Raffles chosen to operate residencies at Old War Office hotel
The Hinduja Group and Obrascon Huarte Lain Desarrollos (OHLD) has announced that hotel brand Raffles Hotels and Resorts are set to operate 85 residencies at the Old War Office building in London.
The announcement comes as an extension to the agreement, which was signed in June 2017, that will see Raffles operate a 125-room and suites flagship hotel at Churchill’s Old War Office.
The OWO Residences by Raffles will be the first Raffles-branded residences in the UK and Europe.
Along with the signing of Raffles, The Hinduja Group and OHLD officially unveiled the new name for the project, ‘The OWO’, at a topping out ceremony marking a “significant milestone” towards the project’s opening early in 2022.
The Grade II-listed Old War Office building, originally completed in 1906 has witnessed “world-shaping events” whilst influential political and military leaders including Winston Churchill, David Lloyd George, and Lord Kitchener held office.
The development will see the building turned into a new destination of 760,000 square feet comprising 125-room and suite Raffles hotel, 85 private residences, nine restaurants and bars, a destination spa and boutique retail.
Gopichand P Hinduja, the Hinduja Group’s co-chairman, said: “This is an exciting and momentous day for the Old War Office as we reach the highest point of the building and announce the official name of the project as ‘The OWO’.
“After an exhaustive process, Raffles were selected above other leading global hotel brands as our partner to deliver a world-class hotel experience of peace and warmth. We are delighted to announce Raffles as operators of the branded residences; the first of their kind in Europe. The level of servicing Raffles will offer to future residence owners is unparalleled and will set a new benchmark in London.”
Sébastien Bazin, chairman and CEO of Raffles owner Accor, said: “Raffles is a beloved brand with British roots, named after the British statesman and founder of Singapore, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, so it is very fitting that Raffles is coming home to London and that this will be our first residential project in Europe.
“It is an enormous privilege to be partnering with the Hinduja family and OHLD. We are thrilled to take part in this adventure and to add “The OWO” to our Raffles collection, as this sublime location will undoubtedly make the list of the five most beautiful hotels in the world, alongside Raffles Singapore.”
