying for the theater of it all. If you want a standard, bright, business-like room with a desk and a functional vibe, go to the Marriott. The Mandrake is for when you want to feel like you’ve been invited to a very expensive, very strange party.
It’s also surprisingly quiet. Despite the bar being a hotspot for London’s creative elite, the soundproofing is top-tier. You can have a literal jungle party happening in the courtyard and your room will remain a velvet-lined tomb.
Actionable Insights for Your Visit
If you're planning to book or just visit for a drink, keep these points in mind:
- Book the Terrace: If your budget allows, the Terrace rooms are the soul of the hotel. Being able to step out into that hanging garden at 2 AM is a unique London experience.
- The Sunday Service: Check their calendar for "Spiritual Wellbeing" events. Even if you're a skeptic, the sound healing sessions in that specific environment are incredibly relaxing.
- Dress the part: You don't need a suit, but "boring" stands out here. It’s a place for leather jackets, silk scarves, and interesting shoes.
- Visit the Library: It’s a small, hidden gem within the hotel filled with rare books on art and esoterica. It’s the best place for a quiet coffee.
- Don't skip the cocktails: Even if you aren't staying there, the Waeska bar is worth the trip just to see the decor and try a drink you can't find elsewhere in the city.
The Mandrake Hotel London remains a weird, beautiful outlier in a city that is often too obsessed with tradition. It’s proof that luxury doesn't have to be boring, and that sometimes, a little bit of darkness is exactly what a traveler needs.