After the Old War Officewhich is in the process of being transformed into Raffles hotelthe conversion to hospitality of another British royal landmark has been announced. And not the least, since it is the famous Admiralty ArchIt was designed by Sir Aston Webb, who also designed the façade of its neighbour, Buckingham Palace. This "admiralty arch"Built in 1910 under Edward VII in honour of his mother Queen Victoria, it was for a time the official residence of the First Sea Lords of Admiralty. Winston Churchill. From 2022It will house a Waldorf Astoria. A metamorphosis that will take place under the guidance of Michael Blaira designer known for his renovations of the London palaces Connaught and Claridge, and of David Mlinaricwho has worked on the National Gallery and the Royal Opera House. But the British crown is not the only one to give up its jewels, since the building of the American embassy in London is also going to change function. As American diplomats prepare to move to a new building under construction near the River Thames, it is a hotel that will be used for the embassy's new purpose. Rosewood who will be taking over this prestigious address on Grosvenor Square, in the very chic Mayfair district. Architect Sir David Chipperfield has been commissioned to redesign the building, which was built in the 1950s and will eventually house 137 rooms and suites, five restaurants and a large ballroom.
Other big names in the hotel industry are also expected in the British capital, Peninsula In particular, palaces that are already well established are preparing for this new competition. Visit Mandarin Oriental London is beginning to present a new face with the completion of the first phase of renovations. Bordering Hyde Park on one side and the very chic Knightsbridge thoroughfare on the other, the prestigious Edwardian-style building opens onto a lobby revisited by Joyce Wang. The designer has also redesigned the 95 rooms and suites in the Knightsbridge wing, which are bright, contemporary and decorated with Art Deco objects. The palace will complete its metamorphosis in 2018, with the transformation of the spa and the rooms overlooking the park. Despite the BrexitLondon seems to be retaining all its prestige.
Paris holds its ownIf no national jewel is about to be transformed into a hotel in Paris - apart from the ultra-confidential establishment in preparation for the Palace of Versailles under the leadership of Stéphane Courbit and Alain Ducasse - it is the boutique style that is driving the hotel industry in the French capital. Opened in October near the Grands Boulevards, the Parister offers 45 rooms in an office building converted into a design space featuring works of art loaned by the Kamel Mennour gallery. Another recent example is the Louvre Piedmont offers just 20 rooms in a chic décor reminiscent of the 1950s. Meanwhile, near the Gare Montparnasse, the Elegancia group's latest addition, the BOB Hotel - for Business On Board - is a new take on the business hotel with an ultra-trendy coworking. |
