Inspired by our history, we’ve worked alongside London illustrator Aris Wisner to create a bespoke Kimpton Fitzroy London tarot deck. Drawing from the exquisite glamour and heritage of our building and the rich local history of Bloomsbury, iconic cards from the Major Arcana deck have been reimagined.
Our Tarot Cards and their Meanings
0 Fool
Meaning: Hopeful dreamer, adventurer, unprepared and naive
Inspiration: The dreamer painting from Fitz’s bar of a woman with winged head
1 Magician
Meaning: Equipped, resourceful, manifesting
Inspiration: Les Clef D’or or Golden Keys are the symbol of concierge, available to service you throughout your stay with us.
2 High Priestess
Meaning: Intuitive, unbiased, seeking, inquisitive
Inspiration: Virginia Wolf, an active member of the Bloomsbury Group.
3 Empress – III
Meaning: beauty, luxury, nurture
Inspiration: The glamour of Fitz’s Bar with the famous scalloped couch, feathers and disco ball.
4 Emperor – IV
Meaning: Strong, protective, wise warrior (usually this card is represented by a male character)
Inspiration: Emmeline Pankhurst, leader in the women’s suffrage movement who once lived at 8 Russell Square where the hotel now resides.
5 Hierophant – V
Meaning: Tradition, authority, dogmatism, Teacher
Inspiration: Sculptural details from Galvin’s Bar and Grill dining room.
6 Lovers – VI
Meaning: Harmonious, honest, connection, romance
Inspiration: Two statues at the entrance to the hotel and stained glass detail.
7 Chariot – VII
Meaning: Will power, focus, balance
Inspiration: Our chariot, the hotel luggage cart is pulled by two dogs as a nod to Kimpton Fitzroy London being a dog friendly hotel.
8 Strength – VIII
Meaning: Powerful, gentle influence, discipline
Inspiration: The Strength card gives tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II. Her portrait joins depictions of the statues of four iconic British Queens, which adorn the main front entrance.
9 Hermit – IX
Meaning: Retreat, recuperation, looking inward, wild
Inspiration Russell Square’s insect hotel symbolises reconnecting with nature in this card.
10 Wheel of Fortune – X
Meaning: Cycle of life, luck, chance
Inspiration: The hotel’s resident dragon, ‘Lucky George’, so named because the hotel architect Charles Fitzroy Doll designed an identical dragon for the staircase of The Titanic, when he designed their First Class dining room. Reunited with his unlucky counterpart in this card, pages of books swirl around the dragons, representing the unravelling story of life in a nod to Bloomsbury’s literary history.
11 Justice – XI
Meaning: Triumph of truth, consequences, fairness
Inspiration: The striking stained glass feature of a woman in Fitz’s Bar.
12 The Hanged Man – XII
Meaning: Surrender, sacrifice, humility
Inspiration: Hanging up one of our Kimpton red hotel phones and the striking chandeliers which hang in reception.
13 Death – XIII
Meaning: endings, levelling, beauty in change.
Inspiration: Palm Court at the heart of the building and the famous Caesar bust that sits here. The famous Shakespearean quote from Julius Caesar reminds people not to fear death. “Cowards die many times before their deaths, The valiant never taste of death but once”.
14 Temperance – XIV
Meaning: Moderation, grounded, playing it safe
Inspiration: The opposite of temperance, Fitz’s indulgent cocktails.
15 Devil – XV
Meaning: Unhealthy ties, loss of control, addiction
Inspiration: This card features a sculpture from the hotel exterior and hanging scissors, a symbol of cutting unhealthy ties from one of the hotel’s art installations.
16 The Tower – XVI
Meaning: Upheaval, foundational shift, awakening
Inspiration: The Tower card is an illustration of the hotel’s striking terracotta brick exterior, but features a rooftop dome which is believed to have been bombed during World War 2 and ultimately removed. In the card, the impressive structure is being hit by lightning, paying homage to the card’s traditional symbolism
17 The Star – XVII
Meaning: Spiritual purpose, inspiration, nourishment
Inspiration: Sculptural detail from the ornate castings in the hotel lobby.
18 The Moon – XVIII
Meaning: Illusion, subconscious, intuition
Inspiration: The moon is symbolised by one of the hotel’s striking chandeliers in this image.
19 The Sun – XIX
Meaning: Warmth, deep joy, vitality
Ideas: The winking sun from the zodia mosaic from the hotel lobby.
20 Judgement – XX
Meaning: Forgiveness, responsibility, rebirth
Inspiration: Sculptural details in the arches of the hotel lobby of a woman holding a trumpet.
21 The World – XXI
Meaning: Closure, wholeness, moving forward
Inspiration: A guest walks through reception of Kimpton Fitzroy London, experience the hotel’s grandeur.
