Tag: London Hotel Openings
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Cigars Will Be Back in Style in a Major Way at The Wellesley London
With the flood of new hotels that have opened, are in the process of opening, and will open in the next few years in London, the transformation of a relatively small building in Knightsbridge into The Wellesley Hotel was almost a little under the radar when we first spotted signs nearly two years ago.
While small in size (only 36 rooms and suites), The Wellesley is intent on making its mark on the city's hotel scene, even back in the day when we reported on its objective to become London's first 6-star hotel. With the hotel website being very light on details, we didn't know a lot more at the time than that it would feature London's largest suite, a restaurant called Opal, a Jazz room, Crystal bar, and interestingly, a Cigar Lounge and Terrace with the UK's largest humidor.
Luckily, with opening scheduled for November 2012, the website now features a bit more information, as well as some idea of what the interior will look like.
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Inside the Bulgari London Where It's 'Oozing Quality'
We've long been wondering what the inside of the just-opened Bulgari London looks like but unfortunately we're not flush enough to spend nearly $700 a night on a room there. But thank heavens for our special tipsters who go on the inside for us.
Here are some snaps of a suite at the Bulgari and a few snaps of the hotel's luxe presidential suite (those would be the last three photos.) Our tipster says the rooms are "oozing quality" and we have to agree. We're mesmerized by that headboard!
One thing it's not oozing though is Bulgari toiletries. We spied some near the bath but they were just average toiletry-size. Not going to lie, we were hoping for full-sized a la The Babington House.
Interested in seeing the Bulgari London for your well-heeled self? Room rates this weekend are starting at 670GBP a night. A studio suite starts at 1500 pounds.
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Bulgari London Has Rooms Open This Weekend for $680 a Night
We can't believe it finally happened but the Bulgari London hotel has officially opened!
Initially, the hotel was supposed to open on June 1 but when we checked the rates today, we found rooms bookable for tonight. In doing a little internet research, it turns out Business Traveller confirmed that the hotel opened on Monday, May 28. Sneaky!
But despite the fact that it's opening weekend at the hotel, if you've got the cash, there are rooms still available. We found rates for 440GBP or about $678 USD for a superior guest room with a king bed, starting at about 430-sq.ft. That includes a marble bathrooms, a small sitting area, 42" flat-screen TVs, Nespresso coffee makers and best of all, free WiFi. Oh and of course, Bulgari bath toiletries.
We're still waiting to get a sneak peek inside the rooms but if the Bulgari London is on your bucket list, we recommend booking now. As the summer progresses and the Olympics draws nearer, rates won't be under 500 quid for a long, long, long time.
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Here's One London Hotel That Won't Be Opening in Time for the Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympics are only two months away and we've been tracking the numerous hotel openings in London leading up to the event (You can see those stories here.)
But sadly, one hotel will not make it in time.
The InterContinental Westminster has pushed back its opening date from Spring 2012 to Spring 2013. This hotel has already been delayed once before, having missed opening in time for the Royal Wedding. (Hat tip to commenter guanche who pointed out the delay.)
We've been hearing about this property for a few years now but we're guessing its running into some issues with the renovations. The hotel was originally built as a hospital and was previously in use by the government as home for the Treasury Solicitor. Not an easy conversion task.
Still, ever hopeful, the hotel does have a Facebook page.
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ME By Melia London Now Opening on July 15 for Nearly £400 a Night
As the Summer Olympics get closer, we expect a rush of hotels in London to open, like the ME by Melia London. The hotel initially was set to open on June 4 but today we navigated the dizzying ME website and found the hotel is instead opening on July 15 at nearly 400GBP a night.
That's for a deluxe room which includes a rain shower, music speakers, free WiFi, built-in adaptors for Europe and USA, an integrated digital media hub, mood lighting, a sitting area, an in-room spa menu and a bunch of other amenities, standard (mini-bar) and not (pillow menu.)
Rooms on the desirable Level (which are the 8th and 9th floors of the hotel) start around 552GBP a night and include balconies with seating areas and killer views of either Covent Garden or the Thames.
Regardless of what room they book all guests can partake in the On Top Radio rooftop (named after the adjacent Marconi House and former home of the BBC) with seating for 140 people as well as the downstairs STK steakhouse.
Shockingly, we did still find rooms available for £455 a night on July 27, opening night for the Olympics. Sure, that might be close to a $1,000 USD but it's a new hotel on the opening night of the Olympics! Some one out there must want to splurge, no?
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Firmdale's Dorset Square Hotel Will Open June 18
Well, lookie here. Another new hotel opening in London just in time for the Summer Olympics.
This time it's from the intimate collection of London (and one NYC) boutique hotels, Firmdale--Dorset Square Hotel in the city's Marylebone neighborhood.
The hotel itself has actually been around for a while but it recently got a renovation from fairy godmother (and Firmdale's owner) Kit Kemp. Kemp has integrated her signature accents of "bold colours and textures" as well as pretty-looking fabric patterns (she makes floral look not just acceptable but desirable) and original art.
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More Hotel Love Planned for London's Southbank
The Mondrian London is rising.
As far back as November 2010 we were listing new hotels in London to watch out for as we were starting to have trouble keeping track of all the new ones coming up.
Some of the hotels have opened (Hi Belgraves!) and some we are still waiting for with baited breath (who wouldn't after the daredevil preview from the top of Shangri-La's The Shard tower?).
Development is certainly not showing any signs of slowing down around town, and that includes the Thames river's Southbank. The Shangri-La will radically change the London Bridge area, and we've told you about the Mondrian London arriving inside Sea Container House, just west of the Tate Modern museum, next to the famous OXO Tower.
But that's not all, not one but as many as four new hotels could be popping up steps away from the Mondrian.
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Here's Yet Another Hotel That's Opening in London This Summer: The Cafe Royal
If you were crestfallen to hear that the Bulgari London, now opening June 1, would be out of your price range, you'll be happy to know that there's another new hotel opening in London this summer (actually, there's quite a few, thanks to the Olympics) that will better suit your budget--The Cafe Royal.
We first learned of this place way back in 2008 when plans were first announced to turn the landmark Cafe Royal on Regent Street into a hotel. Now, nearly four years later we're starting to learn a little more about the property and thanks to our Hotel Bond, James Bond, we've got some snapshots of the construction too.
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The Bulgari London Hotel Now Opening June 1
Well, here we are. It's April and we've just learned that Bulgari London will not open this month. However, it will open on June 1, just in time for the Summer Olympics.
Not only do we have a more realistic opening date but we've also got some on-the-scene snapshots from our London spy. Our Hotel James Bond reports:
The exterior looks finished, but windows on the ground floor are still boarded up / covered, and you could see work ongoing in the rooms. The hotel sits diagonally across from Candy & Candy's One Hyde Park (where a number of apartments are available during the Olympics at a cool £100K+ a month should you be so inclined). It's steps away from Hyde Park, but I don't think there'll be much in terms of views from the rooms.
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The Bulgari London Hotel Still Set for April Opening (and Charging At Least $697 a Night)
The other week we were skeptical about the opening of the Bulgari London Hotel which was set for April but given that April is just a few weeks away, you'd think the hotel's website would have a little more going for it.
Nevertheless, according to luxury travel agent Virtuoso, the Bulgari London is indeed opening in April and Virtuoso guests will get a special opening rate of $697 a night. Boy, we'd hate to see what regular guests will have to pay.
Virtuoso guests will also get a $119 credit at the hotel's Bulgari Spa which sounds quite heavenly with 11 private treatment rooms, one double spa suite that includes its own steam room, jacuzzi and treatment room and a 25-meter pool made out of Vicenza stone featuring a mosaic in Bulgari colors of green and gold.
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Progress! Marriott's New Edition Hotel in London Gets a GM
While Marriott's Bulgari London Hotel is not quite sure of its opening date, the planned Edition London is moving forward having just appointed a general manager.
UK hospitality news CatererSearch.com posted the announcement of David Taylor as GM of the new Edition. Currently, Taylo is the general manager of the Hoxton Hotel, known for its famous one pound hotel rooms. Yet while there's a GM now in place, the 200-room hotel, which will be built out of the old Berners Hotel, won't open for another year. (Meanwhile the Edition website still says 2012.)
Sad to see the Edition miss out on the Olympics fun, but this is very good news for the once-struggling Edition brand as a whole.
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Will The Bulgari London Hotel Make Its April Opening Date?
There's nary a Bulgari toiletry in sight at the upcoming Bulgari London Hotel
Earlier this year, we had learned that the Bulgari London was aiming for an April opening. But now that March has arrived, lions and all, we began to wonder--is the hotel going to make it?
The hotel's website currently says London 2012 and has put up a bunch of email addresses to inquire about the hotel, reservations, jobs and the accompanying residences on site.
While residences at the hotel are selling well--someone paid 7,000 per square foot for the unfinished penthouse that sits on top of the hotel--we've yet to see any construction images of the property nor have we heard any sort of peep about the rooms, amenities (obvs, there will be tons of Bulgari stuff everywhere) and starting room rates.
