The Dorchester hotel unveils details of major renovations
Helmed by leading designers Pierre-Yves Rochon and Martin Brudnizki Design Studio, the first stage of the Park Lane hotel’s largest refurbishment since 1989 is set to complete in September 2022
One of London’s most famous five-star hotels has revealed details of a major renovation which is due to be unveiled later this year. Having kicked off in February, the first stage of The Dorchester’s revamp will see its entrance, the Promenade, two guest floors and the Bar at The Dorchester undergo a facelift to bring the hotel, which has stood proudly on the edge of Hyde Park for over 90 years, firmly into the new roaring Twenties.
The transformation, which is part of an ongoing investment programme by Dorchester Collection to enhance the landmark 250-key hotel in its biggest renovation since 1989, also includes the addition of a new Cake & Flowers boutique.
The global hotel group – whose portfolio includes Los Angeles’ Beverly Hills Hotel and Le Meurice in Paris – has appointed two of the most renowned names in design to work their magic. Martin Brudnizki Design Studio, the group that reimagined the interiors at Annabel’s, is set to recreate the bar – home of famous cocktail The Dorchester – while Pierre-Yves Rochon, the French interior design firm behind The Savoy’s recent refurb, will head up renovations to the hotel’s entrance and throughout the new guest suites and rooms.
Inspired by the verdant beauty of an English garden, Pierre-Yves Rochon’s vision for the two floors of revamped guest rooms encompasses a light and fresh feel, with interiors meticulously fitted out to prioritise guest comfort. Expect a delicate, refreshing palette, ranging from pale leafy greens and dusky rose pinks to soft heather blues and lemon yellow. The extensive style overhaul, while staying true to the hotel’s storied heritage and elegantly refined aesthetic, also includes the introduction of new signature and junior suites, which promise more spacious, residential-style accommodation.
The hotel’s famed façade will receive its own facelift, via the addition of new lighting, which will create an inviting glow across Park Lane as guests arrive onto The Dorchester’s amped-up forecourt. Green granite paving leading onto a lush landscaped garden – set underneath the hotel’s well-known London plane tree – will deliver guests into an expansive lobby, awash in natural light and adorned by a pair of stately artworks that celebrate The Dorchester’s position as a distinctive London landmark.
Leading into the Promenade, a collection of artworks by contemporary British artists, each offering a unique perspective on nature through a diverse range of media, is set to line the walls. Intended to evoke the feeling of strolling through a stunning British landscape as guests make their way towards the hotel’s newest dining and entertainment destination, the Promenade’s new look has been thoughtfully curated to cultivate the ideal location for indulging in the hotel’s famed afternoon teas.
Speaking of afternoon tea, new boutique Cake & Flowers, which boasts its own entrance on Deanery Street, is also set to be unveiled alongside the first phase of The Dorchester’s renovations. Helmed by executive pastry chef Michael Kwan (formerly of Ladurée and Hotel Café Royal) and resident florist Philip Hammond, the new space is tipped to be a spectacle of delights, including signature cakes and pastries, bespoke gift hampers and hand-crafted floral bouquets, along a fine selection of champagnes and artisan chocolates.
Over in The Bar by The Dorchester, Martin Brusnizki has been inspired by the hotel’s heritage to create an updated interior that will take its style cues from the opulence of the 1930s. Featuring a new entrance off Park Lane and al fresco terrace overlooking Hyde Park, this ornate space, complete with a striking 1930s Palladium leaf ceiling and a collection of original Cecil Beaton pieces alongside contemporary artworks, is intended to be warm and welcoming, with an intimate snug area and upper bar offering privacy without compromising on ambience.
The hotel has continued to remain open to guests throughout its renovations, with The Dorchester’s ever-popular afternoon tea served in the Orchid Room. The hotel’s rooftop restaurant – which opened for the first time in 2021 in response to the pandemic – relaunched earlier this year with a new Mediterranean concept. Other venues within the hotel that also remained open include China Tang and The Grill, each undergoing their own refurbishments in the last few years, following the Penthouse and Pavillion rooms, which received stylish renovations back in 2017.
