The renovation of the Raffles London at the Old War Office is complete, and the hotel will welcome its first guests Sept. 29, Accor says.
The hotel, developed by owner Hinduja Group, is a renovation of the Old War Office, constructed in 1906 and once the working home of Winston Churchill when he was secretary of state for war. It also served as the workplace of T.E. Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia.
The hotel has undergone a six-year overhaul and now includes 120 rooms, 85 private residences, 12 restaurants and bars and the first spa by Guerlain in the United Kingdom.
Hinduja bought the building at 57 Whitehall in 2016 in a joint venture with Spanish firm Obrascón Huarte Laín Desarrollos.
In 2021, Hinduja bought OHL’s stake for approximately $122 million, according to CoStar.
Accor’s Sébastien Bazin, who on Aug. 27 celebrated his 10th year as CEO and president, calls the hotel a “historic project that has surpassed all expectations — truly a legend in the making and possibly the most awe-inspiring hotel on the planet.”