Bed, breakfast and... tarot readings? What it’s like to stay at the London hotel with a side of fortune telling

The Kimpton Fitzroy has tapped into the Gen Z astrology obsession with a new package. Joanna Whitehead checks out what the future has in store

The Kimpton Fitzroy’s dramatic lobby (Kimpton Fitzroy)

If you climb the grand marble stairwell of London’s Kimpton Fitzroy hotel to the second floor, you’ll discover a remarkable chunk of world history in a city crammed with competing claims. A 75cm bronze dragon designed by the hotel’s architect, Charles Fitzroy Doll, perches on the handrail, jaws agape. While “Lucky George” remains in situ, his identical twin wasn’t so fortunate. Placed on the stairwell of the Titanic, he went down with the ship and currently resides somewhere on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. Take a few steps more and you can peer over the banister to get a prime view of the foyer floor, which features a giant circular mosaic depicting zodiac symbols around a winking sun. Exquisitely preserved, it was designed and placed in the early 20th century, but was only uncovered when a carpet was removed during extensive renovations in 2018. It’s no exaggeration to say this feels like a place of magic.

I’m here to try out a new Time to Tarot package inspired by the hotel’s 19th-century heritage and the Victorian fascination with the occult. Launched in partnership with one of the world’s most renowned esoteric bookshops, Treadwell’s, guests can experience a one-to-one tarot reading with a night’s stay as part of a wellness initiative.

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