A Look Inside : Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch – An Iconic London Landmark That Is Now A Hotel
London just got its most dramatic new address, and it’s been hiding in plain sight for over a century. Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch has opened reservations today, ahead of an autumn debut and it’s a big one. We’re talking about the next chapter in one of the capital’s most ambitious restoration projects, and the moment Waldorf Astoria officially plants its flag in the UK.
The setting? Nothing short of extraordinary. Positioned on The Mall, directly opposite Buckingham Palace in St James’s, this Grade I listed monument is about to welcome overnight visitors for the very first time in its history.
At 200,000 square feet and sitting at the literal ceremonial heart of London, Admiralty Arch has spent its life as a backdrop to national pageantry and state occasions. It was commissioned by King Edward VII in memory of Queen Victoria, designed by Sir Aston Webb, the same architect behind the Buckingham Palace façade and built to be exactly what it still is, a grand, unmissable gateway into London.
Now it’s home to 114 rooms, suites and residences, each one designed to honour that history rather than overwrite it. Think understated Waldorf Astoria elegance layered onto centuries-old architecture. More than half of the accommodation is given over to expansive residential and signature suites, a properly residential take on luxury, with names pulled straight from the building’s naval past including, the Nelson Suite, the St James’s Residence, and the Victory Residence, named for HMS Victory.
Waldorf Astoria has always paired its destinations with serious culinary talent, and this one goes big, two destination restaurants from Clare Smyth MBE and Daniel Boulud, two chefs whose combined restaurants hold eight Michelin stars between them.
Smyth’s concept, Coreus, lands in what was once the First Sea Lord’s residence, fitting, given it’s a love letter to the UK’s coastal heritage, built around sustainably sourced seafood and seasonal British produce. Smyth, the only British woman whose restaurants currently hold four Michelin stars is also bringing an intimate Whiskey & Seaweed bar, inspired by her signature Potato and Roe dish, stocked with whiskies from across the UK and a cocktail and wine list to match.
Up on the rooftop, Boulud marks his return to London with Café Boulud, an all-day affair running from breakfast and pastries through to afternoon tea, lunch and dinner. The terrace looks straight out over St James’s Park and Buckingham Palace, which might be one of the more unfair views in the city.
After all that grandeur, the spa is deliberately the opposite, private, intimate, and built around Waldorf Astoria’s idea of personalised, intuitive care. Expect individual and couples’ treatment rooms, a sauna, steam room, hydrotherapy pool and a private relaxation area, with therapists curating treatments rather than running through a set menu. State-of-the-art fitness facilities sit alongside, kept just as discreet.
Reservations are open now at , for stays from 1 March 2027.
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