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The Connaught annouces Red Room, first bar for the hotel in more than a decade

Hidden beauty: the bar is tucked away behind a velvet curtain  (Maybourne Group)
Hidden beauty: the bar is tucked away behind a velvet curtain (Maybourne Group)

The Connaught hotel, which is famed for its eponymous cocktail spot, is to launch its first bar in a decade.

Next week, on September 29, the five star hotel will open the Red Room, a wine bar that will be what they’re calling “a homage to extraordinary female artists”.

Sat behind a velvet curtain and just off from the hotel’s Champagne room, the 50-cover space, which will open every Wednesday to Saturday from 4pm until midnight, is set to make use of the hotel’s 30,000-bottle strong wine cellar.

Equipped with a Coravin — the tool that allows wine to be extracted from a bottle, without removing the cork — the bar will be serving a number of rare and fine vintages by the glass, including a 1994 Petrus, a 2011 Richebourg Grand Cru from the famous Burgundy estate, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti — considered to be among the best producers of wine in the world — and 2016 Montrachet Grand Cru, produced by Domaine Baron Thenard.

 (Maybourne Group)
(Maybourne Group)

A range of spirits will also be available, as will a short choice of cocktails, which have been designed by Agostino Perrone. Perrone, the hotel’s director of mixology, is famed for his Martinis in the main Connaught bar. Food will also be served.

The bar itself with have two custom-built trolleys, designed to carry decanters and to serve wine from, and customers will be able to visit the hotel’s cellars, too.

Besides the fine wine, the bar has a particular focus on art and design, and is looking to celebrate female artists in particular.

Works have been chosen by the hotel’s co-owner, Patrick McKillen. There are five key pieces, including two original from French-American artist Louise Bourgeois. Rather than a sculpture, for which Bourgeois made her name, the first piece is a striking mix of gouache, watercolour and pencil, called “I am Rouge”. It was bought by McKillen directly from Bourgeois’ long-time assistant, Jerry Gorovoy. The second is one of Bourgeois’ red holograms.

 (Maybourne Group)
(Maybourne Group)

Another piece is a photograph, Composition #8, by Trina McKillen; another is Scarlett Mist, an oil painting by Vietnamese Ti-a Thuy Nguyen; finally there is a bright-red watercolour by Jenny Holzer, called Benghazi.

The bar, which is must be said is particularly beautiful, has been designed by Bryan O’Sullivan, who also put together the Painter’s Room in Claridge’s, a sister hotel of the Connaught.

For more information, visit the-connaught.co.uk

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