Hotel Guides · London, England
The Old War Office reborn — Churchill's former corridors, nine restaurants and bars, and the most exciting opening London has seen in a generation.
1906 Old War Office, Reborn 2023 · 9 Restaurants & Bars In-House
Some hotels have a location; this one has a chapter of history. The Old War Office on Whitehall — where Churchill worked, where the Ministry of Defence's secrets lived, where fictional spies were dreamed up — reopened in 2023 as Raffles London after one of the most ambitious hotel restorations ever attempted.
The result is unlike anything else in the city: two miles of corridors, a grand marble staircase built for generals, guestrooms in former ministers' offices, and nine restaurants and bars including Mauro Colagreco's three-Michelin-pedigree flagship. The Guerlain spa below runs four floors deep with one of London's most spectacular pools.
I book it for guests who want the newest great thing in London with real substance behind it — and for anyone whose London includes Westminster, the river and the theatre, all of which are effectively next door.
What Stood Out
The building itself. Churchill's corridors, the spy-fiction staircase — a stay doubles as access to a landmark you otherwise can't enter.
Nine venues under one roof. From Mauro Colagreco's flagship to the Spy Bar in the old vaults — you could eat differently every night without leaving.
The Guerlain spa. Four subterranean floors and one of the most beautiful pools in London.
Know Before You Book
Whitehall, not Mayfair. The neighborhood is monumental and quiet at night — superb for Westminster and the South Bank, a short hop from the shopping districts.
The scale is vast. Part of the drama, but guests who want a small, hushed house should look at The Connaught instead.
Book the restaurants when you book the room. The flagship tables sell out on their own merits — I lock them in with the reservation.
The most exciting thing to happen to London hotels in a generation — history, theatre and a genuinely great hotel in one building.
Work with me and you get two things: Fora perks, and someone who knows Raffles London at The OWO personally. As a Fora advisor, my clients receive a space-available upgrade, daily breakfast, and a hotel credit. I know the property and the team, so I personalize your stay, from the room I request to what’s arranged before you arrive, and I’m your direct line to them while you’re there. Rates are identical to booking direct.