Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London

Last updated

Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London
MOLON 2017 EXTERIOR FINAL 02.jpg
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London
General information
Location66 Knightsbridge, London, United Kingdom
Opened
  • As apartments (1889)
  • As hotel (1902)
Owner Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group
ManagementMandarin Oriental Hotel Group
Design and construction
Architect(s)Thomas Archer and Arthur Green
Other information
Number of rooms141
Number of suites40
Number of restaurants3 restaurants and 1 bar
Website
www.mandarinoriental.com/en/london/hyde-park

The Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London, is a historic five-star hotel located in the Knightsbridge area of London, owned and managed by Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. The Edwardian-style building opened in 1889 as apartments and was converted to a hotel in 1902.

Contents

History

Early years

Hyde Park Court was constructed by businessman Jabez Balfour and his associate, South London builder James William Hobbs, as an exclusive apartment block. [1] It included 138 flats and a private gentleman's club, the Hyde Park Club. [2] Construction began in February 1888 and portions of the building opened for residents in 1889. Design work was begun by architects Thomas Archer and Arthur Green, but they broke up their partnership in 1889, and work was completed by Archer and his new partner, Francis Hooper. [3]

Hyde Park Court was among the tallest buildings in London, and its construction proved controversial, with fears that it would cast a shadow on The Serpentine lake in Hyde Park. [4] In 1892, Balfour's company, the Liberator Building Society, suffered a disastrous financial collapse, known as "Black September", which also brought down Hobbs & Company and resulted in the two men being imprisoned for deceiving their investors. Hyde Park Court, partly occupied but still unfinished, was taken over by receivers and completed.

In 1898, the building was sold out of receivership to Herbert Bennett, one of the directors of Harrods. [2] A fire damaged the top three floors in 1899. [5] Bennett closed the Hyde Park Club in December 1901 and converted the building to a hotel over the following months. César Ritz served as a consultant for the conversion, with design work done by his favored architects, Charles Mewès and partner Arthur Joseph Davis, who continued to oversee renovations at the hotel for many decades. [6]

Hotel conversion

The Hyde Park Hotel opened in 1902, [7] with 268 bedrooms. The building's north entrance, facing Hyde Park, was closed to the public, because King George V did not permit any advertising signage to face the park. The Knightsbridge entrance remained the main public entrance, while the northern was reserved for the royal family. [2] Between 1911 and 1912, the ballroom was redecorated in the style of Louis XVI by Mewès and Davis. In 1925, a palm court was added. [8]

The hotel was visited by several members of the royal family, including Queen Mary (wife of George V) and Edward VIII. Max Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook, was staying at the hotel in 1916 when he was offered the peerage. Several silent film stars frequented the hotel, including Rudolph Valentino. [9] In 1968, the hotel was bought by Trust Houses Forte. [2] Granada Group plc bought the Forte Group in January 1996.

Recent history

In November 1996, Granada sold the hotel for £86 million to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, [10] which renamed it the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London. [2] The new owners closed the hotel in October 1999 for a £57 million renovation. The hotel re-opened on 18 May 2000. [11] [8]

In September 2016, another renovation began, designed by Joyce Wang. [12]

As renovation work continued, the hotel was damaged in a fire on 6 June 2018, [13] believed to have been caused by welding work, but no staff or guests were injured. [14] Fire damage was mainly confined to the exterior courtyard area, with limited impact on the interiors. The hotel closed for six months as a result. [14] In December 2018, the public areas of the hotel, including the bars and restaurants, reopened for Christmas. On 15 April 2019, the hotel fully reopened. [15]

Royal entrance

As a private gentleman's club, the entrance to the building was through the loggia on the north side. However, when it reopened as the Hyde Park Hotel in 1902, the postal address changed from Albert Gate to 66 Knightsbridge. Tradition has it that the Queen would not allow any form of advertising within the park, and therefore insisted that the main entrance, with the hotel's name above it, be moved from the park side to Knightsbridge. The Queen consequently mandated that the original entrance be preserved for royal use, unless permission is otherwise granted by the Royal Household, which has been upheld ever since. The doors were opened during the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1937 when the Crown gave special permission for the guests to use the park entrance. [8]

Today, guests of Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London, can still take part in this tradition of the hotel by requesting permission from the Royal Parks to use the 'Royal Entrance' for special occasions. Guests who have been granted access to this entrance include members of the Japanese Imperial family, former South African Premier General Hertzog, and a President of Uganda. [8]

Noteworthy events

View of the Park Terrace restaurant Mandarin Oriental London Park Terrace.jpg
View of the Park Terrace restaurant

Many important events have been held at the Hyde Park Hotel. A few such events were Lady Doris Vyner's silver wedding party in 1948, with the King and Queen as guests of honour, and the Balaclava Ball, hosted by the five cavalry regiments who had taken part in the Balaclava charge, also attended by Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, and the Queen Mother. [8]

Other celebrations include the 1992 production of "Pavarotti in the Park", one of the country's largest open-air concerts, the 1995 Anniversary of VE Day in which seven Heads of State and their delegations took up residence, and Party in the Park, one of Europe's largest music events. The hotel hosted the 80th birthday party of Margaret Thatcher which was attended by Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, along with former Prime Ministers John Major and Tony Blair, former deputy chairman of the Conservative Party Jeffrey Archer and entertainers Shirley Bassey and Joan Collins among others. [8]

Restaurants and bar

The interiors of the restaurants and bar were created by the designer Adam Tihany. [16] The hotel is home to three restaurants: Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, The Aubrey, and The Rosebery Lounge, as well as the Mandarin Bar.

The Rosebery Lounge serves traditional afternoon teas, including sandwiches, scones, and sweeter fancy items; its bespoke tea list has around 30 varieties. [17]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Knightsbridge</span> District in central London, England

Knightsbridge is a residential and retail district in central London, south of Hyde Park. It is identified in the London Plan as one of two international retail centres in London, alongside the West End. Knightsbridge is also the name of the roadway which runs near the south side of Hyde Park from Hyde Park Corner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayfair</span> Area of central London, England

Mayfair is an area of London, England, in the City of Westminster. It is in Central London and part of the West End. It is between Oxford Street, Regent Street, Piccadilly and Park Lane and one of the most expensive districts in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hyde Park, London</span> Royal Park in London, United Kingdom

Hyde Park is a 350-acre (140 ha), historic Grade I-listed urban park in Westminster, Greater London. A Royal Park, it is the largest of the parks and green spaces that form a chain from Kensington Palace through Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, via Hyde Park Corner and Green Park, past Buckingham Palace to St James's Park. Hyde Park is divided by the Serpentine and the Long Water lakes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Knightsbridge tube station</span> London Underground station

Knightsbridge is a London Underground station in Knightsbridge, London. It is on the Piccadilly line between South Kensington and Hyde Park Corner, and is in Travelcard Zone 1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hyde Park Corner</span> Road junction in London, England

Hyde Park Corner is between Knightsbridge, Belgravia and Mayfair in London, England. It primarily refers to a major road junction at the southeastern corner of Hyde Park, that was originally planned by architect Decimus Burton. The junction includes a broad green-space roundabout in its centre, which is now the setting for Burton's triumphal Wellington Arch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Kensington</span> Human settlement in England

South Kensington is a district just west of Central London in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Historically it settled on part of the scattered Middlesex village of Brompton. Its name was supplanted with the advent of the railways in the late 19th century and the opening and naming of local tube stations. The area has many museums and cultural landmarks with a high number of visitors, such as the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Adjacent affluent centres such as Knightsbridge, Chelsea and Kensington, have been considered as some of the most exclusive real estate in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group</span> Hong Kong hotel investment and management group

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group International Limited is a multinational hospitality and management group focusing on luxury hotels, resorts, and residences, with a total of 34 properties worldwide, 20 of which it wholly or partially owns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hyde Park Barracks, London</span> British army base in central London, England

The Hyde Park Barracks are in Knightsbridge in central London, on the southern edge of Hyde Park. They were often known as Knightsbridge Barracks and this name is still sometimes used informally. The barracks are 34 mile (1.2 km) from Buckingham Palace, enabling the officers and soldiers of the Household Cavalry to be available to respond speedily to any emergency at the Palace, practice drills at Horse Guards Parade or beyond and conduct other more ceremonial duties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok</span> A hotel in Bangkok

Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok is a five-star hotel in Bangkok owned in part and managed by Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. Located on the Chao Phraya River, the original structure was the first hotel built in Thailand when it opened as The Oriental in 1876. Today, the hotel is one of two flagship properties of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group.

The Naylor-Leyland Baronetcy, of Hyde Park House, Albert Gate, in the County of London, is a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 31 August 1895 for Herbert Naylor-Leyland, Conservative Member of Parliament for Colchester from 1892 to 1895 and Liberal Member of Parliament for Southport from 1898 to 1899. The second Baronet served as Sheriff of Denbighshire in 1921.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herbert Naylor-Leyland</span> British Army officer and politician (1864–1899)

Sir Herbert Scarisbrick Naylor-Leyland, 1st Baronet, was a British politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Embassy of Kuwait, London</span> Diplomatic mission

The Embassy of Kuwait in London is the diplomatic mission of Kuwait in the United Kingdom. It is located just off Knightsbridge at Albert Gate, one of the entrances to Hyde Park. It is situated immediately opposite the French Embassy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mandarin Oriental, Munich</span>

The Mandarin Oriental, Munich is a luxury hotel located in Munich's Old Town near shopping along Maximilianstrasse and the famous brewery Hofbräuhaus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scotch Corner (Knightsbridge)</span> Road junction in London, England

Scotch Corner is the road junction of Knightsbridge with the inceptive Brompton Road and Sloane Street. It is within the City of Westminster, facing the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Embassy of France, London</span> French diplomatic mission to the United Kingdom

The Embassy of France in London is the diplomatic mission of France to the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bulgari Hotel and Residences</span> Luxury hotel in Knightsbridge, London

The Bulgari Hotel and Residences is a luxury hotel in Knightsbridge, London. When it opened in 2012, it was the most expensive hotel in London, and the penthouse apartment sold for $157 million.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bowater House</span> Former office building in London

Bowater House was a 17-floor office block at 68 Knightsbridge in London SW1, completed in 1958. The building occupied a site between Knightsbridge and South Carriage Road, at the southern edge of Hyde Park. It was demolished in 2006 and redeveloped by Candy & Candy to create One Hyde Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">100 Queen's Gate Hotel London</span>

100 Queen's Gate Hotel London, Curio Collection by Hilton is a historic 228-room townhouse hotel, part of the Curio Collection by Hilton, situated in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, within close proximity of Hyde Park. The hotel features three food and beverage venues: Cento Restaurant, an all-day brasserie and bar offering British-Italian fusion cuisine; Botanica, housed in a botanical glasshouse, designed for afternoon teas and cocktails; and ESQ bar.

References

Citations

  1. "Knightsbridge North Side: Parkside to Albert Gate Court, West of Albert Gate | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "MANDARIN ORIENTAL HYDE PARK, LONDON - THE HISTORY" . Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  3. "Knightsbridge North Side: Parkside to Albert Gate Court, West of Albert Gate | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  4. Seo, Juyoung. "The Royal History of London's Top Luxury Hotel". Forbes. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  5. "An elevated view looking east along Knightsbridge from the junction with Brompton Road, showing Hyde Park Hotel on the left, the department store Harvey Nichols on the right and the Statue of Lord Strathnairn in the foreground (DD87/00051) Archive Item - Carl Norman Collection | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  6. "Knightsbridge North Side: Parkside to Albert Gate Court, West of Albert Gate | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  7. "Hyde Park". famoushotels.org. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London - the History". Archived from the original on 2 February 2010. Retrieved 24 August 2009.
  9. Weinreb et al. 2008, p. 426.
  10. "Mandarin in Hyde Park". Australian Financial Review. 21 November 1996. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
  11. "10 Facts About Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park". Archived from the original on 9 February 2010. Retrieved 24 August 2009.
  12. "Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London". Mandarin Oriental The Hotel Group. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  13. "Mandarin Oriental fire: Blaze at Knightsbridge hotel". BBC News. 6 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  14. 1 2 Lake, Emma (11 June 2018). "Welding work at Mandarin Oriental believed to have set fire to planted wall". The Caterer. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
  15. "Luxury 5 Star Hotel | Hyde Park | Mandarin Oriental, London". 17 August 2021.
  16. "Media Centre | Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group". 23 August 2021.
  17. Guy, Sandy (14 October 2023). "London's best afternoon teas" . The West Australian . Retrieved 29 December 2023.

Sources

51°30′8.3″N0°9′36.0″W / 51.502306°N 0.160000°W / 51.502306; -0.160000