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Chiltern Firehouse: so hot right now

Is London’s Chiltern Firehouse hotel and restaurant the trendiest place on Earth right now? We get the low down…

Where:

London’s des res Marylebone neighbourhood.

Who:

André Balazs, the high priest of hip hotels/hostelries.

What:

Just about the hottest destination in the capital right now, the restaurant opened first in February 2014, immediately attracting A-list celebrities like moths to a flame.

This was followed by the hotel opening in June 2014.

The hype:

“It’s hard to see exactly what distinguishes Chiltern Firehouse from any other restaurant in London, other than the raging fury of its own myth. But then again, maybe that’s all it takes," wrote Polly Vernon in The Times, while Tom Parker Bowles said in The Daily Mail, “The place is hotter than the surface of the sun. I reckon even God would have to wait for a table."

The celebrity count:

There have been so many that we’ve lost count, but just some of the names that have made the scene include Orlando Bloom, P. Diddy, Keira Knightley, Tom Cruise, Adele, US Secretary of State John Kerry, Bradley Cooper, Kate Moss, Bryan Ferry, Chris Martin, Princess Beatrice, Gordon Ramsey, Stella McCartney, Stephen Fry, Naomi Campbell, David Walliams, David Beckham…

The facts:

The first Europe property for Balazs, the man responsible for The Chateau Marmont, The Mercer and The Standard brand, The Chiltern Firehouse is a 26-room boutique hotel and restaurant which has been retro-fitted into a gothic Victorian firehouse originally built in 1889, and was only decommissioned in 2005.

The bulk of the rooms are housed in the firehouse itself along with the restaurant, with a new sympathetic addition (the building is Grade II-listed so all eyes were on the project from the start) for the lounge and reception and four suites, with the old laddershed converted into a guests-only lounge bar of the same name.

While all the expected mod-cons have been added, deference has been paid to the original architecture and design, with original features like fireplaces restored to full working order and a wall of the Laddershed still clad in its layer upon layer of original paint.

Balazs has described it as “intensely bespoke"; it is already proving to be intensely popular.

The price:

Rooms start at $826.

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What the European heatwave means for your summer travel plans

    Rachael Thompson Rachael Thompson
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    Temperatures are soaring this summer, breaking records across Europe and the UK. 

    Euro summer is a feeling like no other. But when a heatwave hits? The dream trip quickly turns into a sweaty mess. Extreme heat is sweeping Europe and the UK this week, with record-high temperatures impacting travel plans across the continent.

    And while Australian summers are typically hotter in absolute temperature, many European cities aren’t equipped for high temperatures, resulting in unbearable weather.

    Why is it so hot in Europe?

    Signs of a hot summer loomed in May, when the mercury hit unprecedented spring highs. Now, extreme high temperature warning alerts have been issued in countries such as Spain, Italy, France, England, the Netherlands and Germany.

    France saw its hottest day on record on Wednesday, with an average temperature of 30°C across the day and night. This surpasses the average temperature for June, which is 15°C to 25°C. Dozens of people have died, including 40 from drowning.

    In Spain, 212 deaths have been linked to the heatwave.

    The UK recorded its hottest June day ever on Wednesday with temperatures soaring to 36.1°C. In an article published by the Met Office – the UK’s national meteorological service – Professor Stephen Belcher CBE, Met Office Chief Scientist, shared his concerns about June’s heat. “To see temperatures like this in the UK in June is sobering. Events like this bring home the implications of climate change, with very high temperatures and humidity bringing significant health implications from heat stress, as well as impacts to a range of sectors such as transport, energy and water supply,” he said.

    Heatwaves are becoming increasingly common in Europe and the UK, neither of which is prepared for such extremes. The World Meteorological Organization reported that in 2025, at least 95% of Europe experienced above-average annual temperatures and that the continent was heating up twice as fast as the global average.

    How travel is impacted

    A pharmacy sign displaying 40 degrees Celcius
    A pharmacy broadcasting local weather data. (Credit: Getty/Dragoncello)

    During a heatwave, power grids, water systems and transport networks can be affected, resulting in disrupted itineraries for travellers. In France, power outages have left thousands without electricity and early closures have been implemented for two of Paris’s biggest attractions, the Eiffel Tower (early afternoon rather than late at night) and the Louvre (two hours early). Eurostar cancelled its London to Paris and Paris to London services from the 22nd to the 25th, and major UK rail companies have been advising travellers to avoid using trains where possible, or to travel during early hours.

    If a heatwave is predicted, being flexible with your itinerary and having fully refundable/changeable tickets is key, as extreme heat can force the cancellation of outdoor activities, impact rail and flight services and change the opening hours of sites and eateries.

    Why does summer in Europe often feel hotter than summer in Australia?

    people swimming in the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris
    People swimming in the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris to cool off. (Credit: Rachael Thompson)

    With some of the highest UV levels in the world, Australians are no strangers to the heat, adapting well to intense weather. But our infrastructure is largely equipped to withstand soaring temperatures with climate-responsive passive design, refrigerated air conditioning or evaporative coolers, as well as swimming spots aplenty.

    Buildings in Northern and Western Europe and the UK, however, are constructed to retain heat and handle frosty winters. The lack of universal air conditioning means it generally feels hotter even though the temperature on your app might not look it. During a heatwave, it can feel like you’re in a sauna as cities act like heat traps.

    How to stay cool and prepare for another heatwave

    Relief is expected across Europe and the UK later this week, but more heatwaves are still possible in the coming months. Summer heat typically peaks in July and August.

    Public transport often doesn’t have air conditioning, and buses in particular can be swelteringly hot. If you’re heading outside or your accommodation has no air conditioning, it’s worth buying a spray bottle and a handheld fan from a pharmacy or tourist stand. Check ahead of time if restaurants and cafes have air conditioning and make a booking in advance. The highest temperatures typically hit between 3pm and 6pm, so aim to head outdoors outside of these hours.

    Rising temperatures invite travellers to enter a more intentional era of seeing the world. Now more than ever is the time to embrace lower-impact “coolcations” and off-season getaways.