Edwardian Hotels has further pushed back the opening date for its “super boutique” hotel The Londoner.
The Leicester Square property had originally been scheduled to open this summer, but in April we reported that the hotel had been delayed until late 2020.
In a statement provided to Business Traveller, Charles Oak, Hotel Director at The Londoner, said:
“As the Coronavirus (Covid-19) situation sadly remains with us, more than ever the health and safety of our staff and community is our primary concern. We remain alert to advice and continue to adapt our best practices accordingly, particularly with the construction efforts of the hotel. Work is now continuing on site and our teams will advance the development to an early 2021 timeline.
“We are deeply disappointed that we have had to make this decision after all of the hard work and dedication from our partners to date and knowing how much excitement had built for the hotel’s launch this year.
“However, we know that this is absolutely the right thing to do to protect the safety and wellbeing of our community and we look forward to unveiling this hotel that we are so proud of next year.”
Business Traveller has regularly reported on the progress of the hotel, which will be located on the southwest corner of Leicester Square, forming part of the redeveloped Odeon West End site which will also feature a cinema, spa, restaurants and bars.
We attended the topping out ceremony for the hotel in late 2018, and last year it was announced that the hotel would be joining Preferred Hotels and Resorts’ Legend Collection.
The Londoner is being dubbed the UK’s “deepest” hotel, with the lowest floor some 30 metres below ground – almost as deep as the property will be tall.
The hotel will feature a rooftop bar serving cocktails and Japanese dishes, and a 1,000-capacity pillarless ballroom, as well as a signature Mediterranean restaurant, lobby bar and ground-floor “Gastro Tavern”.
