Raffles London at The OWO

"This might be the most talked-about hotel to open in London this century. From 1906 to 1964, the building served as the War Office where D-Day was planned, and where Winston Churchill boomed out briefings to staff on the Grand Staircase while serving as Secretary of State for War. Spies, notoriously, had their own private entrance. In 2016, the Mumbai-based Hinduja Group purchased the building’s lease, invested $1.9 billion in refurbishments, and brought Raffles on board. Completing the 120 rooms and suites, four restaurants, three bars, 27,000-square-foot Guerlain spa, and 65-foot subterranean pool took seven years. Grand state offices have become plum guest quarters, including the Haldane Suite (Churchill’s former office) in smart red damask. Argentine chef Mauro Colagreco helms three of the restaurants: a fine-dining spot, a private-table option, and Saison by Mauro Colagreco, the hotel’s Mediterranean dining space. The Guard’s Bar heaves with gossipy politicians while the tiny Spy Bar, occupying an old interrogation room in the basement, is a good spot for a nightcap with its red-velvet banquettes and an Aston Martin DB5 mounted on the wall." - CNT Editors

"Just over the road from Whitehall's Ministry of Defence building, you’ll find the affectionately named 'OWO' – an impressive Edwardian building that functioned as the Old War Office before it was retired in favour of the newer MOD premises. As you’d expect under the stewardship of Raffles, opulence is at every turn, but this is a building that also has plenty to show off in its own right thanks to a plethora of original features. On the top floor you’ll find Kioku by Endo, a sushi restaurant blending Japanese and Mediterranean flavours and boasting stunning 360° views across the city. There’s an equal amount of seating in the main room and out on the terrace, so pick your favourite spot and make the most of the views, which take in The Mall, Horse Guards Parade, Trafalgar Square, the River Thames and Big Ben. For an extra special occasion, book the private dining room, which is set in one of the building’s iconic turrets." - The MICHELIN Guide UK Editorial Team

"The War Office is not the War Office anymore. It’s now the OWO (aka “The Old War Office”). It consists of Raffles London at the OWO, which takes up about half the building, along with some mighty luxe private residences and various other restaurants. It’s hard not to over-emphasize how little other London hotels can touch what Raffles has been lucky enough to tap into here. Historically, the building has perched at the very hub of the establishment. The hefty $1.9 billion restoration investment, over seven years, has included a 25-meter downward excavation (to create the wellness levels of the hotel). Nine restaurants and three bars join the 27,000-foot Goddard Littlefair–designed Guerlain spa (with three subterranean levels) and 65-foot pool. The final shimmering product has 120 rooms and suites, with an entry-level rate of more than $1,400 per night. All is presided over by the soave, somewhat slinky French hotelier Philippe Leboeuf, the Managing Director, Anglophile and self-professed Churchillphile. Price: Rooms from around $1,399 per nightAddress: 57 Whitehall, London SW1A 2BXClosest tube station: Charing Cross" - Condé Nast Traveller, Steve King

"The hotel is located in the history-filled Old War Offices of Winston Churchill, where the British Secret Service was established." - Jennifer Flowers

"This might be the most talked-about hotel to open in London this century. From 1906 to 1964, the building served as the War Office where D-Day was planned, and where Winston Churchill boomed out briefings to staff on the Grand Staircase while serving as Secretary of State for War. Spies, notoriously, had their own private entrance. In 2016, the Mumbai-based Hinduja Group purchased the building’s lease, invested $1.9 billion in refurbishments, and brought Raffles on board. Completing the 120 rooms and suites, four restaurants, three bars, 27,000-square-foot Guerlain spa, and 65-foot subterranean pool took seven years. Grand state offices have become plum guest quarters, including the Haldane Suite (Churchill’s former office) in smart red damask. Argentine chef Mauro Colagreco helms three of the restaurants: a fine-dining spot, a private-table option, and Saison by Mauro Colagreco, the hotel’s Mediterranean dining space. The Guard’s Bar heaves with gossipy politicians while the tiny Spy Bar, occupying an old interrogation room in the basement, is a good spot for a nightcap with its red-velvet banquettes and an Aston Martin DB5 mounted on the wall." - CNT Editors