James Lohan: the co-founder of Mr & Mrs Smith on how his first experience of home shaped an obsession with boutique hotels

About this episode

This is the first time we’ve recorded an episode in a hotel suite, and that’s because today’s guest knows more about opening doors to glamorous guesthouses than anyone else.  James Lohan co-founded the travel company Mr & Mrs Smith with his wife Tamara back in 2003, and since then he’s visited nearly 4,000 hotels in the name of research.  James is a gregarious character with some brilliant tales to tell.We discuss his earliest experiences as an entrepreneur, from selling cheese toasties at school, to setting up a mobile disco called Your Mother Wouldn’t Like It.  He tells me about his refurbishment of a Dutch barge on the Thames – complete with flock wallpaper and a freestanding bath – and what he’s learned from hotels that we might apply to our homes. This episode was recorded in person at The Nomad Hotel, London. For more: Check out Mr & Mrs Smith Visit The Modern House website Follow Matt Gibberd on Instagram Follow The Modern House Instagram Watch our Homing In films on YouTube Producer: Hannah Phillips Editing and mixing: Oscar Crawford Music: Father Graphic Design: Tom Young and Ben Tucker This episode was sponsored by Vitsoe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.