The Peninsula London is a perfect meeting of old and new

From New York to Paris, Beijing to Istanbul, The Peninsula Hotels never do things by half measure, often setting the gold standard wherever they debut. It’s finally London’s turn to experience ‘The Peninsula effect’, with the Belgravia hotel now welcoming guests.

Designed by Hopkins Architects, the team behind Dubai’s striking 25 Hours Hotel, The Peninsula London is a new-build occupying a prime position at Hyde Park Corner – almost a stone’s throw from Buckingham Palace. And yes, there is a classic Rolls Royce parked in the drive.

The courtyard is designed in the style of an English garden, with cascading ivy and wisteria.

“It’s a proud moment for me and my team, to open the doors of The Peninsula London to our first guests,” enthuses Sonja Vodusek, Managing Director of The Peninsula London.

“This exceptional hotel has been a complex and creative project, many years in the making,” adding her belief that the hotel will stand out not only in London but on a global scale for generations to come.

The lobby is as grand as you'd expect.

A cobble-paved central forecourt allows well-heeled guests to arrive in style – and make use of a fleet of luxury vehicles, including four bespoke hybrid Bentley Bentayga, an electrified 1960 vintage Austin taxi, and a painstakingly-restored 1935 Rolls Royce Phantom.

Inside the classically-inspired building are 190 light-filled guest rooms and suites, each one ranging from 51-59 sqm, in addition to 25 luxury residences, multiple retail spaces and an array of decadent bars and restaurants (more on those later).

The view from the Grand Park Premier Room.

Decor will be instantly familiar to anyone who has stayed at a Peninsula in the past. Each highly-textural room is adorned in bespoke furnishings and exquisite artworks, alongside mahogany-panelled dressing rooms and spacious honey onyx bathrooms.

Mahogany-lined dressing rooms will start your days on the right foot.

However, there are distinctly British additions too, like custom amenities from creative partners including fashion designer Jenny Packham and perfumier Timothy Han, together with artworks by more than 40 artists from The Royal Drawing School.

Four signature suites elevate the grandeur even further, adding in sweeping private balconies and terraces, while The Peninsula Suite – the hotel’s most exclusive offering – is also home to a private screening room and fitness centre.

Stretch out in style within the Premier Suite.

If that suite isn’t large enough for your needs, it can also be combined with six other rooms to create a 1,490 sqm apartment-like residence – making it one of the largest hotel rooms in London.

Overseen by Michelin-starred chef Claude Bosi, the hotel’s rooftop restaurant, Brooklands, plates up contemporary European and British cuisine surrounded by interiors inspired by and filled with aviation and motorsport memorabilia.

Brooklands Bar overlooks the London skyline with a panoramic vista from St Pauls to Battersea.

In addition, there’s also an automotive-themed bar incorporating a rotating display of original classic race cars, along with a cigar tasting lounge and walk-in humidor.

Down on the ground floor, Canton Blue Chinese restaurant celebrates “ the spice-trade union of Asian and British cultures” with menus of creative dishes by Chef Dicky To, along with cocktails and artisanal teas at adjacent bar Little Blue.

Canton Blue's exotic decor was designed by Henry Leung of CAP Atelier.

Speaking of tea. As with every Peninsula Hotel, a signature afternoon tea will be served in The Lobby restaurant, together with all-day dishes and live music throughout the day.

Those looking to stay fit on their travels will be drawn to the dramatically-lit 25-metre indoor pool and fitness centre, while travellers in need for rest and relaxation can enjoy massages, body treatments and balancing rituals in The Peninsula Spa, which opens in November.

The Peninsula London looks right at home on Hyde Park Corner.

The Peninsula London is the second opening for the prestigious hotel brand this year, joining The Peninsula Istanbul – an old-meets-new marvel spanning four buildings on the Bosphorus – which parted its gilded doors for the first time in February.