Respecting the hotel’s heritage was key, says Maria Vafiadis
The Sheraton Grand London Park Lane (formerly the Park Lane) in Mayfair, London, relaunches this month (October) following a multi million pound renovation and redesign by interior designers MKV Design and architects Woods Bagot.
The two year project has seen the hotel's 303 guestrooms completely redesigned, and the addition of a new bar and restaurant at street level, a redesigned reception lobby and upgraded public areas including the famed Palm Court Lounge. The Grade II listed Ballroom and Silver Gallery also underwent a sensitive restoration as part of the project.
MKV drew on the hotel's Art Deco heritage with the interiors, completely stripping back the guest rooms and adding contemporary features in keeping with the building's history. The schemes are discreetly glamorous with Art Deco touches, including polished silver finishes on furniture, bevelled mirror panels above the full length of the bedhead and ‘Deco inspired wall lights. Guestroom bathrooms are finished in classic black and white tiling, and fittings also subtly refer to the building’s provenance.
One of the challenges of the project for MKV was replanning the public spaces to enable guests to navigate and understand the layout of the building more easily. “Space planning was central to the redesign particularly in the ground floor public areas where we had to work around existing structures including several imposing columns and changes in floor level,” says Maria Vafiadis, founder and MD of MKV.
“We were very conscious of the heritage we were dealing with in this large and prominent listed building on London’s Piccadilly, which has the distinction of being both the first hotel in London constructed with a steel frame back in 1927 and also the only hotel remaining in the capital with extensive Art Deco interiors.”
The hotel’s listed status added an additional layer of complexity to the project, says Vafiadis. “Every material used on and in the building had to be submitted for Listed Building Consent and samples provided for approval, requiring a close relationship with the architectural team.”
For Vafiadis, renovating the Palm Court Lounge was a particular highlight of the project. “The Palm Court is the area that most clearly expresses the hotel’s Art Deco glamour and best represents the next chapter in its history,” she says. “It is the jewel that sits at the heart of the revitalised ground floor public areas, with the new bar, restaurant and executive lounge areas all spanning off it.”
MKV has also recently completed a major refurbishment of the Hotel Royal Savoy, Lausanne in Switzerland.
In a world where imbalance often accumulates quietly, Wildsmith unveils its newest
wellbeing innovation: Silent Loads, an approach designed to meet the needs of modern spa
guests with precision and depth. [more...]
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Respecting the hotel’s heritage was key, says Maria Vafiadis
The Sheraton Grand London Park Lane (formerly the Park Lane) in Mayfair, London, relaunches this month (October) following a multi million pound renovation and redesign by interior designers MKV Design and architects Woods Bagot.
The two year project has seen the hotel's 303 guestrooms completely redesigned, and the addition of a new bar and restaurant at street level, a redesigned reception lobby and upgraded public areas including the famed Palm Court Lounge. The Grade II listed Ballroom and Silver Gallery also underwent a sensitive restoration as part of the project.
MKV drew on the hotel's Art Deco heritage with the interiors, completely stripping back the guest rooms and adding contemporary features in keeping with the building's history. The schemes are discreetly glamorous with Art Deco touches, including polished silver finishes on furniture, bevelled mirror panels above the full length of the bedhead and ‘Deco inspired wall lights. Guestroom bathrooms are finished in classic black and white tiling, and fittings also subtly refer to the building’s provenance.
One of the challenges of the project for MKV was replanning the public spaces to enable guests to navigate and understand the layout of the building more easily. “Space planning was central to the redesign particularly in the ground floor public areas where we had to work around existing structures including several imposing columns and changes in floor level,” says Maria Vafiadis, founder and MD of MKV.
“We were very conscious of the heritage we were dealing with in this large and prominent listed building on London’s Piccadilly, which has the distinction of being both the first hotel in London constructed with a steel frame back in 1927 and also the only hotel remaining in the capital with extensive Art Deco interiors.”
The hotel’s listed status added an additional layer of complexity to the project, says Vafiadis. “Every material used on and in the building had to be submitted for Listed Building Consent and samples provided for approval, requiring a close relationship with the architectural team.”
For Vafiadis, renovating the Palm Court Lounge was a particular highlight of the project. “The Palm Court is the area that most clearly expresses the hotel’s Art Deco glamour and best represents the next chapter in its history,” she says. “It is the jewel that sits at the heart of the revitalised ground floor public areas, with the new bar, restaurant and executive lounge areas all spanning off it.”
MKV has also recently completed a major refurbishment of the Hotel Royal Savoy, Lausanne in Switzerland.
A recent survey by the UK Spa Association (UKSA) into the industry’s approach to cancer care
has revealed that almost half of participating respondents (46 per cent) are unaware that
cancer is a disability and guests with a cancer diagnosis must be given
Mexican operator, Solmar Hotels and Resorts, is hosting a series of events in celebration of
Global Wellness Day, including a Temazcal ceremony at its Playa Grande Resort and Spa in Los
Cabos.
Mandarin Oriental has announced a standalone residence brand, Mansions, which will debut at
Emirates Palace, Mandarin Oriental Mansions, Abu Dhabi, in 2029.
Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai in Hoi An, Vietnam, has put together a Global Wellness Day
(GWD) agenda with activations rooted in nature and shaped by four pillars of Joy – in
alignment with the day’s theme #JoyMagenta.
The Global Wellness Summit (GWS) will celebrate its 20th anniversary at the 2026 event in
Phuket, Thailand, later this year with the theme: The Science, Art and Soul of Wellness.
Auko, an all-inclusive development, is opening in Phong Nha in Vietnam in Q3 2026, with a
series of 30 tented eco-lodges and wellness hospitality operations by Lumina Wellbeing.
Therme Manchester’s 28-acre development, which will include interconnected glass pavilions
that measure 65,000sq m, will be the largest bathing and wellbeing attraction in the world once
complete, according to prof David Russell, CEO of Therme UK.
Naples Beach Club, a Four Seasons Resort, has opened a 2,800sq m spa called The Sanctuary,
with the design and concept inspired by the Native American people that populated Florida’s
Southwest coast – the Calusa.
Swire Hotels’ luxury hospitality brand Upper House has revealed it will roll out its two-day
House of Healing retreats at its three hotels in Hong Kong, Chengdu and Shanghai.
In a world where imbalance often accumulates quietly, Wildsmith unveils its newest
wellbeing innovation: Silent Loads, an approach designed to meet the needs of modern spa
guests with precision and depth. [more...]
+ More featured suppliers
COMPANY PROFILES
Comfort Zone Comfort Zone’s comprehensive face and body professional and retail range allows clients
to experien [more...]
