Raffles London at The OWO

Few London buildings carry as much history per square foot as the Old War Office on Whitehall. Winston Churchill and T.E. Lawrence worked within these Edwardian Baroque walls, and the building's corridors later became shorthand for espionage on film. After a painstaking multi-year restoration, it opened in 2023 as Raffles London at The OWO, the Singapore brand's first outpost in Britain.

The conversion honours the building's grade-II*-listed grandeur: the sweeping marble staircase, oak-panelled former offices turned heritage suites, and two miles of corridors that guests genuinely need directions to navigate. Rooms mix Edwardian volume with quietly contemporary interiors, and several suites named for historical figures occupy the offices those figures once used—history as floor plan rather than wallpaper.

Dining is ambitious even by new-London standards, anchored by a trio of restaurants from Mauro Colagreco alongside a spread of other venues and bars, including the Spy Bar in the old vaults. The Guerlain spa and pool complex, sunk several storeys beneath Whitehall, is among the largest in any London hotel. Trafalgar Square, Horse Guards and St James's Park frame the doorstep. For guests who want their luxury with a chapter of British history attached, The OWO is currently unmatched.