‘As soon as I stepped onto the premises the space spoke to me,’ Rami Fustok tells us as we step through The Mandrake’s mysterious entrance on Newman Street, in London’s bohemian Fitzrovia. Rami was attracted by the architectural qualities of the building, which had won the prestigious RIBA award in 2002. ‘I knew I should trust it and it was the place where I could create a haven in central London.’ As we emerge from the Dantesque entrance-passage, the exact nature of Rami’s haven becomes clear. ‘The objective was to create a journey for the guests,’ Rami says. ‘A journey that would ensure the guests experience something really special, through the interior design, the food, the cocktails… the idea is that the hotel touches all the senses.’