The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels (HSH), operator of The Peninsula Hotels, celebrated the ground-breaking ceremony for The Peninsula London in Belgravia yesterday.
The site of the new hotel was formerly a 1960s office block and overlooks Hyde Park Corner between Grosvenor Crescent and Halkin Street. The new hotel will have 190 rooms and between 24 and 28 apartments and is expected to open in 2021. As part of the project, the owners are providing 23 affordable homes located on Buckingham Palace Road in Westminster.
The Duke of Westminster attended as Guest of Honour at the ceremony which was hosted by HSH Chairman, The Honourable Sir Michael Kadoorie.
The new hotel has been designed by UK-based Hopkins Architects Partnership, with interiors designed by Peter Marino Architect. It is the third new Peninsula being built, with future projects including Istanbul and Yangon
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The new London hotel has had a long gestation. In 2013, HSH purchased a 50 percent interest in the lease of 1-5 Grosvenor Place for £132.5 million. The freehold of the site is owned by Grosvenor and so together with Grosvenor, the application was made to replace the existing 1950s and 1960s offices. As well as the hotel, the intention is to have shops, bars, restaurants and a ballroom.
