Threadneedles Hotel exterior © Christian Mantuano
The City of London’s history is as dense as the bank vaults that safeguard the nation’s wealth. At the helm of all monetary and financial activity is the Bank of England, strategically situated at the “Bank Junction” where Threadneedle Street and Cornhill converge. Nicknamed “The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street”, she has seen a few dramas in her lifetime.
Perhaps the most compelling incident happened in February 1873, with the discovery of a forged bill of exchange cashed by the Bank of England to the tune of £1 million — an audacious crime that nearly brought the “Old Lady” to her knees. Fortunately, other neighbouring banks around Threadneedle Street were spared the same fate. Most of these institutions have since evolved, transforming into lucrative retail establishments. A perfect example was the London, City and Midland Bank, which had its headquarters in Threadneedle Street from the 1880s. The original 1856 building designed by W&A Moseley still stands proud today and, since 2002, has been home to the five-star Threadneedles Hotel.
In keeping with the building’s historical and architectural heritage, many of the original features have been retained, such as the stunning stained-glass dome gracing the atrium lobby and lounge. Sympathetic refurbishment and conservation of the listed building was important but proved to be a challenge, and Hotel Manager Biju Pappachan shows me how modification enabled them to keep the bank’s original curved wooden entrance door.
The lobby’s maroon Chesterfield sofas evoke period elegance accented with modern geometric area rug patterns, huge mirrors and contemporary art. Thick pillars supporting the dome are also originals, and the reincarnation of the long bank counter into a grand cocktail bar replete with banker’s lamps is quite impressive.
There are 74 bedrooms, including a Penthouse on the fifth floor with a full-length balcony and a view of the financial district skyline. Due to the building’s original structure, rooms vary in size and configuration. While they all exude understated luxury, each makes a statement through large prints of iconic London landmarks, such as St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London, and striking modern original paintings. There is certainly a special chilled-out vibe about this hotel that distinguishes it from other five-star boutique hotels in the Square Mile.
Threadneedles Hotel Lobby © Rowena Marella-Daw
Beef Tartare on a crispy potato base with Osciètre caviar
Grand Room at Threadneedles Hotel
CAVIAR HOUSE AT THREADNEEDLES
If Victorian Midland bank customers travelled forward to 2024, they’d be gobsmacked to discover that the person behind the cashier’s window had been replaced by a bartender juggling cocktail mixers. But they may be pleased to find a wide array of alcoholic drinks, creative concoctions, and ingredients unheard of in their lifetime, as well as relieved to recognise the huge ornate iron and glass windows, which are still intact.
But perhaps the best surprise of all would be the Caviar House at Threadneedles fine-dining experience in the Grand Room, where the finest quality caviar, once a privilege indulged in by royalty and a minority of wealthy patrons, can now be enjoyed by hotel guests and non-residents.
However, the days of caviar sourced from wild sturgeons in the Caspian and Black seas are long gone due to overfishing. These days, they are farmed all over the world, but it’s important to know which ones are ethically sourced. Caviar House & Prunier is a French brand, and their caviar comes from a sustainable aquaculture farm situated in Montpon-Ménestérol, a town in the Dordogne, well within an hour’s driving distance from Bordeaux. Founded over 100 years ago, Prunier was the first producer to obtain caviar from farmed sturgeons back in 1994.
The Prunier farm has a large pool connected to the River Isle through an open water circuit, which filters the water and provides a natural environment for about 150,000 sturgeons. From farm to tin, the delicate cultivation of caviar takes several years of care, patience and dedication to reach the sturgeons’ maturation stage. A combination of strict quality controls and the expertise of a skilled caviar master is vital to the selection of the finest grains based on their age, colour and size. The meticulous, labour-intensive process and recipes used by Prunier produce seven types of caviar, including three new Osciètre varieties.
As someone who’s never fancied salmon roe, I come with an open mind during a caviar tasting at Threadneedles Hotel. A large glass tray lands on the coffee table next to my glass of Champagne. And there it is — a tin of Prunier’s fine dark brown Osciètre roe sitting pretty on a bed of ice, surrounded by traditional accoutrements, such as finely minced onion, crème fraiche, boiled egg whites, blinis and toast.
Prawn Linguine at Caviar House
Prunier Caviar and Mother-of-Pearl Spoon
Caviar & Seafood Afternoon Tea at Caviar House
There is an etiquette to eating caviar. The golden rule is never to serve it with a metal spoon because this taints the flavour of the roe. Mother-of-pearl, bone or gold are the preferred alternatives because they don’t react with the caviar. I like the special mother-of-pearl spoon, which fits in nicely with the elegant spread.
To test the caviar’s freshness and quality, I’m told to put a small dollop on the back of my hand and eat the caviar neat. Fortunately, I didn’t put any body lotion on my hand that day. Then I have to sniff my hand after to check if there’s any fishy smell left behind. There’s none at all. The best way to savour caviar is to let the delicate pearls burst gently between the tongue and the upper palate. The sensation of tiny eggs melting in my mouth doesn’t feel slimy at all – and quite frankly, it’s surprisingly pleasant. The Osciètre has a delicate, balanced flavour — slightly briny, a touch buttery. Like the sea foam that washes into the shore, the roe disintegrates fairly quickly, but the subtle taste lingers nicely.
It seems such a shame to dilute the taste of the sea by adding onions to the mix. Caviar simply cushioned by crème fraiche on a blini works perfectly for me. Having said that, a teaspoonful of caviar on top of my scrambled eggs and salmon breakfast at the hotel, and even on ice cream, adds a touch of decadence to an otherwise standard dish.
Caviar House offers an all-day dining experience at the Grand Room and bar, and just in time for summer celebrations is the newly launched Caviar & Seafood Afternoon Tea. It comes with the highly recommended smoked Balik salmon, crème fraiche, a tempting prawn brioche roll, and a toasted grilled egg sandwich, all of which are, of course, topped with caviar. Even the sweets — lemon tart, macarons and petit fours are laced with these little gems. The Caviar & Seafood Afternoon Tea is also served at the Caviar House & Prunier flagship shop in Piccadilly, priced at £110 per person with artisan tea and £125 per person with Champagne or a cocktail pairing.
I like the ambience at the Threadneedles Hotel, where weary guests can retreat and unwind after a hectic day. Add to that the Caviar House dining experience, and you get to indulge in one of the world’s most expensive culinary treats. This is now my new guilty pleasure, but I may need the Bank of England to help me out.
Grand Room at Threadneedles Hotel © Rowena Marella-Daw
To find out more about Caviar House at Threadneedles Hotel, visit the links below:
THREADNEEDLES HOTEL
5 Threadneedle Street
London EC2R 8AY
United Kingdom
Web: hotelthreadneedles.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7657 8080
Email: reservations@hotelthreadneedles.co.uk
Instagram: @hotelthreadneedles
Facebook: @ThreadneedlesHotel