Raffles London at the OWO boasts suites once used by Churchill and Profumo, a speakeasy spy bar and a trio of dining venues by chef Mauro Colagreco.
If you want your next London stay to have a distinctly espionage-themed feel, then check into the Raffles London at the OWO, which is set to open this summer in the Old War Office, a grand Baroque building that’s made a star turn in several 007 movies, from 1983’s Octopussy to 2015’s Spectre.
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Located in the heart of Whitehall and last utilised by the Ministry of Defence in the 1960s, Sir Winston Churchill oversaw the victory of World War II at the OWO. Earl Kitchener and John Profumo were also based here, while Bond creator Ian Fleming worked here as a British Naval Intelligence Officer in the 1940s.
The hotel will boast 120 rooms including 39 suites that feature large marble bathrooms with separate showers in addition to curated artwork. Guests can also expect restored period features such as hand-laid mosaic floors and retro chandeliers.
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The most coveted rooms will be the five Heritage Suites, which are situated in the former offices of political and military leaders, while other sought-after suites are tucked away in the building’s majestic turrets overlooking Whitehall.
Even if you’re not staying, it’s worth swinging by for dinner or cocktails as the hotel features nine restaurants and three bars, including three dining venues by three Michelin-starred chef Mauro Colagreco. The most coveted seats will be at Mauro’s Table, a private dining room with guest access to a show kitchen. Guests can also pull up a chair at The Guards Bar, a sumptuous wood-panelled cocktail and champagne affair, or the clandestine Spy Bar, a speakeasy housed in rooms once used by secret intelligence bureau MI5.
In two firsts for the UK capital, OWO will be home to a Guerlain spa and active wellness spaces by Pillar Wellbeing, with facilities including nine treatment suites, a 20-metre indoor swimming pool, vitality pool, sauna and steam rooms, gym and movement studio.
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