A review of the BoTree hotel in London

What is The BoTree hotel?

Open just since September and a sister property to the Middle Eight and Guardsman hotels, The BoTree is one of London’s newest lodgings and one of its most distinctive. The hotel’s guiding principle is “conscious luxury,” a commitment to partnering with sustainable brands and becoming a connection between guests and the surrounding neighborhood.

It is bookended by charming Marylebone Lane on one side and more corporate Welbeck Street on the other. Its exterior architecture alludes to both, with dark brickwork on the Marylebone side and a textured white-stone facade on the other. The two are joined by a dramatic, rounded metal latticework structure with plants hanging from the lower levels, drawing the eye toward the whorling entryway.

Guests are greeted by smiling doormen and escorted to the living room-like reception area, where instead of an impersonal row of desks, they will find several inviting seating vignettes and the check-in process is undertaken with a tablet by one of the on-duty receptionists.

There’s also a circular standing bar, from which arriving guests are offered a choice of water, red or white wine, cocktails or Moët & Chandon Champagne to sip while admiring the space’s sylvan-inspired wooden columns and curved ceiling, as well as its profusion of hanging and potted plants.

Take a moment to admire the two-piece tree-like sculpture anchoring the elevator lobby before stepping into one of the three lifts to whisk you up to your accommodations.

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There are just 169 rooms and 30 suites total, so the experience feels intimate and personalized, not least of which is thanks to staff who know guests by name and note their various preferences, seemingly within minutes of arrival.

Where is The BoTree?

The BoTree is located in one of London’s most fashionable neighborhoods, Marylebone, whose winding streets and hidden alleys make it feel like a little village within the larger city. Wedged between elegant Mayfair, with its luxury boutiques, and bustling SoHo, to whose trendy restaurants and cafes many visitors flock, The BoTree is located a lengthy but doable walk to either Hyde Park or Regent’s Park and within a quick Tube ride or drive to the theaters of the West End as well as many of London’s major attractions.

It’s worth having a wander around Marylebone itself, perhaps for a coffee at the Danish cafe, Ole & Steen, or a Sri Lankan feast at Hoppers. There are also some excellent boutiques to browse along Marylebone High Street, or you could spend a sunny afternoon enjoying the fresh air at nearby Grosvenor Square.

How to book The BoTree

Rooms at The BoTree are colorful and bright

Like the hotel’s public spaces, the 199 rooms and suites are meant to blend natural elements while bringing the vibrancy of London to the hotel’s interior. Pop-out bay windows are excellent perches for looking out over the neighborhood, while abstract, floral-inspired wall paneling (which can vary from room to room) feels like a vivid, playful allusion to Victorian greenhouses.

Starting category Superior rooms are compact at just 215 square feet, but Deluxe and Executive rooms are slightly larger. The hotel’s specialty suites top out at nearly 800 square feet and can be combined in various configurations to incorporate other rooms or suites for larger parties. Word to the wise: Reserve one of the Mayfair suites, which have impressive in-room bars for entertaining, including a high-top table with an embedded wine-cooling bucket.

My Junior Suite had a small entry foyer from which I could turn into the wardrobe area with a small vanity that looked out toward the window. There was a Dyson hair dryer perched on it, though it didn’t have a mirror that you could use to do makeup. Although there was a major construction site on Henrietta Lane to the hotel’s south, the soundproofed windows impressively kept nearly all the noise out. Double doors could be shut to close off the foyer, and there was another set beyond the closet space leading into the bedroom so that it, too, could be made into a more intimate space.

Across from the vanity, the bathroom had a long basin sink with a swan-neck faucet and a dramatically backlit mirror hanging from the deep-veined marble wall. To one side was the closed-in commode, with a glossy, gold-tiled wall.

On the other, the marble-tiled walk-in shower had both overhead and handheld showerheads.

Bolstering the hotel’s sustainability credentials, The BoTree stocks Pomelo products from London parfumier Jo Malone’s vegan Jo Loves line. There was also a Jo Loves Pomelo diffuser scenting the room.

Beyond the bathroom, the bedroom contained a king-size bed accented with two other signature sustainable features: a vegan-leather headboard and eco-friendly Tencel sheets made from eucalyptus, which were lightweight and breathable.

The room controls, including electronic buttons for lights, both shades and blackout curtains and a do-not-disturb indicator for the front door, plus temperature controls, were on a panel next to the bed. There were also U.K.-shaped power plugs and USB-A and USB-C ports in various spots throughout the room.

To either side of the bed were low nightstands, one with a pendant light and another with a small standing lamp. Next to that, and made from the same blond wood as the fluted wall paneling, was the marble-topped minibar.

It had both an electric Alessi kettle for brewing tea and a Nespresso machine, as well as a selection of spirits like Sipsmith London gin and Patron tequila, plus interesting options like nonalcoholic Pentire coastal spritz.

A drawer under the counter contained treats like Cartwright vegan fudge and sea-salted caramel biscuits. A minifridge pulled out from under the counter, containing bottles of water, soda, white and sparkling wine and some bottled cocktails, including a Negroni. In addition to various glassware, there were gorgeous floral-patterned tea and espresso bone china cups and saucers designed by Jasper Conran for Wedgwood.

Next to the minibar, a curved light-green loveseat with a small round table was wedged into one of the bay windows and was a nice spot to work with my laptop.

Across from the bed was another art deco-inspired piece; a rounded jade-green velvet chair with a small side table that looked out the other bay window, and then mounted on the wall next to that was a large flat-screen Samsung television.

Although the suite was not enormous, its creative layout, which allowed me to close off various sections, as well as the large windows and brilliant colors made it feel airy and spacious. Business travelers might bemoan the lack of a formal desk, but for working or reading, the two seating areas more than sufficed.

Lavo restaurant is set to be a scene

The BoTree’s sole restaurant is an outpost of Tao Hospitality Group’s Italian restaurant, Lavo. The eatery, which is located just adjacent to the lobby via a short corridor, is positively enormous, with not one but two floors, one at ground level and one below.

Both spaces feel very upscale with extensions of the hotel’s botanical motifs, like white-painted branches suspended from the ceilings, leaf-like crystal light fixtures and a fully grown olive tree sprouting across from the open kitchen on the lower level.

The seating areas include both two- and four-tops, as well as long banquettes and circular booths for larger parties. The walls have fade-effect murals of the Italian countryside to set the scene, too.

Breakfast is served on the upper level, and guests can opt for the continental buffet for 28 British pounds ($34) as well as a la carte items like avocado toast on sourdough with whipped ricotta and poached eggs (16 pounds), ricotta pancakes with mixed berries, almonds and maple syrup (18 pounds) and poached eggs “royale” over an English muffin with hollandaise and Scottish smoked salmon (20 pounds). By the second day, expect the personable servers to know how you take your coffee or tea and to ask whether you’d like the same item you ordered the day before for breakfast.

As for lunch and dinner, Lavo tends to be more of a special occasion venue thanks not only to its gourmet menus but also the prices. It’s worth asking colleagues to join you for a working lunch or spending an evening in to enjoy some of the specialties.

The hamachi crudo with fennel, blood orange and pepperoncini (19 pounds) is luscious and light, while the silk handkerchief pasta with white boar bolognese and shaved black truffles (25 pounds) is rich and earthy. Be sure to order one of the sumptuous house pizzas and the crispy-skinned Mediterranean sea bass with fennel, parsley and Sorrento lemon vinaigrette (38 pounds).

There are also plenty of specialty cocktails like a Maple Americano with Campari, vermouth, rhubarb, coconut, grapefruit bitters and Coast Maple Soda (18 pounds), plus an extensive list of international but mostly Italian-skewing wines.

The BoTree Bar is an after-work hot spot

On the opposite side of the lobby from Lavo, near the front entrance, the hotel’s BoTree bar is a sweet little spot with trippy multi-colored overhead lighting (look down at the floor, and you’ll see the same swirling shapes mirrored in the terrazzo tiling). Patrons can sidle up to the long, slightly curved bar or lounge around one of the smaller tables, all of which have elegant green marble tops.

The libations list is inspired by botanicals, so you might find signature sips like the Bees by BoTree with Seven Tails XO brandy, pomelo, honey, saffron, lemon and Champagne (24 pounds) or the refreshingly floral Jasmine Cha Cha with Belvedere vodka, Grand Marnier, grapes, jasmine and lime (21 pounds).

There are also plenty of other spirits, wines and beers on offer as well as a limited menu of small items like spicy nuts (5 pounds), shrimp cocktail (18 pounds) and truffled grilled cheese (22 pounds).

Wellness and events spaces are coming

The hotel was built on the site of a former parking garage, so the structure actually extends several stories below ground. That’s where guests should find the fitness center and a spa next year at some point, though the hotel can currently arrange access to a nearby gym.

The lower levels will also house a screening room and a huge, multi-story event space with up-to-the-minute technology for its lighting and sound systems. Though we were given a peek, we were asked not to take photos as the venue is not yet completed.

Accessibility

The BoTree has a wheelchair-accessible main entrance as well as accessible entrances to both Lavo and The BoTree Bar. Its elevators are large enough to accommodate wheelchairs, and the electronic call screens for them are at a height that wheelchair users should have no issue accessing, while guest hallways are wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs. The elevators also use audio systems to let passengers know the floors at which they are stopping for visually impaired guests.

There are 21 accessible rooms, many of which have connecting options for travelers who are visiting with companions. Depending on the room you book, there might be features like level-entry showers, toilets with handrails and bathrooms with emergency call systems.

To ensure that the accommodations contain the features you require, call ahead to the hotel and discuss the specific options for the various room types.

Alternatives to The BoTree

While The BoTree is an excellent mix of luxury and affordability, London has no shortage of other top-notch hotels, including somewhere your hotel points might come in handy.

Checking out

In a year full of hotel openings, The BoTree is still one of the most exciting to debut in London in 2023. The hotel’s sustainable touches, bright rooms and convenient location within walking distance of several exciting neighborhoods all make it an excellent choice for a trip to the British capital.

The BoTree’s swanky cocktail bar and upscale Italian restaurant, Lavo, are both welcome additions to London’s dining scene and the opening of wellness and event spaces at the hotel are only going to make it an even better option for both Londoners and travelers alike.

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