Six Senses London makes its debut at The Whiteley, the former Whiteley's department store on Queensway street in London's Bayswater area. It marks the brand's first hotel in the United Kingdom.

Located near Hyde Park and Notting Hill, the hotel offers 109 rooms and suites, many with private balconies, alongside 14 branded residences. Interiors feature glass bathrooms, tall arched windows, a deep blue palette, warm wood, and Art Deco details. The Whiteley Suite, shown here, is on an upper floor and includes a 125 square meter private terrace, convertible into a separate living area.

According to Nick Yarnell, the hotel's general manager, the aim is to create a welcoming atmosphere for guests from the moment they arrive. The hotel also celebrates British craftsmanship and creativity, fostering connections with the local community.

Designed by AvroKO and EPR Architects, the hotel preserves Whiteley's Grade II listed facade, reinterpreting its Art Deco style. Inspiration also draws from William Whiteley's fascination with the 1851 World's Fair, symbolizing the fusion of industry and creativity.

At the building's heart is the grand staircase from the original department store. This structure was disassembled, extended, and meticulously restored in Devon by Foster + Partners and The Hub. It now connects the hotel's three floors and ascends to a glass dome.

Adam Farmerie, a partner at AvroKO, explained that the design draws from the visual language of the World's Fair era, known for its black-and-white contrasts. Instead of replicating that palette, the team incorporated deep blue marble in the lobby and architectural elements. Original display cabinets were retained and enhanced with plants. The staircase and glass bathrooms ensure light permeates the entire space.

The Six Senses Spa London spans 2,300 square meters, featuring London's first magnesium pool. It also includes a 20-meter indoor swimming pool, a 325 square meter fitness room, and dedicated yoga and mindfulness movement studios.

The spa boasts 13 wellness spaces and six treatment rooms, offering therapies like: cryotherapy, flotation, red light therapy, a communal hammam, and an experience room. The biohack recovery lounge provides personalized treatments, including: pulsed electromagnetic fields, sound therapy, pneumatic compression boots, electrical muscle stimulation, vibration platforms, and spinal stretching tables.

An integrated wellness center offers private consultations and functional tests, such as: biomarker analysis and lifestyle assessments. These form the foundation for programs designed to improve sleep, metabolic health, cognitive performance, and stress management.

Led by Charlotte Pulver, the Alchemy Bar allows guests to craft essences and herbal remedies from locally sourced plants. These ingredients are then used in spa treatments, cuisine, at the bar, and in the hammam. On the first floor, the hotel collaborates with HUM2N, a longevity clinic founded by doctor Mohammed Enayat, offering services and programs to enhance health performance.

Whiteley's Kitchen, Bar & Cafe offers creative British cuisine aligned with the Eat With Six Senses philosophy, using local and seasonal ingredients. Executive chef Eliano Crespi and head chef Jose Jara developed a menu focusing on vegetable dishes, incorporating fire-cooking techniques. The restaurant includes a dedicated fermentation room for preparing products from fruits to koji, a Japanese rice mold. The bar serves alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails with natural ingredients. Its wine list highlights British producers and independent winemakers.

Above the reception lobby is the world's first Six Senses Place, operating as a members' club for community engagement and wellness. Programs follow the natural Almanac cycle, with year-round activities tied to seasonal changes. It also hosts talks and communal meals, allowing the community to explore personal development and healing methods.

The Earth Lab, a signature brand space, focuses on material reuse and plant-based crafting activities. The hotel dedicates 0,5% of its revenue to the Regenerative Impact Fund, supporting local environmental and social initiatives.

The Whiteley London is a BREEAM-certified redevelopment project. The hotel avoids single-use plastics, employs a rainwater harvesting system, energy-saving solutions, and over 1,150 square meters of green roof to boost biodiversity. The broader Whiteley project covers over 9,3 hectares, including 139 apartments, over 5,500 square meters of amenities, and 19 commercial brands. Valouran manages the development, with MARK and C C Land participating, and Foster + Partners as designers.

The Whiteley is also part of the 3 billion GBP Queensway regeneration program, which aims to upgrade public spaces and the area's retail and service ecosystem. The hotel alone has created over 300 jobs in hospitality, wellness, and culinary fields. It partners with Lotus to offer shuttle services using a bespoke Lotus Eletre electric vehicle.

IHG Hotels & Resorts acquired the Six Senses brand in 2019 and continues to expand its hotel portfolio. Following projects in Rome and Kyoto, several other urban hotels are slated to launch in the coming years. Beyond Six Senses London, the group is also expanding its Asia-Pacific portfolio with projects including: Reve Ho Chi Minh City, Vignette Collection, InterContinental Penang Resort, voco Kuching, Kimpton Tsim Sha Tsui Hong Kong, InterContinental Sapporo, and Holiday Inn Melbourne Bourke Street Mall.

Dan Minh

Photos: Six Senses London