Brown's study

The vision for Brown's is for it to compete with the likes of Claridge's and the Dorchester, but it can't do that in its present state. It's really in need of modernisation. The challenge is to do that while retaining the charm.

At present it's quaint and even a bit mouldy, but I wouldn't call it stuffy. I want to make it more attractive to a younger clientele. It's not the sort of hotel that you can give a really modern look to, but it has to be clean and contemporary.

The rooms must be comfortable, the lighting mustn't be too complicated and you've got to have some good reading lights and a space to sit. Bathrooms need to have good lighting and room for bottles, and I like a good shower - I always have showers in hotels, I very rarely have a bath.

At Brown's we're going to try to have some contemporary British art. I plan to have a prototype with four rooms and three or four schemes. The suites will all be different. It's difficult to make all the rooms different when you're doing 118, but I try to buy an old piece for every room - a 1950s chest of drawers or something like that. All over the place, wherever I happen to be, I stop for five minutes, run into an antique shop and have a look round. I go to auctions a lot, especially for paintings. You can save money, but it's important to do your homework first. You have to know what you are getting - and also when to stop.

This job is going to be particularly challenging. Everyone has their memories of Brown's, and it's usually to do with grandmothers. Some might say: "Oh God, they've ruined it." Others will think it's wonderful. It's hard to please everyone, but we're going to try.