The architects behind The Lanesborough’s new look have revealed that they worked to a brief to reaffirm the position of the hotel as London’s finest luxury establishments.
The Lanesborough, which will officially reopen on July 1st, closed in January 2013 to undergo an extensive refurbishment undertaken by architects ReardonSmith and interior designers Alberto Pinto agency. The historic Grade-II listed building has seen its public and guest areas completely renovation as well as its back-of-house areas, in a bid to cement its status as one of the capital’s most luxurious properties.
The Lanesborough joined the Oetker Collection in November 2014, marking the brand’s first managed hotel in the UK. The brand has been masterminding the changes.
The brief for the interiors of the hotel was to align them with its Georgian roots, adding modern and historical twists along the way. The Portuguese marble to the entrance lobby has been refurbished and, with rigorous attention to matching, extended throughout the public circulation areas.
The previously dark mahogany panelling has been stripped back to reveal a mid-toned timber, further refined in the Library Bar with the introduction of decorative panels, which were hand-painted in Italy. Apsleys restaurant has also been fully refitted to reflect the Georgian-inspired design brief. At the entrance to the restaurant, bespoke wine stores have been created to store the hotel’s large collection of fine wines.
The two original staircases have been retained and restored.
The hotel consists of 94 bedrooms, which have now each been grouped into one of four bedroom design types, while The Lanesborough Suite on the first floor has been retained and the Royal Suite on the second floor extended and refurbished. “We were very conscious of The Lanesborough’s exceptional pedigree and worldwide reputation in every decision we took and each line that we drew,” says Conrad Smith, managing director, ReardonSmith Architects. “The implementation on-site of Alberto Pinto’s exquisite new interior design has truly been of the highest quality and the synergy of traditional craftsmanship and modern engineering has ensured that the hotel’s unique place amongst London’s luxury hotels is assured for years to come.”