In conjunction with the extravagant opening celebrations of The Peninsula London, luxury publisher Assouline has introduced a new silk-bound book. Oliver Pilcher encapsulated the timeless beauty and ambiance of the hotel through a collection of pictures.
The Peninsula London was inaugurated in September 2023, and the book launch was lined up in tandem with the hotel’s extravagant opening festivities this June. The coffee table book is a welcome addition to Assouline’s Hospitality Collection.
Intended to be treasured as a souvenir by the guests or a bucket-list hotel inspiration for London admirers, the book proffers a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes facets of the expansive property, which is the product of a 35-year forage for the best location, culminating in London’s first hotel development to surpass £1 billion in cost.
Gracing the heart of the capital, The Peninsula London offers breathtaking vistas of Hyde Park and Wellington Arch. This grand venture, undertaken by Sir Michael Kadoorie, the chairman of one of Hong Kong & Shanghai Hotels, founded in 1866 in Hong Kong, embodies 190 stunningly curated guest rooms by the renowned architect and interior designer Peter Marino.
“After so many decades of searching, and eventually finding such a perfect location in the very heart of Belgravia, I am delighted to introduce The Peninsula London to the world,” said Sir Michael Kadoorie.
This establishment serves an experience like no other with its floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Household Cavalry passing through Wellington Arch on their way to and from the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. With its unique East-meets-West dialogue, The Peninsula has elevated the city’s luxury hospitality scene. From the line of signature Brewster green Rolls-Royces (including a 1935 Phantom II Sedanca de Ville). a hanging lobby furnishing afternoon tea, to the ultra-modern technology (tablets, nail dryers, and Toto toilets in every room) and underwater acoustics of the 80-foot pool, all these are trademarks of the Asian brand’s 12th destination.
The book explores Brooklands by Claude Bosi, the Michelin two star restaurant which displays a giant facsimile of the Concorde traversing the entire ceiling, along with unexampled views of the city’s skyline dotted with the London Eye and the Shard. It also explores the hotel’s suite spanning 5,000 square feet – which is London’s largest suite – and The Tabac, with a humidor accommodating up to two thousand cigars. A speakeasy and dining avenue, Canton Blue, interpreted from the Keying Junk, a trade ship that voyaged between Asia and Europe during the mid-19th century, is featured along with Jenny Packham-designed uniforms.
Specially enlisted works by Royal Drawing School artists, hand-painted de Gournay murals, and a retail space with shops including Asprey and Mouawad are all included in the publication. “The Peninsula brings a lightness that is not necessarily traditional in London,” says Sir Michael Kadoorie. “We did not want to be another traditional London hotel.”
British motorsport. Image courtesy: Assouline
The book The Peninsula London is available on assouline.com for US$120.
