Birch (Selsdon), 126 Addington Rd, South Croydon CR2 8YA www.birchcommunity.com @birchcommunity
Polished, grown up, a little bit wild. Welcome to Birch (Selsdon). Set within 200 acres of rolling hills and green space and just 30 minutes from the centre of London, Birch (Selsdon) is an unashamed escape from the everyday.
A ‘sister’ hotel to the award-winning Birch (Cheshunt), Birch (Selsdon) is all about bringing like-minded people together and providing them with the space to reconnect – with themselves and each other. It’s a welcome respite from the noise and intensity of London’s concrete jungle where members and guests can find headspace, try new things and have some fun.
Lots of fun.
Offering membership for locals as well as stays for guests from near and far, Birch Selsdon is the ultimate home from home – for a few hours or a few days.
A new opening from the award-winning Birch hotel group, located a short drive away from
East Croydon mainline rail station – trains take 15 minutes from London Bridge, London Victoria and Gatwick Airport.
A 19th century mansion – re-modelled by leading interior design and architecture studio A-nrd,
led by Alessio Nardi and Lukas Persakovas and Sella Concept – is home to 181 bedrooms of all shapes and sizes, two restaurants, three bars, a lido, a state-of-the-art wellness space, full-service co-working hub, creative studios and several communal spaces from cosy snugs to the light- bathed Orangerie.
Award-winning furniture designer, maker and environmentalist Sebastian Cox has masterminded the rewilding of the estate’s grounds and designed bespoke furniture for the bedrooms, suites and communal spaces
The menus at Birch (Selsdon) are informed by the estate’s rewilding ethos, it’s kitchen garden, and a farm-to-fork, seasonal approach.
A dedicated family wing will allow kids to run free, while a special kids club, Birchlings, will take care of the little ones with an enriching programme of activities and plenty of opportunities to learn about biodiversity.
Multifaceted meeting and events spaces can be used for little and large personal and professional gatherings. Big days, away days, birthdays, memorable days.
More than just a hotel, Birch (Selsdon)’s 200 acres of land envelopes visitors in a natural calmness as soon as they arrive.
Guests familiar with Birch (Cheshunt), which launched to great acclaim and rave reviews in 2020, will recognise all the elements that make Birch, Birch. Nature to restore calm, menus designed to nourish, wellness to re-align body and mind, art to inspire, a programme of workshops to feed creativity, and music curated to soothe, re- energise and power those big night’s out.
At the heart of the estate sits a 19th century gothic-style mansion which has been added to over the centuries and was first developed into a hotel in the 1920s. Birch has peeled back the property’s layers to reveal its true nature and bring out its best features, then added the usual Birch touch of craft and fun – this time with an extra splash of glamour.
Along with 181 bedrooms of all shapes and sizes, Birch (Selsdon) boasts a pottery studio and screen- printing workshop to make and create. A reading room & arcade provide space to switch off. A lido (opening summer 2023), tennis courts, running and cycling tracks (outside), and wellness space with gym, studios and treatment rooms will keep guests and members sweating and stretching. While two restaurants and three bars will keep them refreshed and full up. There are also communal areas for working hard or hardly working.
Set to become London’s ultimate sanctuary in 2023, Birch (Selsdon) invites you to escape the everyday and rewild body and soul.
AYO AKINSETE, Managing Director of Birch says:
“In our post-pandemic world where boundaries have become even more blurred and it’s harder than ever to switch off, we need a reminder of the best things in life. Birch (Selsdon) is a place to pause, to try new things, to reconnect with yourself and others, and to have fun. We want guests and members to leave feeling inspired, upbeat, calm and nourished but also empowered to cope with the everyday juggling act of life.”
PHILOSOPHY
Birch is an intervention from the judgements, expectations and constraints of daily life. Birch creates spaces that give people the time and freedom to pause, think, create and savour. All so they feel energised and inspired, with new ideas and stories to tell.
REWILDING
The rewilding of Birch (Selsdon)’s 200 acres of land has been masterminded by designer, maker and environmentalist, Sebastian Cox. What was once a golf course is now one of London’s largest rewilding projects with big ambitions for reviving the land and local biodiversity and actively contributing to the greening of London.
The intention is to (re)create a northern hemisphere scrubland savannah, free from human intervention. Self-sustaining herbivores including long-horned cattle and Exmoor ponies will roam free (at a natural density for the site) and it’s hoped that, in time, endangered species native to this part of England such as nightingales, nightjars and dormice will return in abundance.
DESIGN
Celebrated interior design and architecture studio A-nrd, led by Alessio Nardi and Lukas Persakova, have inserted a contemporary layer on top of the existing red-brick mansion. Respectful of the building’s history and architecture and mindful of minimising waste, the existing infrastructure has been adapted and repurposed where possible. With modernity and timelessness the keywords, a carefully curated palette of colours, materials and deìcor have been woven together and animated with the work of local makers and artists.
Sella Concept, founded by Tatjana Von Stein, has injected glamour and a little bit of drama to some of Birch (Selsdon)’s key spaces. Think earthy glam in the signature restaurant, velvet and Chinoiserie in the bar and dark, glossy walls in the speakeasy – these are adult spaces to feel fabulous in. Come summer, Sella Concept’s playful Art Deco-inspired makeover of the Lido, complete with yoga deck, will bring the 1930s pool back to life.
ROOMS
As at Birch (Cheshunt), Birch (Selsdon)’s 181 rooms have been set up to remove the pressures of daily life. No noisy TVs or boring desks, just warm and well-crafted rooms and the biggest and best mattresses possible from Simba and Naturalmat. Every room is furnished with bedside tables crafted by Sebastian Cox using wood from the estate, while carefully curated work by exciting names in contemporary British art adorn the walls. Birch’s ethos to reuse and minimise waste and consumption where possible is reflected in the lampshades made from recycled glass and fabrics made from recycled textiles. Dodds & Shute, a design-led procurement company dedicated to sourcing the most sustainable furniture and lighting, have been tracking the carbon footprint of every item procured across the estate.
The five types of room range from small – suitable for solo guests or couples – right through to multi- room suites perfect for large groups of friends or families who want to make the most of their time away together.
FOOD AND DRINK
Birch (Selsdon)’s all-day dining and signature restaurants will take their cue from the estate and feature freshly foraged ingredients as well as seasonal produce from the onsite kitchen garden, with the emphasis on exceptional quality.
The three bars at Birch (Selsdon) offer different moods for different times of day and in warmer months, guests can enjoy an aperitif, a sundowner, or dine al fresco on the large terrace while drinking in the view of Birch (Selsdon)’s rolling hills.
ART & CULTURE
Culture and creativity are core to the Birch philosophy, as is providing guests with the space to enjoy new experiences. At Birch (Selsdon), dedicated pottery, screen-printing, making and cookery studios will host an evolving programme of workshops and masterclasses.
Art to inspire, surprise and nourish will animate all corners of Birch (Selsdon), from the Olly Fathers sculptures that hang in the reception area made using birchwood off-cuts from the estate, to the Richard Woods ‘house’ installation on the back lawn and Dominic McHenry’s geometric totems in the signature restaurant.
The guest bedrooms will feature bespoke, limited edition giclee prints by Weronika Marianna and Laurie Maun, which, like all the art on site, will be available to purchase.
MEMBERSHIP
As well as overnight stays, Birch (Selsdon)’s membership programme allows people from the surrounding areas to access the whole estate for work, pleasure or both, enjoying everything on offer from co-working to wellness. Birch (Selsdon)’s unique Green Co-Working proposition offers sheltered outdoor desk spaces for those who want to immerse themselves in nature while getting on with tasks and to-do lists. The extensive membership offer also includes discounts on stays and private room hire at Birch, access to a central London membership club and wellness clubs across the world, as well as priority booking for all ticketed events.
Birch’s ambition is to create a community with common interests, shared values and open
minds. Regular networking events will run at Birch (Selsdon), but Birch is all about what you know, not who you know. Anyone and everyone can apply to become a member. That said, Birch is focused on creating a diverse community that’s full of different people and ideas. For that reason, prospective members will be asked a few questions to make sure it’s a good match for each other.
FAMILIES
Birch (Selsdon) warmly welcomes families, so much so that it boasts a dedicated wing for
guests who want their kids to share in the back- to-nature goodness on offer. This means bigger bedrooms (some of which include bunk beds and interconnect), dedicated playrooms, a stocked pantry, an exclusive outdoor area, and a stack- load of fun and games. At Birch (Selsdon), kids can run around as they please, learn about biodiversity and animals in new and interesting ways, and get lost in nature.
In addition to the family wing, Birchlings Kids Club, situated on the lawn overlooked by the Terrace, takes care of your little ones with games and activities, arts and crafts, superhero training and pyjama parties. During school holidays, expert-led workshops will offer an enriching programme including opportunities for learning about biodiversity, with qualified staff on hand to supervise so that you can relax and make the most of Birch’s offer for grown ups.
FIND US
www.birchcommunity.com @BirchCommunity
Birch (Selsdon), 126 Addington Rd, South Croydon, CR2 8YA
The hotel is located a 10 minute drive from East Croydon train station. Trains to East Croydon run frequently from London Bridge, London Victoria, Clapham, Finsbury Park, Brighton and other stations in London and the South East as well as from Gatwick Airport.
