Review of Raffles London at The OWO

Whitehall is a main thoroughfare in central London and connects Parliament Square to Trafalgar Square.

Raffles London at The OWO is boxed in by Whitehall, Whitehall Court, Whitehall Place and Horse Guards Avenue. The main entrance to the hotel faces the Royal House Guards - home to the annual Trooping the Colour. 

Whitehall itself is the home of British politics. The area is dominated by government ministry buildings and 10 Downing Street - the British Prime Minister's official London office - is just a 2-minute walk from the hotel.

The hotel is situated moments away from Trafalgar Square (Nelson's Column), Westminster (Cathedral and Houses of Parliament), the Cenotaph, Covent Garden (Royal Opera House and Market), the West End (plays and musicals), Leicester Square (cinemas) and Soho (Chinatown and fun!). 

Westminster and Charing Cross underground stations are a few minutes' walk for speedy services throughout London … & beyond!

Eurostar and St Pancras International Station are around 20 minutes journey time by either car or tube whilst Paddington Station for the Heathrow Express and Victoria Station for the Gatwick Express are both around a 15-minute car ride.  By car, London Gatwick Airport is around a one-and-a-half-hour journey time whilst London Heathrow Airport is a little closer at just around a 60-minute drive, depending on traffic. If you are flying from the Continent we suggest using the excellent London City Airport which is just a 30-minute drive away…

There are an incredible 19 categories of rooms & suites at Raffles London at The OWO. With just 120 guestrooms in total, the choice is - in the end - down to views, size, and budget. This is one of the most expensive hotels in the United Kingdom but for a reason - quality. 

Entry level is a 31 square-metre Classic Room with a walk-in shower and king-sized bed. Then it's a Superior Room, Superior Twin, Deluxe, Deluxe Twin, Executive (sleeps 3) at 40 square metres, Executive Twin - then Junior Suite, Junior Suite Twin, Westminster Suite (64 square metres), Lifestyle Suite, Ministerial Suite, Ministerial Suite Twin, Corner Suite, Turret Suite, The Raffles Suite, Churchill Suite, Granville Suite and finally, The Haldane Suite - at an eye-watering 181 square metres in area (1,948 square feet).

Worth mentioning here is that whether you are staying in a Classic Room or The Haldane Suite, the level of “luxury” and amazing design, furnishings, furniture and comfort is exactly the same. 

The rooms were reimagined, designed and delivered by the late, great, French genius Thierry Despont. His CV included working on hotels including The Carlyle (New York), Claridge's (London),  The Dorchester (London) and Principe de Savoia (Milan). From the curtains, to the carpets and wall coverings, to the sofas, and lamps to furniture - it's classic Despont - and Raffles London at The OWO is his legacy - one that will stand the test of time. 

Welcome amenities are tailored to the Guest. In my case - an apt quote from Churchill with a cigar-shaped chocolate bar! Deliciously unhealthy … 

The bathrooms are second to none. Heated floors, Japanese “no hands” toilets, the highest quality taps, sinks, baths and basins, huge squeaky-clean mirrors, shower heads the size of dinner plates, an abundance of thick, soft towels - of all shapes and sizes, fitted slippers and warm bathrobes are all standard. As are the amenities. In true Raffles style, expect sustainable toothbrushes, toothpaste, emery boards, shower caps and shaving products. Then there's the 1906 OWO bespoke shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and handwash. Created by a member of the Hinduja family, and the London perfumer Azzi Glasser, 1906 (the year that OWO was built) has broad hints of sandalwood - very Indian!

The bedrooms are - of course - dominated by the beds. Whether a king size or a double, they are Goldilocks-comfortable, with crisp, white linens and warming duvets. Pillows are aplenty. Huge flatscreen televisions - offering more channels than days in the year - are easy to use. There are enough USB points for all your tech and the Wi-fi is as speedy as it gets. Huge drapes and privacy nets adorn the windows.

The Suites do give you extra space to lounge in! The thick carpets are a delight to stand on, the gaudy, comfy sofas are a delight to stretch on, and the desk/dining table is imposing to sit at. Note also, the fabulous, original art works on the walls. 

OWO is a historic building and the majority of the wood panelling on the walls are original. As are the fireplaces (if you have one), as are the ceilings, as is the cornicing - so much of your room or suite is as it was when it was an office for someone engaged in warfare or protecting the interests of the UK.

The hotel is very dog-friendly and child-friendly too!

The view from your guestroom is important. If you want quiet, aim for one facing towards the inner courtyard - if you seek entertainment, ensure your vista overlooks Whitehall. You can spend days people-watching - it's fascinating stuff. 

The only major facilities that Raffles London at The OWO does not offer is a helipad and a golf course! But, I think everything else is sorted.

I jest, but Raffles London at The OWO does offer superb facilities - mainly spa-related - but the Concierge Desk is permanently attended for anything you need outside the building.

Founded in 1828, Guerlain is one of the most recognisable brands in the world. Apart from being a pioneer in perfumery, Guerlain opened its first spa in 1939 - so has 85 years of experience. With nine treatment rooms and three VIP rooms - singles & couples - some of the best trained aestheticians in the world will make you feel prettier, handsomer, younger, relaxed, clean, invigorated … and most importantly … alive.

The Guerlain Spa at Raffles London at The OWO is spread over 4 floors and totals 27,000 square feet in area. It's BIG. 

Also included is a gym, movement studio, 20-metre indoor heated swimming pool - that sits under a double-height ceiling, atelier - for perfume, make-up and coiffure, thermal spa suite - bubbles and a “healthy eating” outlet - the Pillar Kitchen - which is part of the overall Pillar Wellbeing offering. 

The Royal Spa Suite is an experience that should not be missed. Private pampering and rejuvenation. Fabulous.  

Less than a year old, the hotel is still experimenting with services that it can offer its Guests. The most popular activity surrounds the history of the OWO building. The Afternoon Tea & Historical Tour - and indeed Heritage Tour - are booked-solid with inquisitive Guests and visitors dying to hear animated stories about OWO - from its construction, to its role during World War One and Two, Winston Churchill's residency and the James Bond connection. The period from 2016 to 2023 - transformation from Government building to destination - that includes a luxury hotel - is fascinating.

Raffles London at The OWO is moments walk from 10 Downing Street, Parliament Square (House of Lords, House of Commons and Westminster Abbey), Trafalgar Square (art galleries), Soho (fun, plays/musicals), Mayfair (shopping and restaurants) and St. James's for cigars and a wet shave!

A potted history.

1532 - Reign of Henry VIII. Whitehall gets its name from Cardinal Wolsey's palace - which was constructed with white Ashlar stone.

1898 - Reign of Queen Victoria. The Government needed a “War Office” to house the Army's top brass. A trapezium design was chosen.
1899 - Digging started. The walls were built to be 6-foot thick, and reached some 30 feet under street level.
1901 - First brick laid. 26,000 tons of Portland stone, 3,000 tons of York stone and 25-million bricks were used. Designed in a “Renaissance” fashion - now known as Edwardian Baroque. There are over 1000 rooms and over 4 kilometres of corridors. The Whitehall side was the main facade and entrance. West and North elevations featured Ionic columns. The roof hosted figures of Peace & War, Truth & Justice with the four corners of the building featuring decorative domes. The Grand Staircase is an acclaimed work of art!

1906 - Reign of Edward VII - Old War Office is officially opened. Total cost to the British taxpayer: GBP 1.23 million

During World War One and Two, the building was home to luminaries including Secretary of State Haldane, Lord Kitchener and Winston Churchill. Churchill delivered speeches to his Staff overlooking the Grand Staircase. OWO suffered aerial bombings four times but only superficial damage was done. MI5, MI6 and the SAS were created in OWO. Lawrence of Arabia (T.E. Lawrence) worked here before being posted to Egypt.

1964 - Reign of Queen Elizabeth II - April 1st, the Ministry of Defence is created and OWO is its home. Building refurbished in 1976. The historic Haldane Suite used as the office of the Secretary of State for Defence.
2016 - MOD leaves building and a 250-year lease is signed by Hinduja Family. A reported USD1.76 billion is spent on acquiring and reimagining this Grade II* listed building into a luxury destination to include residences, restaurants and hotel - Raffles London at The OWO. The work itself took an exhausting seven to eight years.

2023 - Reign of King Charles III  - 29th September - grand opening. 

One can only imagine the amount of work it took to turn what essentially was an office block into the OWO of today. Every one of the 76,000 square metres of prime London real-estate - set over 14 floors - has had to be fused into a loving, breathing architectural entity. Three new levels were built underground to house the spa/swimming pool, Ballroom, car park and storage. The 5th floor was rebuilt and the 6th & 7th floors have been added to accommodate a bar and restaurant. And of course, along with the hotel, the residences needed to be built - there to help pay for the massive undertaking. All of this while still maintaining the heritage and integrity of this near-120-year-old building. No wonder, over 35 consultants - including English Heritage - were engaged to ensure that the heart & soul of OWO was kept intact.

Nods to the past remain - the suites are named after famous British spies and the good & the great that once walked down the OWO's hallowed corridors.  

I could write for hours about the wood panelling, the Grand Staircase, the swathes of marble, the “hidden” rooms in the basement, the artwork, the ceilings, the plush furniture, the thick carpets, the mosaic flooring, the miles & miles of cables still accessible under their original metal in-floor housing, the magnificent fireplaces, the awesome views from the upper floors, the cute touches of history, the grandeur, the wide corridors where trolleys used to race, the turrets, the domed corners, the amazing facades, the imperious columns … but, you have the chance to see and feel it all for yourself! The press images in this review (and certainly not mine) do the hotel proud but seeing is believing ...

The OWO offers nine dining experiences and three bars. Paper Moon serves authentic contemporary Italian cuisine - lunch and dinner, Café Lapérouse - Parisian cuisine for lunch, afternoon tea and dîner, superb Japanese cuisine at Kioku by Endo from the Michelin-starred sushi master Endo Kazutoshi, Pillar Kitchen - healthy eating in the wellbeing centre, and Langosteria - fun Milanese cuisine. The hotel itself has four further offerings - The Drawing Room - all-day dining - burgers, Club Sandwiches with lobster (of course) and then the three Mauro Colagreco restaurants - Saison, Mauro's Table and the signature restaurant - Mauro Colagreco at Raffles London at The OWO.

The Guards Bar & Lounge is the main hotel drinks venue, with the Spy Bar its late-night, speakeasy - located in the bowels of the building where MI5 (Secret Intelligence Bureau) used to reside. Finally, Kioku Bar pours stunning sake - at whatever temperature you wish!

Of course, if you are resting at the hotel, you can take advantage of room service. The French fries ordered at 2 a.m. were rather good!

Mauro Colagreco is regarded as one of the greatest restaurateurs in the world. Aside from his 3-Michelin star restaurant in the South of France - his culinary creations appear on Air France La Première - arguably the finest First Class experience in the sky, and in Colagreco's around the world - including Hong Kong, Dubai, and Japan . He's soon to open his own 11-guestroom, entirely “green”, boutique hotel close to his award-winning Mirazur.

I had read quite a few reviews of Mauro Colagreco at Raffles London at The OWO prior to my visit and was most of them revolve around price. Yes, it is expensive. But not much more than any of the other finest restaurants in London. At the moment, Colagreco does not hold any Michelin stars in London but, trust me, it's only a matter of time…

Colagreco - who describes himself as a “gardener with a chef's jacket” - oversees all the Food & Beverage offerings in Raffles London. You start your day in Saison for breakfast (you can also enjoy Mediterranean-style cuisine here for daily lunch & dinner, and a super bottomless Champagne Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée NV Sunday lunch ). Then there's Mauro's Table - grandiose private dining for up to 20 diners and open from Wednesday to Sunday - offering an ever-changing 5-course seasonal menu, and finally, Mauro Colagreco at Raffles London at The OWO.

The restaurant is open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. There are three menus to choose from: À La Carte, Tasting Menu and a special Lunch Menu. Occasionally, there is a folly menu - most recently called Tomato - which featured a tomato salad starter, tomato with monkfish - main and candied tomato - dessert. Ketchup was not offered but tomato juice certainly was. Those with a lycopene intolerance … 

Colagreco is Argentinian-Italian with years of France in him - but the ingredients are nationally-sourced - i.e. all from Great Britain. While he does not cook in London often, his Team - led by Head Chef Leonel Aguirre, is magnificent. Now in his ninth year with Colagreco, Aguirre (from Argentina) is best placed to mirror his boss's vision and he does this faultlessly.

The restaurant is close to the Grand Staircase - ideal for that pre-meal commemorative selfie.

With thick plush cream carpets, open fireplace, sofas, comfortable chairs, minimal herbaceous artwork, swathes of light wood, and natural light-welcoming windows, the room is not remarkable - instead letting the food, wine and service do the talking.

The Wine List is endless - offering wines by the glass, the bottle - large & small, organics, New and Old, vintage & non-vintage, sparkling and “flat” … there's even a special “temperance menu” of fruity/veggie concoctions for non-alcohol drinkers. I was offered wine … and I drank it!

The service is that of a 3-Michelin star restaurant. Welcoming, friendly, humble, respectful, knowledgeable, smart, personal, smooth and memorable. There is always one “special” set of eyes ensuring that the room is humming along at the right tempo, that every water or wine glass is filled and every table is happy. On my evening that task was assigned to the restaurant General Manager, Melissa Fergus - who possesses the visual perception of an owl, the hearing of cat, and an encyclopaedic knowledge of food & wine second to none. 

And, to the cuisine. I opted for the 5-course tasting menu. Not being a white wine drinker, I stuck to a sturdy, trusted Pinot Noir.

Colagreco boasts that he uses 70 varieties of British fruits and vegetables in his London restaurants. As is en vogue in fancy restaurants, each diner receives a printed card explaining the provenance of the fresh ingredients in their dish. Dining alone, I found this a delightful distraction.

I love bread. I don't love Argentinian sharing bread. You may not either - and in that case, ask for the sourdough - which is excellent.

Each course you are served is like a Christmas surprise from your favourite, wealthy Aunt. You don't really know what it is, all wrapped up, but it's going to be good! 

I don't eat beef so was allowed to mix & match with the À La Carte. I also was gifted a few canapés - dining solo has its advantages!

I kicked off with smoked fish in red oak lettuce, slid into the Salt Marsh Lamb with an aubergine mole, reversed back with Cornish Turbot in a raspberry sauce and completed with a Dulse seaweed ice cream with white chocolate and yuzu. I am sure there was a lobster or prawn or lardo or some caviar in there somewhere. Frankly, I cannot remember.  The flavours had me spinning. The meal was filling and timed to perfection. The colours, the textures, the scents, the tastes … magic. 

Daytime had turned to night by the time I was finished and a wee neat Macallan in the Spy Bar rounded off a perfect evening.

Colagreco has landed in London with a crash - sending ripples, nay waves through the city's culinary circles. Here's here to stay and - despite the price - is a must-visit for any serious gourmand. 

ACCOR and indeed Raffles have core sustainability directives. They centre around responsible resourcing - supporting ethical and sustainable producers and skilled local artisans, being custodians of nature and communities by preserving local, natural and historical heritage, reducing footprint - working towards energy efficiency, introducing state-of-the-art building measures and operational processes to reduce consumption and minimise carbon footprint (by the end of 2025, green renewables will account for 75% of Raffles energy consumption), rethinking the culinary lifecycle - by prioritising local sourcing where possible, reducing food waste and highlighting plant-based dishes and finally, connecting humans by creating meaningful connection by designing one-of-a-kind experiences that offer guests the opportunity to help regenerate natural sites and support cultural initiatives, social projects, nonprofit ventures and local employment in our communities.

It took hundreds of artisans up to years to create The OWO and indeed Raffles London at The OWO. A Heritage building was rescued, repurposed and now sits as one of the hotel world's finest products. Every step considered the provenance of OWO and all possible sustainability initiatives were observed.