OWO London, the Grade II-listed Whitehall building, formerly used by Sir Winston Churchill, will be home to nine restaurants and three bars, as well as London’s first Raffles hotel, when it opens to the public in late summer.

Dining offerings will include French restaurant Café Lapérouse and Milanese restaurant Paper Moon. Mauro Colagreco, the chef behind three-Michelin-starred Mirazur, will open three dining concepts at Raffles London. All dining outlets will be outsourced and not operated by Accor / Raffles or any other related entity.

While F&B outsourcing has become a trend among luxury hotel chains, it is questionable why a major luxury brand of the calibre of Raffles is not able to assume the F&B operations too. Raffles The Palm Dubai is yet another Raffles property which outsources its entire F&B.

Chef Endo Kazutoshi and Burger & Lobster founder Misha Zelman are to open a rooftop restaurant and sake bar at the OWO London under their Creative Restaurant Group. Both venues are also outsourced but still accessible from the Raffles hotel.

Kazutoshi and Zelman’s restaurant will be located on the OWO’s rooftop and will boast a 60-cover dining room, a chef’s table, an outdoor terrace and a private dining room, while the ground floor sake bar will seat 28 covers.

Raffles Hotel at The OWO will feature 185 rooms and suites, while The OWO Residences will include 85 private units, a spa run in partnership with wellness brand Guerlain and a health club.

A ribbon cutting ceremony is planned for the end of April to mark the completion of the restoration and there will be a few small private gatherings at the hotel to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III on May 6 before a full opening later in the summer.

The OWO London is fully owned and developed byIndian based Hinduja Group and Spanish construction company Obrascon Huarte Lain Desarollos (OHLD). Accor operates both the hotel and residences under the Raffles brand.

Courtesy: CPP Luxury