The Westin London City will open in 2020, with a hotel concept focusing on wellness and nature-inspired design
Marriott International Inc. has announced plans to debut the Westin brand in the United Kingdom with the opening of The Westin London City in 2020. The news comes during a time of great growth for the hotel brand, with recent Westin openings in Australia and upcoming debuts in Malaysia and the Maldives.
Boasting a prime riverfront location in the heart of London, The Westin London City will be a key part of the redevelopment of the former Queensbridge House site, as well as an independently operated destination restaurant. The site stretches from Queenhithe Dock – the oldest in London – and runs north to south, bridging across Upper Thames Street and giving it a prominent position over one of the primary arterial routes through the City of London. Highly visible from the South Bank, the hotel will also benefit from panoramic views over the River Thames and will complete the northern riverbank walkway between the Tower of London and Millennium Bridge.
Led by British architects Dexter Moren Associates, the thoughtfully designed hotel is fluid and sculptural with a wellness and biophilic focus – incorporating natural materials, natural light, vegetation, nature views and other experiences of the natural world. Leaning on the idea that a connection to nature enhances well-being, these natural elements will be incorporated throughout every space in the hotel, and permeate every experience, beginning with checking in.
Upon arrival, guests will enter into an atrium space that is at once open and airy, yet residential and intimate, before heading down the lobby that leads into a riverside bar and restaurant. The eatery will open onto the new public walkway affording spectacular views across the river towards Shakespeare’s Globe and the South Bank.
The hotel’s 220 guest rooms, including 29 suites and a Presidential Suite, are designed to offer guests a nature-inspired respite in the centre of a bustling city, expertly balancing a calming palette of natural colours with contrasting tones, textures and materials. All rooms will feature Westin’s signature services and amenities, such as the world-renowned Heavenly™ Bed and reviving Heavenly™ Bath experience.
Embodying the brand’s Let’s Rise mantra that empowers guests to take back control of their travel routine through wellness, the hotel will also feature an indoor swimming pool, spa and fitness studio with state-of-the-art exercise equipment. In addition, the hotel will offer the renowned RunWESTIN program with three and five-mile jogging routes along the riverfront, and the brand’s signature Gear Lending program, allowing guests to pack light and stay fit with New Balance shoes and clothing for guests to use during their stay.
The Westin London City is the latest in a long line of hotels and resorts around the world now implementing health and wellness experiences for guests, in response to a growing social movement calling for more balance, mindfulness and nature in their daily lives, especially among business and leisure travellers seeking a respite from the stresses of daily life.