The seven-month renovation led by RPW Design began with the reception area. Photos used courtesy of The Stafford London by Kempinski
The historic The Stafford London by Kempinski 5-star hotel has a new look after a seven-month, US$9.7 million (£6 million) renovation.
This marked the hotel’s first major overhaul since it closed its doors for a redesign in 1995. The hotel dates from the mid-1800s.
Britannia Hospitality, a company controlled by Egypt’s El Sharkawy family, bought the hotel in 2009 and given the hotel’s age and image it has been renovated to emphasize its very British history.
“We wanted to emphasize the quintessentially British hotel,” Leon Baum, the hotel’s general manager said. “Stafford is very dear to many clients’ hearts as we have 40% repeat clients. The renovation had to be handled in a very delicate matter. Change is difficult for most.”
HOTELS Magazine talked with Baum about the changes, and Baum’s comments on the renovations can be found in the “before and after” photo gallery below.
The lobby after the renovation. “This area had a huge change to it. The first thing you see is the concierge desk. We wanted to make the whole check-in experience a more grand affair. We’ve got this beautiful mahogany paneled area that is quite masculine in the finish, but unmistakably British. The spaces at the Stafford are not very open. We tried to maximize all public space,” Baum said.
The hotel restaurant before the renovation. “There was a lot going on, lots of colors, sort of shabby chic. Very nice but nothing really felt right,” Baum said. “It was a rather dead space. It was too formal.”
The hotel restaurant after the renovation. “We knocked down the three walls that divided the lounge from the dining room. We really wanted to open up the whole area, make it more appealing,” Baum said. “We used quite neutral colors, very simple, very decorative.”
The hotel lounge before the renovation.
The hotel lounge after the renovation. “We still want it to keep a kind of British feel. It was a wonderful collection of furniture but we’ve really tried to simplify things,” Baum said. “It’s so much lighter and more airy than how it was before.”
The main house master suite after the renovation. “We’ve introduced this new four post bed. This wonderful royal blue we decided to paint in this room,” Baum said.
The classic king guest room after the renovation. “These have been completely renovated from top to bottom,” Baum said.
