Since its launch in Covent Garden in 2010, Dishoom London has become one of the UK’s most well-known Indian restaurant brands. Its core concept is inspired by the Irani cafés that once flourished across Mumbai in the 1960s, which were characterised by their use of colour, vintage furnishings and warm ambience. Now Dishoom – which has 13 outlets across the country – has taken a bold step into a new kind of hospitality with its first overnight offering: the newly-opened Dishoom London hotel in Notting Hill called the Permit Room Lodgings. The move into accommodation marks a major milestone, not just for Dishoom, but for the visibility of South Asian culture in contemporary British life.
Located on the second floor of a historic pub building – above the bustling Permit Room bar on Portobello Road – the new lodgings originally served as the publican’s quarters and occasionally as rented rooms, before it underwent a complete transformation by London-based Macaulay Sinclair, the interior architecture and design studio behind Dishoom’s distinctive style. “When we first went in, there were three bedrooms and a shared bathroom – a bit like a bedsit,” recalls studio director Ian Roome. “We decided to change the layout as best we could and started from the fabric of the building.”
The design brief was as far removed from a traditional hotel room as possible. Instead, the vision was for a suite that was not just a place to sleep, but a portal to the home of an intellectual or artist in mid-century Bombay. “The idea is that it transports you to one of those residences, with the layering, nostalgia and curated artwork,” says Roome.
Every inch of this new Dishoom London hotel – now reworked into a two-bedroom apartment, each bedroom with its own ensuite – reflects this ambition. The inspiration came from real residences in Mumbai, which the Macaulay Sinclair team travelled to, notably Kekee Manzil, a famous seaside home known for its role in developing India’s modern art movement. The result? Dishoom London looks and feels like your favourite aunt's nostalgic and colourful Mumbai home.
“Every room and every hallway was beautiful,” says Roome. “We saw this as quite a big focal point, with art filling the spaces and adding more colour, which helped on the transportive journey to being a Bombay residence rather than just a hotel.”
The team also visited markets and historic hotels such as Bentley’s and Sea Green Hotel, absorbing details that could be translated into the London setting. “One thing we took from a lot of these residences in Bombay was that there was a riot of colour,” says Roome. “They are not shy of using pattern and print, so we were very keen to incorporate that.”
From the five-finger parquet flooring to custom timber panelling, every surface tells a story. “I think it was very easy to create a pastiche of what we may have seen, but this truly needed to be about what's concentrated at the heart of it,” says Roome.
The apartment is filled with vintage furniture sourced from Mumbai: rattan back lounge chairs, a teak dressing table, drinks cabinets…there is a seemingly never-ending list. “We tried to get as many pieces from Mumbai as possible, as it adds to the storytelling and a sense of the space being used and loved. The pieces transport you to India,” says Roome.
Soft furnishings layer in even more warmth: handpicked textiles in rich colours and abstract patterns – such as the Lost And Found fabric by Christopher Farr Cloth used to upholster the living room sofa – nod to Indian block-printing, while the rattan blinds were handmade in Mumbai. A stripe that travels across the living room walls and curtains references similar residences in Mumbai.
In the bedrooms, beds have been made bespoke to Macaulay Sinclair’s designs. “We drew references from the hotels we went to, so every single detail has been really considered and really lovingly recreated,” says Roome.
Just as impressive are more than 30 original artworks that adorn the new Dishoom London hotel, echoing the spirit of Kekee Manzil. Curated by Dishoom in collaboration with Rajiv Menon Contemporary, the collection includes pieces from both established and emerging South Asian artists. Each work is accompanied by a small placard offering context – a subtle but powerful way of celebrating and educating about the creatives. “It is such a great opportunity to showcase the artists’ works, but also adds authenticity to the space,” says Roome.
Although the apartment has no kitchen, guests can order food directly from the restaurant below and have Dishoom’s breakfast menu – including its legendary bacon naan – delivered to the suite as part of the lodgings’ bed and breakfast offering. A vintage phone connects guests to staff, and the drinks cabinet is stocked with Dishoom’s own bottled cocktails.
“One key thing was ensuring that the guest journey was world-class and luxury enough, but still had that soul of the protagonist's apartment,” says Roome. “It's very clearly part of Dishoom’s brand DNA, and it allows the guests to immerse themselves for longer than a two-hour meal.”
By choosing to invest in story, craft and cultural authenticity, Dishoom’s Permit Room Lodgings is not just a hotel stay but an invitation to step inside of Mumbai’s treasured past, right in the heart of London.
