Six Senses is coming to London. The hotel, set to open in 2023, will be located in the iconic building that housed Whiteleys, a former department store. The hotel, wellness club and spa mark the brand’s entry into the U.K. and will open with 110 guestrooms and suites. There will also be 14 branded residences, which include concierge service, dining, housekeeping and wellness programming.
The interiors of Six Senses London combine elements of Classical detailing and Art Deco, along with “modern streamlining.” To add a touch of local culture to the preserved Great Exhibition mood, contemporary art from British artists will be showcased throughout the hotel.
The hotel will have a cozy lobby bar and lounge, an all-day dining restaurant with an open kitchen and seating area in the courtyard. Public spaces will be decked out with plenty of greenery, textured fabrics, reclaimed wood furniture and upholstery in natural tones with glass display cabinets flanking its walls.
A big draw will be the Six Senses Spa. In a space reminiscent of an old-fashioned London underground station, the spa will have 3,500 square feet dedicated to fitness, a 65-foot indoor swimming pool, an Alchemy Bar and a relaxation room with vaulted ceilings.
On the second floor, residents and members will have access to a new kind of social and wellness club. This space will have a central bar and lounge, coworking spaces, a restaurant and wellness rooms. Guests here can also partake in a “pioneering programming to encourage growth, reflection and reconnection.”
About the location: Whiteleys takes its name from William Whiteley, who opened his first drapery shop in Westbourne Grove in 1863. A little over a decade later, the shop had grown to a department store. Once a vibrant destination that was a highlight of the surrounding residential neighborhood, Whiteleys was then redeveloped in the 1980s into a shopping center with a cinema and bowling alley. It subsequently closed its doors in December 2018 as its popularity diminished.
As a result of the restoration, Six Senses London will be part of a mixed-use development. The original Grade II façade, central courtyard and dome will all be preserved, as will the internal staircase (modeled after La Scala opera house in Milan), which is the centerpiece on the ground floor of the hotel.
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