London calling
January 16, 2020 - A few hops from Hyde Park, Six Senses London will open in Bayswater. The hotel, spa and wellness club will preserve the classic detailing of the former art deco Whiteleys department store while adding a wellness twist.
Six Senses London will open with 110 guest rooms and suites, spa, unique wellness club experience, and 14 branded residences offering access to the hotel’s facilities. Owners will be able to tap into all the privileges that come with a Six Senses home, including bespoke interior design, concierge service, dining, housekeeping and wellness programming.
Non-conventional approach to wellness
In today’s hyper-connected world and stressed lifestyle, the spa and the wellness club will play an integral part in the hotel’s offering.
In a space reminiscent of an old-fashioned London underground station, Six Senses Spa will mirror the different energies of the city life, from the sensory stimulation and movement of the street to the stillness and calm of a quiet café or park. In this way, lively and vibrant areas flow into more serene and silent ones to offer energizing and restorative sensations; a perfectly balanced environment in which to achieve overall well-being. Highlights include 3,500 square feet (325 square meters) dedicated to fitness, a 65-foot (20-meter) indoor swimming pool, the Alchemy Bar and a relaxation room with vaulted ceilings.
On the second floor, residents and members will access a new kind of social and wellness club featuring a central bar and lounge, coworking spaces, a restaurant and wellness and treatment rooms. It will offer pioneering programming to encourage growth, reflection and reconnection.
Sustainable heritage protection
Whiteleys takes its name from visionary entrepreneur William Whiteley, who opened his first drapery shop in Westbourne Grove in 1862. Over the years, the store grew to become “an immense symposium of the arts and industries of the nation and of the world.”
The redevelopment of Whiteleys is headed by a Meyer Bergman-advised fund, with the preeminent residential real estate developer Finchatton as development manager. In collaboration with architect firm Foster + Partners, renowned for its eco credentials and responsible design approach, this historic landmark will become a sensitively restored mixed-use development. The original Grade II façade, central courtyard and dome will all be preserved, as will the majestic internal staircase (modeled on the La Scala opera house in Milan), which features as the centerpiece on the ground floor of the hotel.
Design inspired by connectivity
Our brand philosophy of connection to people and nature is central to the convivial and biophilic tone of the ground floor. It features a cozy lobby bar and lounge (for talking to friends or the plants), all-day dining restaurant with an open kitchen and seating area in the courtyard. Queensway will be given a new lease of life through a host of local amenities including a cinema, a variety of restaurants, retail outlets and 145 non-branded private residences.
Drawing on the building’s heritage, the interiors of Six Senses London are designed by internationally celebrated AvroKO in conjunction with executive architects EPR, and combine nostalgic nods to classical detailing and art deco along with modern influences. To add a touch of local culture, contemporary art from British artists will be showcased throughout the hotel.
Six Senses London is set to open in 2023.