Luxury Asian hotel chain operator, The Peninsula Hotels, looks set to make its mark on London.

The £500 million (US$782.8m) The Peninsula London will be located in the UK capital’s upmarket Belgravia area, close to Buckingham Palace. The hotel will replace existing office blocks on Hyde Park Corner and bring some glamour back to the central London neighbourhood.

Designed by British-based Hopkins Architects, the 190-room hotel will feature a spa, shops, bars, restaurants and a ballroom, to cater to both hotel guests and local customers. Some of the rooms will enjoy views over Buckingham Palace gardens.

The proposal also includes 24-28 residential apartments with separate leisure and spa facilities, reception and entrance from the hotel.

Construction of the property is expected to begin by summer 2017 with completion estimated for 2021.

The Peninsula London is a joint venture between Grosvenor Britain & Ireland and The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels Limited (parent company of the Peninsula Hotels).

This will be the third Asian luxury hotel brand to enter London, after the Mandarin Oriental in 2000 and the Shangri-La at the Shard last year.

The Peninsula Hotels currently have ten properties in major cities across the world, including the flagship in Hong Kong known as the “Grande Dame of the Far East” and the newest addition, The Peninsula Paris, which opened last year.

For more information, visit peninsula.com

Joyce Lau