"Homer the Great" Simpsons, series 6
Here at TI Towers, we’re proud of having gathered together an impeccable collection of boutique and luxury hotels. Trumpet blowing aside, each and every one of them offers something special, whether you’re after a purse-friendly city crashpad or lavish grand dame.
And in the course of building this collection, a wealth of random knowledge has seeped into our travel-addled brains; these hotels are not only special in terms of style and value, many have had colourful past lives, hilarious former incarnations and more than their fair share of skeletons in the closet.
So without further ado, here are three of our favourite facts from the TI collection:
The Andaz in London has a hidden Masonic temple
When the Hyatt group took over the Great Eastern Hotel near Liverpool Street Station, they knew they’d bought an imposing red-brick building dating back to 1884 that was perfect for their flagship boutique-style property. All it needed was a top-to-toe renovation.
During the considerable transformation work, they hit upon something they hadn’t bargained for: a Masonic temple hidden in the bowels of the building. With walls of polished marble, original sconces and beautiful dark-wood seating, it makes for a unique meeting and events space for Andaz guests.
The Hotel Sacher and Hotel de Paris invented some seriously good desserts
Anyone who reads this blog regularly will know that TI’s editorial desk has a well-developed sweet tooth. Just two weeks ago we paid homage to our favourite sweet retreats, and afternoon tea at Brown’s or the Mandeville is a favourite way to spend an afternoon.
One of our top facts then, was always going to be confectionery-based. Delicious Sacher Torte is the namesake of the Hotel Sacher in Vienna, whilst anyone who’s made room for a crepe Suzette after their steak frites should know that this dish originated in the kitchens of Monaco’s Hotel de Paris.
The Library Hotel is dedicated to the Dewey Decimal System
Not the most systematically-minded bunch, we did take a little while to get our heads round this one. Nevertheless, it’s a pretty unique fact and we’re certain that there’s no other hotel on the planet that organises itself in this way.
Each of hotel’s ten floors has been assigned one category from the Dewey Decimal System. Which means if you’re partial to a bit of sci-fi, or if mysteries are more your thing, there’s a floor at the Library Hotel that’ll get your literary juices flowing. So to speak.
