The King’s Lodge at The Connaught
The Connaught, the legendary Mayfair hotel built on Carlos Place, has stood as an emblem of discreet and authentic elegance since 1897.
This February 2024, The Connaught, in keeping with its tradition of heritage and craftsmanship, unveils a one-of-a-kind suite – The King’s Lodge – a collaboration between Guy Oliver, The Connaught’s renowned legacy interior designer, and Turquoise Mountain, a charity supporting artisans across the Levant, Afghanistan, Myanmar and India.
Founded in 2006 by His Majesty King Charles III – then the Prince of Wales – Turquoise Mountain supports artisans with everything they need to thrive and revitalize their heritage.
The charity works in Afghanistan, Myanmar and the Middle East, combining crafts practice, training and heritage buildings.
The King’s Lodge is the second collaboration between Oliver, Turquoise Mountain and The Connaught, joining The Prince’s Lodge which opened in 2010.
The Prince’s Lodge was created in a style inspired by the 19th century Peacock Palace in the old city of Kabul.
“True luxury has always been made to measure and since it was built, The Connaught has been known as the handmade hotel, constructed by the finest artisan builders and cabinet makers.”
Designer Guy Oliver, Oliver Laws.
The King’s Lodge is a singular space, located on the fifth floor of The Connaught designed to showcase the highest level of craftsmanship from the Levant, Afghanistan, Myanmar and India.
Artisans from these far-reaching destinations have been commissioned to create every element of the suite, from the intricate architectural woodwork made in Jordan by Syrian artisans, to handwoven carpets and miniature paintings from Afghanistan, fabrics from Myamar, as well as carved marble panels and mirrored glass insets from India.
The one-bedroom suite, conceived in the historic Mughal style and nestled in the eaves on the fifth floor of The Connaught, welcomes guests into a richly appointed seating area, featuring deep window seats overlooking the streets of Mayfair.
The four-poster bed, a work of art into itself, is one-of-a-kind, with motifs carefully hand-drawn and crafted for this particular suite.
The fabrics featuring a zigzag motif were inspired by chevrons that come from Mughal columns while specific carpets from Lahore and the Mughal textiles from the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) in Doha inspired the use of colour.
Turquoise Mountain worked with fine woodworkers to create walnut jali fretwork, a craft found across Afghanistan that intricately joins pieces of wood, which feature in the arches of the bedframe as well as the screens throughout the suite.
Throughout every element of the suite, guests are not only transported to these various corners of the world, they are enveloped in a celebration of the craft from each destination.
The King’s Lodge suite is an homage to artisans and very much in keeping with The Connaught’s larger support of artists which has always been integral to the hotel.
A portion of the proceeds of every booking from both The Prince’s Lodge and The King’s Lodge goes directly to Turquoise Mountain and their programming to support artisans.
Turquoise Mountain has trained over 15,000 artisans and builders, restored 150 historic buildings, and organised major international exhibitions – from the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha to the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC.
The organisation has brought over $17m in handmade crafts to international markets, working with prestigious international retailers, from Bloomingdales and Kate Spade in New York, to five star hotels in London and the Gulf such as The Connaught, Four Seasons and Fairmont, developing products based in craft traditions for contemporary international markets that provide viable incomes for artisans.