Hotels

Rosewood to Manage London Luxury Hotel in Former U.S. Embassy

By Mary Winston Nicklin Sep 20, 2017 3:41pm

Big news out of London. Rosewood will soon have another hotel in its portfolio in the British capital. Last year we reported that the U.S. Embassy, an enormous Grade II-listed landmark in Mayfair and the biggest American embassy in Western Europe, is being converted into a luxury hotel. Qatari Diar, the owners of the building, planned a £1 billion restoration of Grosvenor Square to return it to its previous state, an “open, expansive green space for residents and visitors to enjoy.” (The security barriers erected after the 9/11 terrorist attacks will be removed, and more pedestrian walkways added.) The American embassy itself is moving to the Nine Elms district of Wandsworth later this year.

Qatari Diar appointed British architect Sir David Chipperfield to oversee the project, which will preserve the building’s original façade by Eero Saarinen. There will be 137 guest rooms, five restaurants, six major retail outlets, a spa, and a spacious ballroom accommodating 1,000 guests.

Just today, Qatari Diar made the announcement that Rosewood Hotels & Resorts has been chosen as the hotel operator, “following a thorough consultation process with the world’s leading hotel operators.” The official press release notes that the selection was a “long and detailed undertaking,” winnowing the choice between renowned hospitality companies. “In the end, it was felt Rosewood Hotels & Resorts would be the best partner to take Qatari Diar’s vision forward and to revive the renowned mid-20th century listed building.”

Rosewood currently manages 20 properties in 11 countries, including the buzz-worthy Hotel de Crillon in Paris, which recently emerged from an extensive, four-year renovation. There are 15 new Rosewood hotels in development.