This Christmas, a little wordplay will cast a golden spell over 45 Park Lane. Mirrored letters will glimmer among the branches of a Christmas tree, catching passing reflections and sending fragments of language dancing through the lobby. Look closely and ‘silent’ becomes ‘tinsel’; elsewhere, ‘nest’ and ‘nestle’ offer small invitations to settle in. Created by British contemporary artist Nicky Hirst, Silent Tinsel will bring a poetic touch to the Mayfair hotel’s festive season, where contemporary art, celebratory dining and cocktails await beyond the winter streets.
The fourth instalment of the hotel’s annual Artist’s Tree commission, Hirst’s work will lead a programme of seasonal experiences across Dorchester Collection’s 45 Park Lane. At its heart lies an appealing idea: that the magic of Christmas can begin with something as simple as looking again.
A Christmas Tree With a Story to Tell
Hirst’s tree will become a sculpture in light and language. Hundreds of mirrored gold letters will spell out words among its branches, their surfaces reflecting the movement of guests through the lobby. Suspended from the letters, gold tinsel tassels will recall the elaborate room keys once handed across the reception desks of grand hotels.
It is a charming connection. A hotel key promises a room of one’s own, somewhere warm to retreat to, the pleasure of being expected. Here, those associations become part of the decoration, bringing the heritage of hospitality into the festive scene.
The installation also looks back to the celebrated 1848 illustration of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert gathered with their family around a Christmas tree at Windsor Castle. Widely credited with helping popularise the tradition in Britain, the image captures a domestic ritual that would become central to the season. Hirst draws that history into the present, translating its sense of gathering and wonder into a contemporary artwork.
Poetry Beyond the Branches
The tree will be the beginning of the story. Throughout the hotel, brass anagram poems inspired by familiar Christmas carols and seasonal songs will encourage guests to pause over words they thought they knew. Through rearrangement, recognisable phrases will reveal unexpected meanings, allowing a little discovery to interrupt the familiar rhythms of a hotel stay.
An antique key cabinet, complete with tasselled room keys and references to the project’s origins, will complete the installation. Together, these elements create a trail of language, memory and festive associations to encounter while moving through the property.
Hirst’s fascination with such subtle shifts runs throughout a practice encompassing sculpture, printed text, etched glass, photography and public art. Appointed the UK’s official Election Artist for the 2019 General Election, she has work held in the Parliamentary Art Collection. At 45 Park Lane, her eye for rearrangement and chance will find a particularly enchanting seasonal expression.
Thanksgiving at CUT
The celebrations begin at the table on 26 November, when executive chef Elliott Grover will serve a Thanksgiving feast at CUT at 45 Park Lane.
Norfolk Bronze turkey will take centre stage, accompanied by traditional trimmings, seasonal ingredients and classic American favourites. Pumpkin and roasted pecan pies will provide the final flourish: the sort of generous, nostalgic conclusion that invites everyone to linger a little longer.
For those celebrating at home, CUT’s freshly baked Thanksgiving pies will also be available to order for takeaway from 16 to 26 November, bringing a taste of the restaurant to the family table.
Thanksgiving dinner starts from £220 per person.
Christmas Day at 45 Park Lane
On 25 December, CUT will host Christmas Day dining with a signature festive menu, offering an occasion to dress up, gather together and surrender the afternoon to the pleasures of the table.
With Hirst’s golden installation setting the scene elsewhere in the hotel, lunch or dinner becomes part of a wider festive experience: art to discover, a celebratory meal to share and every reason to take your time.
Christmas Day dining starts from £420 per person.
Seasonal Cocktails at BAR 45
At BAR 45, the season will unfold over Christmas-inspired cocktails, bar bites and favourites including the chocolate Negroni.
Make it the meeting point for an evening with friends or the prelude to dinner at CUT. After an afternoon navigating Mayfair’s festive streets, there is something especially appealing about putting down the shopping bags and letting the next hour revolve around a well-made drink.
A cocktail, a little conversation and the promise of dinner: a beautifully simple festive ritual.
Stay a Little Longer
For guests reluctant to let the evening end, 45 Park Lane’s festive stay offer will run from 11 November to 9 January.
Alongside an overnight stay, the package includes £150 hotel credit to spend across the hotel’s restaurants or spa, complimentary seasonal cocktails at BAR 45 and a festive treat on arrival. Rates start from £1,200 per night.
It offers a lovely excuse to make Mayfair home for a night or two, leaving space between shopping, dining and celebrations to enjoy the hotel itself. And somewhere along the way, beneath a tree shimmering with golden letters, a familiar Christmas word might become something entirely new.
@45parklane | dorchestercollection.com
45 Park Ln, Mayfair, London W1K 1PN
