Britain will be dropping its quarantine restrictions for many areas of the world from mid-July. Here's where to stay.
The Londoner
Leicester Square's The Londoner is ready for its big reveal in the autumn.
Not to be confused with Macau’s shiny new launch of the same name, The Londoner in London is slated to open in September. This new-build property is located in the capital’s theatre district of Leicester Square and is a self-dubbed ‘super boutique’ hotel - super in scale but boutique in approach.
The Londoner offers 350 rooms over 16 storeys, six dining spaces, The Residence (a 24-hour members club-style private area), cinema and The Retreat, an entire floor dedicated to wellness.
Super-luxe accommodation includes the 200sqm Tower Penthouse duplex as well as 119sqm Trafalgar Suites with living area and kitchenette.
Food and beverage spaces include Mediteranean-inspired Whitcomb’s offering all-day dining, The Stage, which will also serve an all-day food and beverage menu, Joshua’s Tavern watering hole and rooftop izakaya lounge, 8 at The Londoner. And The Residence will host its own bar and dining area as well as The Whisky Room, accessible by secret passage.
Work it all off at The Retreat, with private gym, fitness classrooms, 25m pool, blow dry bar and nail bar.
In a first for the hospitality sector, the property secured a GBP175 million Green Loan from HSBC UK, which has been used to meet BREEAM Excellent specifications in environmental design and sustainable performance.
The Londoner, 38 Leicester Square, London.
The Carlton Tower Jumeirah
The upscale location offers use of the exclusive Cadogan Gardens outdoor space.
Jumeirah Group has opened its European flagship hotel, The Carlton Tower Jumeirah. Located in the capital’s upscale Knightsbridge district, the hotel has been closed for 18 months as it underwent a GBP100 million renovation.
Upgrades include a brand new foyer and reception, 186 new bedrooms and suites, many with balconies, and The Royal Suite, with three bedrooms and the option to privatise the entire floor.
The limited-membership Peak Fitness Centre & Spa covers three floors and there are further new treatment rooms at Talise Spa, along with a 20m swimming pool with natural daylight through its double height glass ceiling. The Peak will offer studio classes and a gym overlooking the cafe. Further dining spaces include Italian-influenced Al Mare with private and al fresco dining and The Chinoiserie with an all-day dining and patisserie menu.
The well-heeled location also offers guests access to the private Cadogan Gardens with green space and tennis courts, which are normally only open to residents.
The Carlton Tower Jumeirah, 1 Cadogan Place, London.
Mondrian London Shoreditch
Mondrian London Shoreditch boasts a rooftop pool.
Mondrian London Shoreditch is scheduled to open later this month following a major redevelopment. The building was formerly The Curtain Hotel.
Mondrian is the newest collection from international hospitality group Accor, who bought sbe’s brands from the hotel management group in quarter four of 2020. A Mondrian Singapore is also slated to open this year.
Described as a “go-to lifestyle brand for culinary and culture-seekers”, Mondrian Shoreditch London is the sixth property in the global portfolio.
Collaborations with local brands and personalities include artistic pop-ups and live events in The Screening Room, a private room and bar. The property will also offer a co-working space and a rooftop pool and lounge.
Chef Dani Garcia will helm Spanish-style dining space BIBO, and there will also be an all-day cafe and cocktail bar, Christina’s Shoreditch, sourcing products from local independent farmers, growers and community bakeries.
The Curtain Members Club will also reopen alongside the hotel.
Mondrian London Shoreditch, 45 Curtain Road, Shoreditch, London.
Great Scotland Yard Hotel
The building sits on the area that was once the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police.
Not a new opening by any stretch but a rebranding. This historic property has now been taken under the wing of international hospitality group Hyatt as part of Hyatt’s The Unbound Collection. This newly launched brand features 25 independent, one-of-a-kind hotels from all over the world.
Great Scotland Yard Hotel occupies a handsome Edwardian building on a narrow street of the same name that stands on the site of the former Metropolitan Police headquarters. It was also used as the headquarters of the Army Recruiting Office in both World Wars and later by the Ministry of Defence, before being sold to Indian billionaire Yusuff Ali.
The building was entirely rebuilt and reopened as a hotel in 2019, offering 168 guest rooms and a Presidential Suite in a separate townhouse.
There is - perhaps inevitably - a theme of law and order throughout, with much police memorabilia as well as a collection of artwork created by current offenders in collaboration with charity Koestler Arts.
Further hotels in The Unbound Collection include the brand new Commune by The Great Wall, China, The Lost Stone Villas & Spa, China and Hotel Martinez in Cannes.
Great Scotland Yard, 3-5 Great Scotland Yard, London.
The Chancery Rosewood
The Chancery London takes over the building that was once the US Embassy.
Looking ahead, Hong Kong-based Rosewood Hotels & Resorts will be opening a property in London’s Mayfair district.
The Chancery Rosewood is slated for a 2024 launch and will be located in the former US Embassy building in Grosvenor Square.
It promises to be one of London’s biggest hotel openings in recent years, with Grosvenor Square itself also looking to receive a facelift.
Building restoration will be led by architect Sir David Chipperfield of Britain’s Chipperfield Architects and the interiors design will be managed by French architect Joseph Dirand.
The building was designed by architect Eero Saarinen in 1960 and was the first purpose-built chancery in London. It occupies the entire west side of Grosvenor Square and housed the US Embassy, which moved over from its former location at 1 Grosvenor Square. In 2017, the Embassy moved to a purpose-built property in London’s Nine Elms district.
The architecturally significant property will retain its Grade II facade and Dirand is taking inspiration from the 1920s, with Art Deco-style detailing, walnut panelling and marble and brass accents, channelling the ambiance of a British gentleman’s club.
The Chancery Rosewood also aims to become the first five-star hotel and the first British hotel to receive a BREEM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) ‘outstanding’ rating for sustainable development.
The property will include 139 rooms and suites, plus the inevitable dining spaces and wellness facilities, as well as five retail outlets and a ballroom.
This will be Rosewood’s second London property and its sixth in Europe.
The Chancery Rosewood, 30 Grosvenor Square, London.
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