The 5-star ME London is the first hotel in which the design of everything, from the shell of the building to the layout of the public spaces and guest rooms – down to the smallest details of the bathroom fittings – has been undertaken by the Foster studio. It has allowed the bold geometry of the structure to be exploited to dramatic spatial effect, and reinforced a sense of architectural cohesion between the interiors and exterior.

Arriving guests pass through the ground floor lounge and ascend to a dedicated hotel lobby and champagne bar on the first floor, which is located within the soaring volume of a nine-storey-high pyramid. Clad in white marble, and naturally lit from above, the pyramid engenders a strikingly theatrical sense of arrival.

Many items of furniture were designed specifically for the hotel, including desks, bedside tables and the black-lacquered cabinets with onyx shelves, which incorporate an entertainment system and mini bar. Full-height projecting windows in each room allow guests to ‘step out’ and enjoy the view along the Strand. The largest suites are arranged on the upper levels. The grandest of these, the duplex ‘Suite ME’ on the ninth and tenth floors, has a glazed outlook at the top of the corner tower with panoramic views of Covent Garden and the river.