Inside London’s first £1.1 billion hotel, The Peninsula

Ismat Tahseen

There’s a new super luxury address that’s set to woo wealthy travellers. In what is regarded as one of the most highly-anticipated openings, The Peninsula London hotel has opened doors in London and it’s promising all the extravagance you can imagine! The newly-built five-star hotel was conceptualised with a staggering budget of first £1.1 billion and costs £1,300 (around $1,621) a night, making it one of the next big luxe properties to stay in since The Bulgari Hotel was unveiled in Knightsbridge, way back in 2012. At a time when travel is booming, this opening is being seen as adding a huge fillip to the global luxury market. Take a peek into the splurge-worthy details of the new, eight-storey property…

Three decades in the making 

Bringing a luxury hotel to completion is never a small feat and, in this case, it might span a whole 30 years, as that is how long it took owner company Hongkong & Shanghai Hotels to zone in on the perfect location for its flagship in London. It includes a central courtyard designed by world-renowned designer Enzo Enea.

Feng shui had a role to play

As per a report, the starting gun was fired on Tuesday when The Peninsula London near Hyde Park Corner was officially launched at 8.08 am sharp. This time was specially selected as auspicious by Peninsula’s seventh-generation feng shui master Lui Chun, who made several trips to the property as it was coming up. Word has it that he studied the flow of energy through the space and also apparently advised hotel managing director Sonja Vodusek to don red for luck when it opened.

Beautiful suites, Rolls-Royce Phantom cars

The grandeur is enhanced by the uber chic amenities. The 190 styled rooms and suites are a dream with floor-to-ceiling windows, mahogany-panelled dressing rooms, Murano chandeliers and hand-drawn murals. The gorgeous honey onyx bathrooms are also fitted with nail dryers and the signature Peninsula Valet Box.
Tech is state-of-the-art and includes special touches like bedside touchscreen controls for lighting and temperature, personal device TV streaming and PenChat, a 24-hour dedicated e-concierge service.
Guests can choose to be ferried by a fleet of customised luxury cars, among which are the 1935 Rolls-Royce Phantom Sedanca de Ville and the electrified 1960 vintage Austin Taxi, one of 13 bespoke vehicles that the hotel has.

Want to ride in a hot-air balloon to your restaurant?

The Peninsula London’s restaurants will get the nod of approval from true-blue gourmands as they exude style, too. The Lobby offers all-day dining with hand-painted de Gournay murals and crystal chandeliers while Canton Blue, an exquisite restaurant with fine porcelain and low-lit tables, centres around the convergence of Asian and British cultures. In addition, there are two private dining rooms – The Silk Room and The Music Room. Head to the Little Blue Bar or ride in an elevator that resembles a hot air balloon basket that whisks you away to the rooftop restaurant, Brooklands. This place marks a tribute to classic British aviation and motorsport, so you’ll find a vintage Napier Railton, the 1933 race car that still holds the Brooklands’ speed record as well as a stunning scale model of the Concorde aircraft, suspended from the ceiling of the dining room.

Aficionados will also love the cigar-tasting lounge, with a walk-in humidor. And this November will be exciting for the hotel with the beautiful St. George Ballroom of the Peninsula as well as an opulent 25-metre swimming pool with illuminated overhead light panels and underwater speakers, slated to open.
Meanwhile, here’s to the new ornament on the London luxury hospitality scene.