Oxford Street is, I think it’s fair to say, the most stressful stretch of land in London. It is full of honking cars, big swinging shopping bags and people who suddenly stand still for absolutely no reason at all. And anyone who makes it to the end deserves a stiff drink.
We know just the place. A few minutes walk from Bond Street Station, at the corner of Henrietta Place and Marylebone Lane, you’ll find the glassy BoTree Hotel. It’s been there since late 2023, and it’s not easy to miss thanks to the metal latticework that weaves high above the entrance. As far as introductions go, it’s a big one. And now, thanks to florist and artist Hamish Powell, it’s even more striking.
Since 10 April, as part of the hotel’s Botree in Bloom takeover, Powell has integrated his floral compositions into the latticework, climbing up the building in a lush burst of colour. Make the trip, and you’ll find vibrant tillandsia moss, pink tillandsia garlands, hanging cacti, and mixed bromeliads, as well as towering palms and more exotic plants. Then there’s the centrepiece sprouting out of the lobby, and more to gaze and sniff at in the bar.
BoTree Hotel
“I’m thrilled to bring my work to The BoTree,” said Powell. “The hotel’s structure, energy and spirit provides the perfect canvas for something truly wild and wonderful.”
But it doesn’t stop there. To celebrate Powell’s work, the BoTree Bar – which you’ll find along the base of the building – is offering a menu of specially created botanical cocktails, including The BoTree Bloom & Fizz Spritz, The Powell Paloma, and The Botanist’s Tonic. You’ll also find them in LAVO, the hotel’s Italian restaurant.
There’s even a chance to stay there for free and experience it yourself (as well as dinner, too). To enter The BoTree in Bloom competition, you just have to take a photo of the lattice installation and tag the person you would take with you (alongside the BoTree and the BoTree Bar). As good a reason as any to start that journey down Oxford Street.