Art fairs can be exhausting. Endless rows of white-walled booths, crowds battling for space and a seemingly limitless stream of artworks to absorb. By the end, even the most enthusiastic collector can experience a little fair fatigue.
It’s a completely different experience however, when discovering art feels more like stepping into someone’s home. This autumn, London Invitational, an exclusive, Dallas-born art fair, invited just 12 invited galleries to exhibit at The Chancery Rosewood; a calm, opulent setting far from traditional vast convention halls.
“We wanted to create an experience that feels intimate and considered, offering galleries the opportunity to present their programmes in a more personal way,” James Cope, founder of London Invitational tells STERNA. As galleries become more selective about where they exhibit and collectors increasingly seek less overwhelming ways to discover art, alternative formats are gaining ground.
At London Invitational, collectors can take their time, explore individual gallery presentations and experience artworks in a surrounding that feels closer to home. “The Chancery Rosewood felt like the ideal setting for our European debut, combining that familiar sense of intimacy with a new international context, right in the heart of Mayfair during Frieze Week,” Cope adds.
From Texan roots to storied Mayfair suites
Recognising several galleries were looking for an alternative to the traditional art fair, James Cope founded the Dallas Invitational in 2023. Held at the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas, Texas for the first year, the set-up worked well. It resulted in the fair becoming an annual event, moving to the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek in 2024 where it’s been held since. For the first time this year, the show spread its wings and landed across the pond, at The Chancery Rosewood, London.
An iconic piece of architecture in Mayfair, The Chancery Rosewood occupies the grand, former US Embassy in Grosvenor Square. The Grade II building was originally designed by Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen in 1960. After nearly a decade of restoration and adaptation by David Chipperfield Architects and development by Qatari Diar Europe LLP, the building reopened as the ultra-luxury Rosewood hotel in summer 2025.
The transformation also brought a notable sustainability achievement. Through the adaptive reuse of the historic building, including the restoration and upgrading of its façade and Portland stone windows, The Chancery Rosewood became the first five-star hotel in the UK to receive a BREEAM Outstanding rating.
“Having established the Invitational in Dallas at The Mansion, the original Rosewood property, there was a natural connection in bringing the fair to The Chancery Rosewood in London. Both venues have a distinctive sense of character and history, and the Rosewood setting has always been integral to the Invitational’s identity,” Cope told STERNA.
Hospitality by blueprint, gallery by design
For Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, art is not merely decorative. It’s part of the brand’s guiding philosophy, “A Sense of Place”. Each Rosewood property acts as a living, hyper-local gallery. Its respective collections reflect the cultural heritage, artistic lineage and contemporary spirit of its host destination.
The brand positions its spaces as active patrons within the global creative scene. For example, it commissions site-specific pieces by world-renowned masters, hosts artist-in-residence programs and curates immersive partnerships during major events like Frieze and Art Basel.
In addition to its own art concierge, The Chancery Rosewood has the largest collection of artwork in a European property. It is home to 850 pieces of art, selected by London-based art consultancy, Cramer & Bell. For the London Invitational however, participating galleries replaced the hotel’s artwork with their own.
Giving art a sense of place
With interiors designed by Joseph Dirand, the sense of intimate, calm luxury at The Chancery Rosewood offers a different way to experience the high-value artwork.
Dark wood panelling, soothing moss-green suede and other materials in warm, natural tones cover every surface, leaving no wall bare. Punctuations of marble and gold anodised aluminium finish the rooms with an elegant touch of opulence. Additionally, floor-to-ceiling windows invite in natural light, while offering prime views over the verdant Grosvenor Square. The whole atmosphere is designed to foster a feeling of ease and relaxation.
The experience is much easier to navigate than traditional fairs. Replacing overhead harsh lighting with cosy, curated illumination creates a homely atmosphere within which visitors can immerse themselves in the artwork.
“We’re so used to art shows being the same type of set up, with white-walled booths. But this inevitably gives visitors fair fatigue. As a gallery, it can be difficult to cut through that noise,” Franklin Parrasch, of New York’s Franklin Parrasch Gallery tells us.
Other participating galleries included François Ghebaly Gallery (New York), Marinaro (New York), Bel Ami (Los Angeles), EUROPA (New York), Lomex (New York, Los Angeles), Vardaxoglou (London), Jampes Cope Gallery (Dallas), Broadway Gallery (New York), Andrew Reed Gallery (Miami), Charles Asprey (London) and James Kelly Contemporary (Dallas, Los Angeles).
A symbiotic sell
Several galleries commented on how this setting makes it easier for buyers to imagine how the artwork would look in their own homes. “The hotel format changes the pace of looking at art. Rather than moving through rows of booths, collectors can step into individual rooms and spend time with each gallery’s presentation in a more relaxed, personal setting,” shares Cope.
“There’s a sense of discovery to it, and the opportunity to have more meaningful conversations with gallerists without the distractions of a large-scale fair. It also allows each gallery to create an environment that feels more individual and considered,” he adds. The format appears to be working commercially, with several exhibitors reporting strong sales early in the show.
“Ultimately, we want the experience to feel less like working through a fair and more like discovering a collection of galleries, each with its own identity, under one roof,” says Cope.
In bringing together the worlds of fine art and ultra-luxury hospitality, London Invitational offers an alternative to the conventional art fair experience. At The Chancery Rosewood, the setting is very much part of the experience, which demonstrates how hotels can extend their role beyond accommodation, creating spaces for cultural exchange and discovery.
