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

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 (mrandmrssmith.com)
Visit The Modern House website (themodernhouse.com)
Follow Matt Gibberd on Instagram (instagram.com/matt_gibberd)
Follow The Modern House Instagram (instagram.com/themodernhouse)
Watch our Homing In films on YouTube (youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8PgPoPTVRE_yI9-vEf…)

Producer: Hannah Phillips
Editing and mixing: Oscar Crawford
Music: Father (wearefather.com/about)
Graphic Design: Tom Young and Ben Tucker

This episode was sponsored by Vitsoe. (vitsoe.com/gb)
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