The Peninsula London will be opening its doors soon. We took a look inside.
The colonnades and palms scream Hong Kong, but the hotel has a distinctly London feel.
The Peninsula has finally revealed its much-anticipated London property. The Peninsula London is centrally located at Hyde Park Corner, just up the road from Buckingham Palace and close to the well-heeled shopping districts of Belgravia and Knightsbridge.
The hotel has been many years in the planning and a crack group of architects and designers have been gathered together to produce a sleek sister property to Hong Kong’s original Grande Dame, but with a distinctly London feel.
The property, formerly an office block, has been redesigned by UK-based Hopkins Architects with plenty of natural light to illuminate the sweeping, columned lobby and the sleek guest rooms. The property has been described as a showpiece not just for The Peninsula group, but also for this most-exclusive area of London.
Two hundred artworks depicting British landscapes by artists from The Royal Drawing School line the walls. Fashion designer Jenny Packham, whose pieces are often favoured by the Princess of Wales, has created the staff uniforms. British perfumier Timothy Han was called on to create a bespoke fragrance for the in-room bath products.
“The arrival of The Peninsula London marks the culmination of a remarkable collaborative journey,” said Peter Borer, chief operating officer of the Peninsula’s parent company The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels (HSH), at the hotel’s recent press launch. “The beautiful design of the property is the result of years of creative effort by some of the most grand-breaking architects, designers and creative partners in the industry.”
The hotel opens onto a discreet, off-street courtyard and the gardens around the cobbled central yard are landscaped with cascading wisteria and 120-year-old Japanese maples. A fleet of Bentleys, a 1935 Rolls Royce and a 1960 vintage Austin taxi stand ready to whisk guests around the British capital.
Inside, there are 190 rooms and suites and 25 luxury residences. Many rooms are fitted with floor-to-ceiling windows to maximise the million-pound views over Buckingham Palace gardens, Wellington Arch and Belgravia. Premier room categories run to four suite types, three of which have private balconies or terraces. At the top of the accommodation tree, the lavish Peninsula Suite has a private screening room, its own fitness centre and exclusive access to private pick-up and drop-off in the underground car park.
The Peninsula’s famed afternoon tea will be served in the lobby accompanied by live music throughout the day. A rooftop restaurant, Brooklands, serving a contemporary European menu, and Canton Blue, the hotel’s Chinese restaurant on the ground floor, complete the culinary experience.
This will be the 12th ‘Pen’ and its launch this spring (a date has yet to be announced) will follow The Peninsula Istanbul, which opens on February 14.
“London is one of the world’s most dynamic cities and we are looking forward to serving local people and international guests with The Peninsula’s legendary hospitality,” said Clement Kwok, HSH’s chief executive officer. “The Belgravia neighbourhood is perfectly aligned with our commitment to offering an exceptional standard of elegance and luxury.”
The Peninsula London, 1 Grosvenor Place, London SW1X 7HJ.
Originally planned for spring 2023, the soft-opening of The Peninsula London is now scheduled for September 2023. The Peninsula Spa and Wellness Centre is slated to open in November 2023.
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