William Chinnery Mitchell

The whole district was built on boggy marshland, and it is a testament to their skills and the quality of their work, that the houses remain in such good condition today. They were all built with a special "soft" mortar, to allow for some movement resulting from the damp site. Chinnery Mitchell introduced his own "signature" in his later work. It is the string-course - a type of decorative frieze - and this can be seen on many houses in the area, including the annex in Cambridge Street.

At first Pimlico was not a popular choice of home for the aristocracy, who preferred neighbouring Belgravia. Affluent professionals and members of the middle classes moved into the area with their households. The kitchens were situated in the basement, the family living areas occupied the ground and first floors, and the family bedrooms were on the second and third floors. The servants quarters were on the top floor. The houses made beautiful family homes, with their carefully proportioned rooms and ornate decorative features. These can be seen to advantage in the hotel reception. This was returned to its original layout in 2000. The mouldings were cleaned and restored, as was the beautiful marble fireplace. This would probably have been the smaller of two floors used for receiving guests.