The Lanesborough's Withdrawing Room features hand-painted trompe l’oeil marbling, a quartet of Wilkinson chandeliers, sumptuously upholstered, high-sided armchairs and sofas, and a beautiful central fireplace.

Nestled in the heart of London, the Lanesborough stands as a stunning reminder of the city’s elegant and opulent past. The ninety-three-room hotel, which is managed by the Oetker Collection, a prestigious portfolio of “masterpiece hotels,” completed a comprehensive, eighteen-month renovation in July 2015. The undertaking aimed to return the hotel’s magnificent interiors to their original grandeur and reestablish the Lanesborough as London’s finest residence.

The Lanesborough's beautifully appointed Apsley Suite is named for the first Duke of Wellington's London residence, which can be seem from the room.
The intimate Library Bar is lined with bookcases and handsome leather-bound volumes, decorated with beautiful wood marquetry wallpaper and furnished with sofas and wing-chairs.

Located mere steps from Hyde Park and Buckingham Palace, the Lanesborough is housed in a Regency landmark built in 1827 by William Wilkins, the architect responsible for London’s National Gallery. The stunning structure, which was built on the former home of Viscount Lanesborough, served as St. George’s Hospital until 1980. The building remained empty until 1991, when the Lanesborough first opened its doors to the public.

Guests who stay in the Royal Suite are treated to an unparalleled view of Buckingham Palace’s gardens, located only steps away from the Lanesborough Hotel.
The stately Buckingham Suite also boasts views of Buckingham Palace's gardens.

The recent overhaul, which was spearheaded by the Paris-based interior designer Alberto Pinto, involved stripping the hotel down to its original shell and meticulously restoring each and every indoor space in a style reminiscent of its French sister hotel, Le Bristol Paris. Pinto enlisted a team of artisans and craftspeople, including embroiderers, crystal specialists, cabinetmakers, bronzers, lacquerers, and gilders, to return the hotel’s public and private areas, including guests rooms and suites, the fine dining restaurant Céleste, the Garden Room cigar lounge, and the Library Bar, to their former Regency splendor. For the guest rooms, Pinto employed five Regency-inspired design schemes, with each group consisting of three jewel-toned color ways. The sumptuous spaces feature stunning traditional furniture, original ceilings decorated with 23 ¼ carat gold leaf, hand-stitched bed canopies, and palatial marble baths.

Guests may choose from a number of elegant dining areas within the hotel. The glass-ceilinged Céleste, appointed with historic references to Wedgwood, glass chandeliers, and sculpture, offers gourmet cuisine prepared by executive chef Florian Favario.

 Every space in the Lanesborough seamlessly integrates timeless and beautifully crafted elements with the latest communications technologies and entertainment systems, ensuring that guests are treated to the best of the past and present. Guests can also indulge in an array of top-notch services, including a spa and fitness studio, private butlers, who are on call day and night, and a chauffeur service that utilizes a fleet of fourteen luxury cars including a Rolls Royce Phantom.

At the entry of the Lanesborough Hotel, doormen stand at the ready.

Lanesborough Hotel is located at Hyde Park Corner, London. For information call +44.20.7259.5599 or visit www.lanesborough.com. *All images courtesy of the Oetker Collection.