The best of classic high style meets contemporary flair interior

Designer: Christopher Ash, Project Orange
Architect: Halliday Ramsay

Adjacent to the Opera House in the heart of bustling Belfast stands the new Fitzwilliam Hotel - one of the first design-led hotels in Northern Ireland.

London-based design practice Project Orange worked on the scheme, along with local architect Halliday Ramsay. Project Orange director Christopher Ash had substantial input into the internal configuration of the spaces creating a double-height lobby, among other key features.

Overall, the Fitzwilliam Hotel Belfast reflects the ‘baronial modern’ style of its sister hotel, the renowned Fitzwilliam Hotel Dublin, also designed by Project Orange. It makes reference to the grand designs seen in stately mansions but adds cuttingedge modern decor. Inspiration comes from varied sources: The Pullman railway carriage, the ceramic designs of Gio Ponti, the country-house designs of Oliver Hill, the National Trust-owned Victorian gin-palace the Crown Bar in Belfast, and the Rockefeller Center, culminating in a new and original identity.

The first-floor restaurant offers a menu by Michelin-starred restaurateur Kevin Thornton. Playing on the theme of the traditional ‘oak room’ the restaurant has three distinct spaces, all lined with intimate dining booths in oak. The booths and banquette seating have flexible privacy screens which sub divide the dining space. Diners can turn the screens to open up their area or close them for privacy. Opposite the central dining bay is a jewel like champagne and cocktail bar, made of Levanto marble and with raspberry pink banquette seating to match that of the booths.

On one side of the restaurant diners overlook the double-height lobby, which sets the tone for the modern manor-house style with traditional oak settles and library shelves on either side of the contemporary fireplace. Glazing runs floor to ceiling throughout and hints of luxurious marbles, bronze and oak detailing contrast with the bold colours used through the hotel. Feature pendant lights by Foscarini illuminate the lobby, combining bold and modern design.

Continuing the mix of contrasts, the lobby has a timber-panelled and book lined fireplace surround, but with white leather sofas and a black and gold carpet demonstrating the contrasts that the hotel presents between the contemporary and the classic.

The hotel has 130 guestrooms including superior, executive and king rooms as well as six studio suites and a spectacular two-bedroom penthouse overlooking Belfast city.

All the rooms are spacious with art deco-style bathrooms tiled in black and white. Large windows allow light to flood the rooms and beds are angled towards them to offer spectacular views of the city and the surrounding hills. The bold, graphic colour scheme extends to the bedrooms highlighted with black wall panelling, amber yellow and emerald green.