Interior design firm SpaceInvader has completed the interior design scheme for the first European Four Points Express by Sheraton hotel, located in London’s Euston.
The project, which encompassed all 211 guest rooms, public spaces, food and beverage areas, and wayfinding, is the result of a £50 million investment by Splendid Hospitality, in partnership with Marriott International, Assured CMS, and Dean Street Developments.
A New Brand in Central London
Four Points Express by Sheraton is Marriott International’s latest addition to the midscale hotel market, targeting value-conscious travellers seeking reliability, simplicity, and convenience. The hotel, formerly The County Hotel, is located on Upper Woburn Place in Bloomsbury, within walking distance of Euston Station and King’s Cross St Pancras, providing a central hub for both domestic and international visitors. The design draws inspiration from the local area’s Georgian architecture and Bloomsbury’s green spaces, creating a calming, nature-inspired palette for the interiors.
Meeting Market Demands
Marriott International developed Four Points Express in response to growing demand for “reliable-yet-affordable accommodation in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.” This European launch follows the company’s move into the midscale space with City Express by Marriott in Latin America and the upcoming StudioRes brand in North America, continuing Marriott’s strategy of catering to regional needs.
Thoughtful Design Reflecting Local Heritage
The design of Four Points Express takes inspiration from the hotel’s Bloomsbury location. As SpaceInvader Associate Imogen Woodage explained, “Woburn Walk’s elegant Georgian housing was a particular visual reference, with its exterior façades painted in a split monochrome treatment with black-painted ground floor retail units and white upper floors, together with Juliet balconies, featuring the same wrought ironwork as the external streetlights. The inspiration from both Georgian exteriors and interiors on the new scheme was the first stylistic direction our designs took and includes the use of panelling and dado rails, as well as linear fabrics, which echo the lines and monochrome fashions of Georgian design.”
Additionally, the area’s parks and squares influenced the hotel’s botanical theme, with green and blue accents complementing a monochrome base palette. Local literary figure Charles Dickens, who often walked nearby, also inspired elements of the design, particularly in the hotel’s restaurant, Raven, named after Dickens’ pet raven, Grip. “Dicken’s inclusive approach to publishing, with his stories printed episodically as magazine chapters in order to reach a wider demographic, felt in tune with the new hotel’s reliable-yet-affordable positioning. The writer’s beloved pet raven, Grip, inspired the naming of the hotel restaurant – Raven – and the use of wallpaper featuring illustrations of birds, as well as some of the final set-dressing objects,” added Woodage.
A Revitalised Space in the Heart of Euston
The hotel’s transformation involved a full refurbishment of the former County Hotel, with Glasgow-based architects Maith Design responsible for enhancing and expanding the building’s structure, including opening up the ground floor to house the reception, bar, and restaurant. Guest rooms now span eight floors, and additional spaces for guests and staff are located on the lower ground floor.
The ground-floor Raven restaurant seats 66 and offers a blend of modern functionality and historical elements. Meanwhile, an onsite Caffé Nero provides a space for guests and locals to enjoy coffee or remote working, adding to the hotel’s offering for both leisure and business travellers.
A Unique Guest Experience
The design team focused on creating a comfortable and efficient guest experience. Each room reflects the Georgian and botanical themes seen throughout the hotel. Soft tones create a calming atmosphere, with monochrome elements enhanced by botanical wallpapers. Small design features, such as LED-lit dado rails, add a cosy, modern touch, while space-saving solutions like under-bed storage ensure rooms are practical yet welcoming.
John Williams, Founder and Director of SpaceInvader, commented: “Hospitality is a very exciting sector for us right now. From the careful refurbishment and re-imagining of listed or historic buildings to the repositioning or revitalising of existing hotel stock and working with architects on interior schemes for hotels, we bring the same people-first, experience-rich and highly-detailed flair to our design work, for which we have won or been shortlisted for over 60 creative awards in the last decade.”
The Four Points Express by Sheraton in Euston is set to offer travellers a balance of historical charm and modern convenience, delivering an experience that reflects Marriott’s goal of providing “regionally relevant offers for every purpose of stay.”
