Inside the newly opened Peninsula London, which is home to some Peninsula signatures including a Cantonese fine dining restaurant, traditional afternoon tea served in a triple-height lobby, and second-to-none service
The Peninsula Hotels certainly have an eye for real estate. Whether it's the flagship "Grand Dame" of Hong Kong on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront, the ultimate Beverly Hills digs at the intersection of Wilshire and South Santa Monica Boulevards, or three beautifully restored heritage buildings along the Bosphorus in Istanbul.
Now, The Peninsula is parking its fleet of Rolls-Royces at its posh new London address situated alongside Hyde Park Corner and Wellington Arch. Calling London the "crown jewel", chairman of The Peninsula Hotels Sir Michael Kadoorie's long-sighted vision for The Peninsula London ultimately led to a 35-year search for the perfect hotel site.
After all, he's not one to settle for anything but the gold standard—The Peninsula London is only the brand’s 12th hotel in its 157-year-old history.
The Peninsula London was designed by London-based Archer Humphryes architects, while its interiors are the work of the eccentric leather-clad New York-based designer Peter Marino.
Its charming courtyard garden is designed by Swiss landscape architect, Eneo Enea. Embodying The Peninsula Hotels' "East meets West" philosophy, the garden features English signatures of cascading ivy and wisteria, with two beautiful 120-year-old Kaede, or Japanese maple trees.
There are a total of 190 guest rooms and suites which, starting at a generous 550 square feet, are some of the most spacious in the city. The most opulent is the sprawling 14,000 square-foot Peninsula Suite on the sixth floor, which includes a private terrace, a cinema, gym, formal dining room and a living room with a fireplace and baby grand piano.