2023 promises a stellar array of new London hotel openings. From the sublime Mandarin Oriental Mayfair and the swish Peninsula London in Belgravia to a reimagined favourite in SW3 and the transformation of Whitehall’s old War Office, the city’s changing hotelscape sets the luxury bar ever higher. Here’s our insider’s look at the hottest new hotels in London opening in 2023. Time to make a reservation…
Spring 2023
The Peninsula group may have been looking for a suitable site for a London hotel for 30 years, but it’s been well worth the wait. Overlooking Hyde Park Corner and the Wellington Arch, the soon-to-be-open The Peninsula London has one of the best locations in the capital. Indeed, the design draws inspiration from its grand Belgravia environs, artfully incorporated into the interiors by Peter Marino. The huge colonnaded lobby sets the tone, where guests will be able to partake of the Peninsula’s legendary afternoon tea. Elsewhere, Michelin-starred chef Claude Bosi oversees the rooftop restaurant Brooklands, which will serve a contemporary European menu, while Canton Blue promises theatrical opulence and dishes created by chef Dicky Ho.
But it’s the 190 guest rooms and suites which really distinguish this new London hotel. They’re enormous, offering the largest average room size in the city. Each room comes with a mahogany-panelled dressing room and a swish bathroom of honey onyx. Even the uniforms reflect the hotel’s painstaking attention-to-detail. Designed by Jenny Packham, they draw inspiration from 60s-era British style icons and traditional Asian designs. There’s a spa, of course, this one encompassing a state-of-the-art fitness centre, 25-metre indoor pool, saunas and steam rooms, and seven treatment rooms. But that’s not all… the hotel also features a shopping arcade, so you can shop all your favourite luxury brands including Asprey and in-house florist Moyses Stevens, all under the one roof of this new London hotel.
1 Grosvenor Place, Belgravia, London SW1x 7HJ
peninsula.com
Spring 2023
Only one of London’s most stylish addresses will do for the Mandarin Oriental group’s new opening, Mandarin Oriental Mayfair – Hanover Square, which is home to Vogue House (at least until next year when the magazine publishing company Condé Nast moves to Embankment). This is MO’s second hotel in the capital, and it promises to be just as sleek-meets-discreet as its sister property in Knightsbridge. The slick design comes courtesy of the world-renowned Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners; inside, the public spaces – which will no doubt buzz with the city’s coolest crowd – are by Tokyo-based studio Curiosity.
Upstairs Studio Indigo have ensured that the 50 bedrooms and suites are a welcome escape from the hustle and bustle of W1, with bespoke one-off furniture pieces and artworks by local British artists displayed throughout the hotel. From the urban spa – which features an indoor 25-metre swimming pool, sauna, vitality pool, relaxation room and treatments that promise to focus on renewal and recalibration – to the modern Japanese restaurant (a UK debut for Michelin-starred chef Akira Back, who will also bring his ABar Lounge concept and rooftop bar) expect the usual faultless MO service.
22 Hanover Square, Mayfair, London W1S 1JP
mandarinoriental.com
Spring 2023
Mayfair looks set to welcome a glut of hotels in 2o23, including 1 Hotel Mayfair on Berkeley Street, just moments from Green Park. This new London hotel will be the flagship for the eco-driven brand – which uses biophilic design across its global outposts to showcase the beauty of nature and inspire people to reconnect with it. The nine-storey 1 Hotel Mayfair will be the capital’s first mission-driven sustainable luxury hotel.
Its 184 guest rooms and suites will showcase the best of planet-conscious design. Floors will be crafted from trees that have fallen in local parks, for example, while other natural materials from the British Isles include Yorkshire stone and slate from Wales. The restaurant, Dovetail, has a garden terrace, where guests can feast al fresco on a seasonal, organic menu created by two Michelin-starred chef Tom Sellers (Restaurant Story), plus there’ll be a cocktail bar, neighbourhood coffee shop and lobby bar. A Bamford Wellness Spa adds to the eco luxe.
3 Berkeley Street, Mayfair, London W1J 8DJ
1hotels.com
Spring 2023
Luxury hotel brand Raffles sweeps into London this Spring with the opening of The OWO. 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 transformation under designer Thierry Despont (Maison Cartier, The Carlyle, Claridge’s, not to mention the Getty Centre, Maison Cartier and the Statue of Liberty). Historic interiors have been meticulously restored with hand-laid mosaic floors, oak panelling and chandeliers. 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, alongside 85 branded residences by Raffles. Ask for a reservation in the corner turrets and you’ll be rewarded with vistas over Horse Guards and St James’s Park. Three bars and nine restaurants (including three overseen by Michelin-starred chef Mauro Colagreco) will ensure no guest will go wanting and the rooftop restaurant serves up views across Whitehall, the Mall and onto Buckingham Palace. The new London hotel’s spa spans four levels and looks set to rival some of the city’s best, with a nine-treatment-room Guerlain Spa, the first from the French maison in the capital, as well as a Pillar Wellness Centre with a striking 20-metre pool, health bar, yoga studio, steam and sauna rooms.
Whitehall, Westminster, London SW1A 2EU
theowo.london
UK Staycation
July 2023
The BoTree sits at the intersection of two of the capital’s most sought-after neighbourhoods – Marylebone and Mayfair – and has been designed to reflect the spirit of both. And so, you’ll find that renowned Amsterdam-based designers Concrete have combined flair with finesse throughout the new London hotel’s 199 rooms – including its 29 suites – in both the layout and the furnishings. Each room has a reception space with sliding panels leading through to the bedroom and lounge area, all in a soft, neutral palette with eye-popping accents.
The suites promise the wow factor, with a lounge, balcony, personal bar and integrated cocktail station, making them the perfect spot for Martinis and city views. The largest suite is accessed by private elevator, of course, and when combined with the adjoining suites will create a whopping 350m² space. Hotel guests can dine in either of the two destination restaurants (one of which will be on the rooftop), plus there’s a live music club, boutique screening room and fitness centre.
30 Marylebone Lane, Westminster, London W1U 2DR
thebotree.com
Summer 2023
The Draycott will emerge this summer with a new identity. The SW3 stalwart has been acquired by Cadogan who will be reopening it as The Chelsea Townhouse, operated by Iconic Luxury Hotels. Cadogan – already custodians of over 90 acres of Chelsea and Knightsbridge – are no stranger to the hotel scene and have an existing portfolio of the Cadogan Hotel, Beaverbrook Town House and 11 Cadogan Gardens and Apartments.
Architects Gary Kellett are overseeing the restoration of the Victorian property – built in 1890 – which stretches across three red-brick townhouses on Cadogan Gardens. The renovation promises to modernise and revitalise the hotel, while also being respectful of the building’s character and history. Guests can expect a greatly enhanced sense of arrival – with striking floor tiles in the public spaces, alongside eclectic art, reupholstered furniture and “objects of curiosity”. There’ll be informal dining options, while the bedrooms and suites (there are currently 35, many overlooking a private leafy square) will be improved “to align the hotel with its Chelsea neighbours”.
26 Cadogan Gardens, Chelsea, London SW3 2RP
cadogan.co.uk
Summer 2023
The Munich-based Ruby is a super successful hotel group based around “lean luxury”. The idea is that they offer laid-back comfort in characterful surroundings, whilst also being smart with space and streamlining behind the scenes, thus allowing them to provide luxury at a more affordable-than-expected price. It’s a concept that’s taking off, with the new hotel in London their latest in many openings across Europe.
Ruby Zoe is their second hotel in the capital and is in Notting Hill Gate, within walking distance of Kensington Palace, Hyde Park and Portobello Roads. Guests can expect the signature Ruby pared-back aesthetic in the 173 bedrooms while downstairs, the public spaces promise “sunshiny vibes”. Tapping into the vibrancy of the neighbourhood, expect bold shades, warm textures and sunbleached surfaces while outside there’ll be a new work by British-Trinidadian visual artist Zak Ové on display, inspired by the “traditions, flair and freedom of carnival and masquerade”. Also good to know: there’ll be a 24-hour bar serving rum on tap, you can hire an electric guitar for an impromptu jam and the breakfasts are enormous.
146-164 Notting Hill Gate, Notting Hill, London W11 3QG
ruby-hotels.com
Autumn 2023
You know that when architect and designer Martin Brudnizki is attached to a project, it’s going to be good. Slated to open late last year, anticipation is building for Broadwick Soho, Brudnizki’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 with private balconies overlooking Soho. 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 restaurant and terrace serving Sicilian-inspired fare including classic aperitivo and traditional sharing dishes, a wraparound rooftop bar, a private dining room on the 8th floor and a speakeasy bar. When Broadwick Soho does finally throw open its doors, it’s sure to be one of W1’s buzziest addresses.
18-24 Broadwick Street, Soho, London W1F 8HS
broadwicksoho.com
Winter 2023
Maybourne Hotel Group already owns and manages three of London’s finest hotels – Claridge’s, The Connaught and The Berkeley – and now they’re set to add to their glittering portfolio with The Emory, their first new property in the capital for 50 years. The hotel, located on Knightsbridge, has been designed by two architectural greats – the late Richard Rogers and Ivan Harbour of RSHP – whose striking ‘sails’ structure is set to soar above the canopy of Hyde Park, with a rooftop space (reserved solely for guests) offering incredible 360-degree views of the city below.
Being Maybourne, this new London hotel is suite-only, with 60 light-filled, spacious suites set over nine floors. Each floor will be different, showcasing the aesthetic of a specific designer, Alexandra Champalimaud, André Fu, Pierre-Yves Rochon, Rémi Tessier and Patricia Urquiola among them; while the penthouse is the work of the award-winning design practice Rigby & Rigby. In what is a first, uber-chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten will introduce his famous ABC concept to London diners with a fresh, local and conscious menu. Spa devotees will want to make a beeline for the subterranean wellness space, which is spread across four floors and includes a 22-metre pool. Slated to open in Winter 2023, this is a modern masterpiece in the making.
Old Barrack Yard, Belgravia, London SW1X 7NP
the-emory.co.uk
