The legendary Old War Office building that is located in Whitehall is to be transformed into a hotel. The complex, which will have a luxury hotel and deluxe residences, will be launched by Raffles Hotels & Resorts together with the Hinduja Group. The companies promise that the Raffles Hotel in London will become an iconic destination in the capital of the UK.
For many travelers, the Raffles brand might be not well-known, nevertheless, the first hotel under this brand opened in 1887 in Singapore. The hotel was named after the founder of Singapore, the British statesman Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles. Already in 1889, the hotel appeared in “From Sea to Sea”, the book by famous writer and Noble Prize winner Rudyard Kipling.
Old War Office is a building with respectable history. Constructed in 1906, this Grade II house was used as the office by many renowned politicians and militaries, including Sir Winston Churchill, Lord Kitchener, David Lloyd George, and many others. The seven-storey building has more than 1100 rooms and over two miles of corridors. The location is another advantage of this landmark as not far from Old War Office one will find Westminster Abbey, 10 Downing Street, and the Houses of Parliament. The hotel was bought by Hinduja Group in 2014 after a public bidding. The company has already received the planning permission, according to which the historic building will get 125 guest rooms, including 40 suites, and 88 deluxe private residences. According to the plan, the rebuilding is set to finish in just 3 years.