25 Nov 2014
Harry Potter-themed London hotel bewitches guests
BY Ashley Harrison
Harry Potter fans retracing the steps of the boy wizard can now retire to their Hogwarts-inspired wizarding chambers at the Georgian House - an
independent hotel in London’s Victoria.
The four star boutique property, which has been run by the same family for 163 years, is the first London hotel to cash in on its proximity to the Leavesden Warner Bros Studios Tour, home of the Harry Potter film set.
It is offering guests the chance to sleep in gothic-style four poster beds surrounded by spell books, potions bottles and even a portrait of the Mona Lisa complete with wand. “I had heard about the popularity of the Harry Potter Studio Tour,” said hotel partner and manager, Serena von der Heyde, “but the fact the bus left from Victoria station, only a few minutes walk from the hotel, meant we were the perfect location for attracting tourists who had come to see the studio.”
Flickering candles and the Harry Potter theme tune guide guests to the rooms through a portrait-hung passageway reminiscent of the dormitories at Hogwarts. The architectural features of each room have been offset with additions such as gothic arches, faux stone walls and stained glass windows.
The hotel promotes a package which includes London’s Muggle Tours - a walking tour which takes in film locations and places that inspired the books’ author JK Rowling, and a visit to Warner Bros Studios on the outskirts of Watford.
The initial idea was to attract more family groups. “I really wanted to create something fun for young visitors,” said von der Heyde. But she says she has been surprised by the number of younger couples taking up the chance to immerse themselves in the films and books of their childhood.
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