The Peninsula London, England

Posted in Projects

Britain is celebrated at its most refined best within this elegant new building.

The best of British craftmanship and artistry is embodied at The Peninsula London, which opened in the heart of Belgravia in September. The property is the first British hotel from the 157-year-old company, which has taken the location of the new building as its theme and run with it.

Located between Hyde Park Corner and Wellington Arch, the hotel is just steps away from Buckingham Palace, Knightsbridge and other iconic attractions. The design makes sure to capitalise on city views, with a rooftop restaurant, big windows and balconies. The quintessentially British aesthetic is the result of exclusive collaborations with some of the island’s most acclaimed artists and creators.

Architecture
Hopkins Architects designed the hotel to harmonise with surrounding heritage architecture. The sleek, spacious aesthetic is filled with natural light. The property is centred around courtyard landscaped by Enzo Enea with climbing jasmine and wisteria vines, and two 120-year-old Japanese maples – the oldest trees of their kind in Europe. This cobble-paved central forecourt is rare in bustling Belgravia and allows guests to arrive in discreet style. They can also access the hotel’s luxury automotive fleet, which includes Rolls-Royce Phantom IIs, hybrid Bentley Bentaygas, an electrified 1960 vintage Austin taxi, and a painstakingly restored 1935 Rolls-Royce Phantom Sedanca de Ville.

Interior
Peter Marino has created a calm and refined aesthetic, with light-filled spaces inspired by grand British houses and surrounding nature. The 190 spacious guestrooms and suites feature bespoke furnishings, textiles and original artworks that evoke the feel of chic private residences. All include mahogany-panelled dressing rooms, bathrooms of honey onyx stoneware, and customised fittings crafted by renowned British artisans. Many have floor-to ceiling-windows with views over Buckingham Palace Gardens, Wellington Arch and historic Belgravia.

Premier options include four signature suites, of which three have private balconies and terraces, and which make splendid venues for special-occasion gatherings. The most opulent, the Peninsula Suite, includes a private screening room and fitness centre, as well as access to exclusive VIP drop-off and pick-up service at the underground car park for privacy and security. This suite can be interconnected with as many as six other rooms and suites on the same floor to create a lavish private apartment-like environment.

Artistry
“We are excited to have enlisted the talents of these extraordinary creators and suppliers to collaborate on important touchpoints throughout the hotel, from glassware and colleague wardrobes to original art and bespoke room fragrances,” said Sonja Vodusek, managing director of The Peninsula London. “These exciting partnerships are perfectly aligned with our enduring commitment to supporting the art, culture and community of The Peninsula’s new home in Britain.”

In her first hotel partnership, fashion designer Jenny Packham created a bespoke wardrobe for more than 500 hotel team members. The garments take inspiration from both 1960s-era British style icons and traditional Asian designs.

Michelin-starred chef Claude Bosi brings his gastronomic artistry to The Peninsula London in his role as chef director at the rooftop restaurant, Brooklands. Along with panoramic London skyline views, and interiors that nod to both Britain’s original high-speed racetrack and The Peninsula’s long affiliation with classic aviation and motorsports, the restaurant serves contemporary European fare. The restaurant was designed by London architect Archer Humphryes and comprises a sleek main dining room with a sweeping outdoor terrace, where an overhead scale model of Concorde gives diners the sense of being airborne.

British-based perfumier Timothy Han created a bespoke fragrance for the hotel’s in-room bath products that are free of harmful chemicals and use packaging that is 99.9% free of single-use petroleum plastics.

More than 40 artists from The Royal Drawing School were commissioned to create original artwork for the hotel’s interiors. Nearly 200 such works – all of which depict British landscapes in a variety of styles and media – now grace guestrooms and suites.

Designer Richard Brendon created the hotel’s bespoke line of porcelain dishware embellished with an exclusive concertina pattern.

Food and beverage
Aiming to grow more in less space and bring down food miles while operating on 100% renewable energy, cutting edge agriculture technology company Zero Carbon Farms is providing The Peninsula with a dedicated tenant plot in its first working farm in Clapham, London. Located in a disused air raid shelter underground, this future-proof and sustainable solution for growing will supply salad greens and herbs to the hotel’s food outlets.

The hotel has six restaurants, bars and lounges. The Lobby offers traditional Peninsula afternoon tea and globally inspired fare beneath soaring ceilings, often accompanied by live music. A more casual offering, including salads, sandwiches and sweets, is available throughout the day at The Peninsula Boutique and Café. At Canton Blue and its adjacent bar, Little Blue, Chinese cuisine, cocktails, teas, and exotic décor by Henry Leung of CAP Atelier celebrates the spice-trade union of Asian and British cultures.