The Peninsula London, the first UK outpost from the almost century-old Peninsula brand, has opened on Grosvenor Place promising to bring the finest British craftsmanship and artistry to this five-star hotel-studded corner of Belgravia.
The Hopkins Architects-designed 190-key hotel occupies a site between Hyde Park Corner and Wellington Arch – the ‘perfect’ spot that the storied hospitality brand spent 30 years searching for – steps from Buckingham Palace and moments from Knightsbridge.
Four generations of the Kadoorie family have been involved with Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels since its early days and remain majority shareholders. The group’s first outpost in London is ready to welcome guests almost a century after The Peninsula Hong Kong first opened its doors in 1928.
Speaking ahead of the launch, Sonja Vodusek, managing director of The Peninsula London, said: ‘It’s a proud moment for me and my team, to open the doors of The Peninsula London to our first guests. We are very excited to welcome local residents and international visitors alike, to experience this exceptional property and to enjoy The Peninsula’s sophisticated hospitality and service in one of the world’s most dynamic cities.’
‘The Peninsula searched for the perfect location in London for over three decades, and now after much craft, care and consideration, and through the dedication of our people we hope our hotel will stand out not only in London but globally for generations to come.’
London’s latest openings
The Peninsula London is the first newly-built five-star hotel opening in London since the Bulgari in Knightsbridge in 2012, and is one of a slew of ultra-luxury hotel openings in the UK capital over the next couple of years. Last month, the £1.5 billion Raffles London at the Old War Offices building in Whitehall, opened after an eight-year development.
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Six Senses at The Whiteley in Queensway is due to launch next summer, while the doors of the prestigious Mandarin Oriental in Mayfair are scheduled to open later this year.
The Chancery Rosewood on the former site of the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square is slated to open in 2025, as is the Waldorf Astoria Admiralty Arch.
The Peninsula London: ‘Quintessentially British’
The Peninsula London’s quintessentially British aesthetic is the result of exclusive collaborations with acclaimed artists and creators, many with links to the UK.
The £1.1 billion hotel centres around a courtyard landscaped by celebrated designer Enzo Enea (who studied landscape architecture in London) in the style of a classic English garden with cascading ivy, wisteria vines, and the oldest Japanese maples in Europe. This oasis of calm in SW1X allows for a discreet off-street entrance for guests with valet parking and an underground garage.
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Works by fashion designer Jenny Packham, perfumier Timothy Han, and more than 40 artists from The Royal Drawing School grace all the hotel’s public spaces, as well as the rooms and suites.
Architect and designer of the interiors, Peter Marino (renowned for his curation of Chanel’s boutiques) has created a calm and refined aesthetic, with light-filled spaces inspired by British stately houses and their rolling parkland.
The rooms and suites, many of which have views over Wellington Arch and Belgravia, feature mahogany-panelled dressing rooms, bathrooms of honey onyx stoneware, and customised fittings crafted by renowned British artisans.
The 26 ultra-luxe intimate residences form the jewel in its crown – a collection of one- to four-bed apartments.
A flagship fleet
The Peninsula brand’s long history with luxury cars continues in London with an entire fleet of vehicles at guests disposal, including Rolls-Royce Phantom IIs, hybrid Bentley Bentaygas, an electrified 1960 vintage Austin taxi, and a painstakingly restored 1935 Rolls-Royce Phantom Sedanca de Ville.
[See also: City, country, safari: UK luxury hotel openings in 2023]
More to come at the Peninsula London
The Peninsula Spa and Wellness Centre is slated to open in November and will offer mind-body therapies, a wellness programme, a fully equipped fitness studio and a 25-metre indoor swimming pool.
The hotel’s ground-floor retail arcade will be home to nine luxury boutiques including Asprey London, DMR – David M Robinson Jewellery and Watches, Mouawad and Moussaieff Diamonds when it opens just in time for Christmas.
The St George Ballroom, available to book from December, is set to be the hotel’s special-event venue, with two lifts large enough for cars and a space big enough to accommodate up to 450 banquet guests it certainly promises to be a centrepiece. There will also be conference rooms and a plush private cinema for film screenings for up to 15 guests.
In the new year, four signature suites, three of which will enjoy sweeping private balconies and terraces, will open. The Peninsula Suite, the hotel’s most opulent suite, includes a private screening room and fitness centre.
Food and drink
There are six restaurants, bars and lounges whether you’re looking for a traditional afternoon tea in The Lobby, Chinese cuisine and cocktails in the Henry Leung-designed Little Blue, or Michelin star-chef-created dishes at the rooftop restaurant Brooklands (opening in October) with stellar views across London’s skyline.
More information can be found at The Peninsula London’s website, www.peninsula.com/london.
