The thin line between clever and stupid.

We're staying at the Cumberland, across from the Marble Arch at Hyde Park. It's an older hotel that has been ruthlessly modernized. The fine line between clever and stupid, which David St. Hubbins spoke of in "This is Spinal Tap," is razor-thin here, and I'm inclined to think the whole place falls on the far side of stupid.

The lobby lights are blue here, but they change color throughout the day. This morning when we came down they were bilious green.










The hallway outside our room.


Our bathroom. Looks nice, what with the glass sink and Philippe Starck fixtures and all, but the sink protrudes so much that you're almost a yard away from your reflection in the mirror (making shaving difficult, to say the least), and the design of the shower is such that you have to step inside to turn on the water, which inevitably results in getting sprayed with cold water.


Random lighting weirdness in the room. A couple of illuminated --what, golfing ads? -- on the wall...


...And a backlit chariot mural over the bed. (Actually, that one is pretty cool.)