The Grade-I listed building is being restored by Prime Investors Capital, which has been awarded a 250-year lease on it by the Government. The company plans to develop a 100-room hotel, spa, residences and private members’ club on the site, but is yet to reveal the management company.
Rafael Serrano, founder of PIC, said that the partner selected to manage the hotel would not necessarily be a large luxury brand, but that they would have to bring “supporting infrastructure and distribution”.
“Independence can be a virtue, but one challenge is not having infrastructure,” said Serrano. “Ask any operator who has recently branded a hotel what the difference is and the answer will always include the fact that there is now support, which is especially vital in distribution. They also need to be able to be strong enough to keep on top of, and set, the latest trends.”
Serrano – who also developed London’s first Bulgari hotel - added that “the chemistry must be right”.
“We are looking for a brand that is authentic and genuine, one that has values that are symbiotic with today’s changing luxury and one that appreciates service from the heart, from everyone involved,” he said.
Past illustrious tenants of Admiralty Arch, which connects The Mall to Trafalgar Square, have included Sir Winston Churchill and Lord Mountbatten, as well as James Bond creator Ian Fleming, who once worked inside it.
Blair Associates - which also worked on the restoration of the Connaught hotel and surrounding public realm with Tadao Ando - have been working on plans for Admiralty Arch.
Plans include a basement ballroom, 25-metre pool and a brasserie on the first bridging floor over the Sovereign Arch with views of The Mall and Buckingham Place to the west.
PIC has also had to agree to pay £600,000 to Westminster Council for social housing elsewhere in the borough and £100,000 towards public art.
London's hotel boom leads the way in Europe
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