The Australian luxury travel market has been identified as a potentially lucrative source for NoMad London, a two-year-young hotel located in the heart of Covent Garden.
Visiting Australia this week to showcase the independent property to trade partners in Sydney and Melbourne, Ania Zdunek, Head of Sales for NoMad London says the 91-room and suite hotel’s boutique proposition will be of real interest to the Australian traveller.
NoMad London is the fourth property in the NoMad collection and the first outside of the USA. Founded in New York by Andrew Zobler, the stable also has a location in Las Vegas.
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Zobler’s vision was to create hotels within restored old buildings, rich with character and history, and create a layered narrative for guests to experience.
The NoMad London is set within a grade II listed 19th-century building, famously known as the Bow Street Magsitrate’s Courthouse and Police Station. Following a complete overhaul, it opened in May 2021 and thrived on the local ‘staycation’ market until the end of London’s third lockdown and PCR testing had ended, after which interest in the boutique-styled hotel has skyrocketed.
“We’ve developed this unique concept for London that appears to have ticked the right boxes. In our first year, we’ve been accepted into Virtuoso, American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts and Serandipians. They saw this niche between lifestyle and traditional luxury.
“There was still that gap in London and we’ve swooped in,” she said.
“A key element of NoMad is we have synergies between history, architecture, modern design, art and a unique style of service. The second thing is we’re also a very, very strong food and beverage company at our core.”
“We want to make sure the restaurants and bars are where locals are hanging out and destinations in their own right,” Zdunek told LATTE while in Sydney this week.
NoMad London has three restaurants and three bars, including the aptly named: The Library, NoMad restaurant, Side Hustle and Common Decency. The service level at the property is five-star luxury, ‘with a bit of fun thrown in’ Zdunek adds.
The hotel has also recently appointed British native, Michael Yates, as Executive Chef. Chef Yates brings with him experience in some of Europe’s most celebrated Michelin-starred restaurants, as well as a post in Queensland at Hamilton Island’s qualia. Bringing his minimalist style to the hotel’s culinary offering, he showcases local provenance and highlights single ingredients. His first menu launched this week.
Among the 91 keys are 16 suites, including four top-of-the-line Royal Opera House Suites which offer unsurpassed views of the Opera House.
NoMad London is located in the centre of the city’s West End, neighbouring some of the top cultural venues London has to offer such as The Royal Opera House, The Lyceum Theatre and Somerset House.
Capitalising on its location, NoMad London has joined forces with the Royal Opera House to offer the ‘Ultimate Royal Opera House Experience’ which combines a stay in the suite of the same name along, show tickets viewed from the Royal Box, entry via the Royal Entrance, a three-course dinner between intermissions in the Royal Retiring room, and other ‘money can’t buy’ elements such as a back-stage tour, a rehearsal viewing or meet the cast – depending on schedules.
Zdunek says Covent Garden has upped its game in terms of restaurants and bars, with independent venues popping up and shopping including designer American makeup brand, Glossier, even opening its headquarters in the precinct, alongside the likes of designer brand Louis Vuitton, CHANEL, Charlotte Tilbury and DIOR.
The average length of stay is more than double the normal at 3.8 nights. Zdunek said there is a common trend among guests who arrive and extend their stay almost immediately after arriving. She suggests the “cozy feel” and destination experience is enough to make guests want to stay longer.
The Polish native said NoMad London lean’s heavily on its “incredibly strong partnerships”, noting: “We rely on our luxury consortia groups to get our name out there but there’s nothing like face-to-face meetings.”
In Australia, Zdunek joined La Collection’s Craig Farrell who introduced her to some of the local sites and some key luxury travel advisors, including some ANZAC Day barefoot bowling in Sydney.