Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / United Kingdom / London / The Lanesborough
The Lanesborough
London, United Kingdom · Oetker Collection · Apex Luxury
William Wilkins's neoclassical St George's Hospital rose at Hyde Park Corner from 1827 and served until the hospital moved to Tooting, leaving the Grade II* shell vacant in 1980. Because a 19th-century sale clause let the Duke of Westminster repurchase the building for its original £6,000 if it ceased to be a hospital, his estate reclaimed it at that price. Rosewood opened the Lanesborough in 1991; Oetker Collection took over in 2014 and reopened Alberto Pinto's renovation in 2015 with butler service in every room.
- 93 rooms
- Opened 1991
- Neighborhood: Knightsbridge
- Rooms from 280 sq ft (26 m²)
- Architect: William Wilkins
- Interiors: Alberto Pinto
About The Lanesborough
- St George's Hospital began in Lanesborough House in 1733; Wilkins's replacement building was operational by 1844 and vacant after 1980.
- The Duke of Westminster's estate bought the empty hospital back for £6,000 under a clause in the original sale to the state.
- Rosewood opened the hotel in 1991; management later passed to St. Regis, then to Oetker Collection in November 2014.
- Closed December 2013 for renovation and reopened in 2015 under Alberto Pinto; it was then called London's most expensive hotel.
- Apsleys under Heinz Beck won a Michelin star in under five months in 2010, then the fastest star for a new London restaurant.
History
The Lanesborough opened in 1991 in the former St George’s Hospital on Hyde Park Corner in Knightsbridge and is now managed by Oetker Collection. The original building was designed by William Wilkins in the early 19th century, and the hotel was later transformed into a luxury property with a major renovation completed in 2015. Oetker Collection says the renovation was masterfully directed by interior designer Alberto Pinto, and the property now features 93 rooms and suites with butler service in every room and suite. The hotel is known for its Regency-style interiors, The Lanesborough Grill, Library Bar, Garden Room, and The Lanesborough Club & Spa.
The setting
The Lanesborough holds Hyde Park Corner, one of London's most storied junctions where Belgravia, Knightsbridge and Mayfair converge beneath Wellington Arch — a ceremonial gateway designed by Decimus Burton in the 1820s to honour the Duke of Wellington at Apsley House. The hotel's Grade I listed building served as St George's Hospital from 1733 until 1980, giving it an architectural pedigree rare even in central London. Hyde Park lies two minutes' walk away, Buckingham Palace twelve, and the dense luxury enclave of Knightsbridge's flagship retail stretches immediately to the west.
Restaurants and bars
- The Lanesborough Grill — Restaurant · Modern British
- The Library Bar — Bar · Cocktail bar
- The Withdrawing Room — Restaurant · British
- Le Café LPM at The Lanesborough — Restaurant · French
- The Garden Room at The Lanesborough — Bar · Bar
Amenities
- Spa
- Indoor pool
- Sauna
- Hot tub
- Fitness center
- Cigar lounge
- Pet-friendly
Awards
- Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star (2026)
- MICHELIN Two Keys (2026)
- AA Five Red Stars (2025)
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