51 Buckingham Gate unveils The Cinema Suite

A new cinema suite created by acclaimed Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee is now available for bookings at luxury Westminster hotel and events venue 51 Buckingham Gate, a Taj Suite and Residences property.

Taking guests on a journey through world cinema, the 1,832 square foot, two-bedroom suite, with dining room, study, powder room and kitchen, has been designed in tribute to the history of film and takes inspiration from motion pictures across the globe. The Cinema Suite opened just ahead of celebrations marking 100 years of Indian film in 1913.

The suite is inspired by 1940s and 1950s Hollywood as well as the Indian Cinema era of the 1950s. Guests will find reference to masters such as Ray, Francis Ford Coppola and Bergman in the imposing study, world cinema leaders like Majidi, Wong Kar-Wai and Almodovar amongst the cultured kitch of the living room and echoes of The Stepford Wives in the kitchen. They will sense the golden Hollywood era of Rita Hayworth and Marilyn Monroe in one bedroom, whilst the other draws on colonial inspiration and renowned Indian artists such as Guru Dutt, Merchant Ivory and Bimal Roy.

The suite is a celebration of personalised detail and global culture. Visitors will marvel at rare Bollywood film prints, remarkable history books, vintage mirrors and a myriad of portraits and drawings.

From the leather Chesterfield to precious glassware, intriguing art and antique rugs, world arts and crafts are displayed throughout. Each wall is a work of art in itself, with striking Nina Campbell wallpapers in burnt orange, black and red, laden with curios collected from over 32 different cultures.  Sumptuous silk drapery meets magnificent oak flooring, while priceless antique furniture displays ornaments such as rare Chinese porcelain, Bhutanese frames and 1920s embroidered Indian lamps.

The Cinema Suite is an urban cocoon featuring cutting-edge technology which perfectly blends in with the glamorous design. The 85-inch plasma cinema screen, with a 3D state of the art home theatre system, is one of the biggest private screens in any London hotel suite. It is assisted by a world class Steinway Lyngdorf cinema system, a fully immersive cinematic experience and it raises the bar in terms in-hotel audio visual offerings

The system has been preloaded with a repertoire of 300 international motion pictures, books and music, chosen by Sabyasachi himself, to acknowledge that time is well spent amongst films, art and culture.

The Cinema Suite is the second designer collaboration for 51 Buckingham Gate, following the launch of the world’s first Jaguar Suite which was conceived by Jaguar Design Director Ian Callum and opened at the hotel in autumn 2011.

Rates at The Cinema Suite start at £5,100 per night.  For reservations please call 020 7769 7766 or click here to see the venue’s profile and enquiry instructions.

Forest Whitaker, Noisettes & Gemma Arterton amongst stars at Banqueting House PeaceEarth dinner

Banqueting House played host to the Place for Peace Dinner and Auction earlier this month, an event staged to raise money and awareness of the PeaceEarth Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation founded by Hollywood personality Forest Whitaker to help societies affected by conflicts and violence transform into safe and productive communities.

Guests were treated to a stunning three course meal courtesy of Mustard Catering and a champagne reception sponsored by Dom Perignon.

Amongst the stars in attendance were Forest Whitaker himself, actors Gemma Arterton and James McAvoy and model Yasmin Le Bon. The Noisettes had guests on their feet late into the night, stepping up to the stage to perform after original headline artist Mary J Blige became stranded in the U.S. as a result of storms disrupting flights.

Fabulous auction prizes up for grabs included a vintage Alexander McQueen gown and a walk-on part in a new production of Dracula, with Jonathon Rhys Myers. The event raised around £250,000 which will now go towards helping children and communities wounded by wars and violence.