The London hotelscape is set to change dramatically this year, with a wealth of new openings raising the bar ever higher for luxury hospitality. From a historic building once home to statesmen and spies to a rock n roll address that saw the likes of David Bowie and the Rolling Stones cross its doors, these are the most exciting new London hotels for 2022.
New London Hotels
Raffles London At The Owo
Luxury hotel brand Raffles sweeps into London this Winter with the opening of Raffles London at The OWO. As you’d expect, the glamour stakes are high. The hotel is set in one of the capital’s most prestigious addresses on Whitehall – Britain’s Old War Office. Behind its magnificent Edwardian Baroque facade, however, the iconic building has undergone a stunning five-year transformation, under the watchful eye of designer Thierry Despont (Maison Cartier, The Carlyle, Claridge’s).
Historic interiors have been meticulously restored throughout with hand-laid mosaic floors, oak panelling and chandeliers all coming into play. The main entrance, with its grand hall and marble staircase, is a particular showstopper. Upstairs, offices where once Winston Churchill, David Lloyd George and John Profumo held sway – and which inspired Ian Fleming to write the James Bond series – have now been replaced by 120 well-appointed rooms and suites. Ask for a reservation in the corner turrets and you’ll be rewarded with views over Horse Guards and St James’s Park. There will be 11 restaurants and bars (including three overseen by Michelin-starred chef Mauro Colagreco), and a destination spa to rival some of the city’s best.
Whitehall, Westminster, London SW1A 2EU
theowo.london
The TwentyTwo
It bills itself as a west London hideaway, and yet The TwentyTwo has a more prime location, slap bang in the middle of Mayfair on Grosvenor Square. Navid Mirtorabi – former owner of Blakes in South Kensington – and Darius Namdar, who was head maître d’ at Chiltern Firehouse, are behind the launch. The hotel’s interiors are by Natalia Miyar, who worked alongside French designer Bambi Sloan on the project. The buzz words at this hotel are opulence and maximalism – think velvet fabrics, embroidered silks and bespoke wallpaper.
What’s nice here is that there are just 31 rooms and suites – including a mews house, should you so wish – which gives the space an intimate vibe. That said, there are plans for no less than four bars, a private members’ club and a round-the-clock restaurant, overseen by Alan Christie, who will send out his unique spin on Modern British cuisine. Again, the opening date is to be confirmed, though it’s mooted to be Spring.
22 Grosvenor Square, Mayfair, London, W1K 6LF
the22.london
Chateau Denmark
If ever there was an address in London with a musical past, it’s Denmark Street. It was the home of the NME and Melody Maker, as well as guitar shops and recording studios that saw the likes of the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix and Bob Marley lay down tracks. So it comes as little surprise that Chateau Denmark, a hotel that stretches across 16 buildings on the storied street, promises more than a little rock n roll when it opens on 4 April.
The space has 55 ‘session’ rooms and apartments – interiors by Taylor Howes are a blend of punk culture-meets-vintage gothic-meets-60s and 70s psychedelica with the result that they’re both unapologetically playful and deliciously opulent. We’re talking gold-trimmed beds, graffitied headboards, faux leather furniture and roll-top, red-lined bathtubs on marble plinths… Plus, all the luxe mod-cons (including, of course, acoustic speakers) to make any stay a delight. For the ultimate in decadence, book the I Am Anarchy duplex mews house, once the home of the Sex Pistols. Tattu opens its first London site on the hotel’s top floor, offering a contemporary Chinese menu, with a lounge bar, basement club, wellness space and recording studio arriving later in the year. Music to our ears…
Denmark Place, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 0LA
chateaudenmark.com
One Hundred Shoreditch
One Hundred Shoreditch takes over from what was the Ace Hotel on Shoreditch High Street. The new hotel, which opened in March, is owned by the Lore Group, who certainly know a thing or two about hospitality (The Pulitzer Amsterdam, Lyle Washington DC). The design is “grown-up Shoreditch”, with each of the 258 rooms repurposed as a sanctuary for guests, with a calm neutral palette and the softest of furnishings.
But pared back doesn’t mean that the hotel isn’t buzzing with energy and vibrancy. Downstairs, it’s very sleek. There’s all-day restaurant Goddard & Gibbs which serves up ethically-sourced British seafood, while its playful extension The Hatch offers on-the-go lobster rolls and crisp calamari. This summer, the Rooftop will be the perfect place for sundowners, amidst the pink marble furniture and lush foliage. But it’s the basement where the cocktail crowd will be headed, with legendary bartender Ryan “Mr Lyan” Chetiyawardana serving his extraordinary concoctions in the laid-back Seed Library.
100 Shoreditch High Street, Shoreditch, London, E1 6JQ
onehundredshoreditch.com
Broadwick Soho
You know that when architect and designer Martin Brudzniki is attached to a project, it’s going to be good. As yet, little is known about The Broadwick in Soho, save that this is Mr Brudzniki’s first London hotel (he’s the man behind Annabel’s, Harry’s Bar, Sexy Fish et al). Citing his design inspiration as the “gritty glamour” of Soho, we can expect “Seventies hedonistic disco pop, meets your eccentric Godmother’s townhouse.”
The hotel has 57 rooms, including a penthouse and nine suites, many overlooking Soho hustle and bustle below. With Jamie Poulton and chef Ed Baines (founders of the legendary Randall & Aubin) overseeing the F&B, guests will be in for a feast, with a Sicilian-inspired restaurant and wraparound rooftop bar in the pipeline. When The Broadwick Soho does finally throw open its doors later this year (date tbc), it’s sure to be one of W1’s buzziest addresses.
18-24 Broadwick Street, Soho, London, W1F 8HS
broadwicksoho.com
Room2 Chiswick
As the world’s first fully net zero hotel, room2 Chiswick certainly puts its money where its mouth is in terms of sustainability. The newly opened 86-room property uses 89% less energy per metre-squared than typical UK hotels and can account for its entire carbon footprint. Protecting the environment is a priority everywhere, from the carpet of wildflowers on the roof to the ground source heat pumps which maximise renewable energy. Room2 is pioneering, too, in terms of being the UK’s first hometel brand. Here you can stay one night or one year – each room comes with a fully-equipped kitchenette (microwave, hob and fridge) as standard.
Inspired by the spirit of Chiswicks’s 19th-century Arts & Craft heritage, the furnishings throughout are largely thanks to a fleet of local artisans. Marbled print wallpaper and brightly woven throws sit alongside bespoke furniture, which has been crafted within ten miles of the property. There’s a laundry room, gym and cafe-cocktail bar, specialising in locally sourced organic food, coffee and wine. This is peak eco-chic.
10 Windmill Road, Chiswick, London, W4 1SD
room2.com
