Best for
Whitehall suits travelers who want London's government history woven into their stay, with the hotel itself offering dining and spa time between outings.
Best for
Whitehall suits travelers who want London's government history woven into their stay, with the hotel itself offering dining and spa time between outings.
What makes it special
Carpets inspired by original floor grilles and window treatments recalling Horse Guards uniforms bring the building's history into details guests can notice daily.
Room to consider
Compare the room's heritage features with its usable living space, deciding whether architectural character or space to settle in matters more for your stay.
Insider tip
When traveling with children, confirm the designated family swim periods before arranging your day, rather than assuming the pool welcomes families throughout opening hours.
Free membership gives you access to preferred rates, exclusive benefits and current promotions for your stay.
Raffles London at The OWO is one of London's most ambitious luxury hotels, set inside the former Old War Office on Whitehall. It is a grand city hotel with a powerful address, not a quiet neighborhood hideaway. Guests come for history, scale, dining, wellness and the rare feeling of sleeping inside a landmark that sits between Westminster, St James's, Trafalgar Square and the Thames.
The building gives the hotel much of its drama. Corridors, staircases, stonework and formal rooms carry the weight of government history, while the rooms, restaurants and spa bring the property firmly into the present. The result is polished and theatrical, but also very functional for travelers who want central London at a high level.
This room overlooks the Edwardian courtyard. Its smaller marble bathroom has a television and a walk-in shower. Custom-made linens dress the bed, and the furniture and lighting were designed for the hotel. An extra bed or a crib can be requested when needed.
In one bedroom design, a broad window stands beside the bed, with a writing desk and upholstered chair on the opposite side. Pale wall mouldings and patterned curtains surround the room. In another bathroom design, a built-in bathtub stands opposite a long, dark-fronted vanity. The vanity has drawer storage and a broad mirror.
The guestrooms have bespoke carpets, fabrics and wallcoverings, along with individual works of art. Coffee and tea facilities are provided, and small pets weighing less than 5 kg are welcome.
This room overlooks the Edwardian courtyard. Its smaller marble bathroom has a television and a walk-in shower. Custom-made linens dress the bed, and the furniture...
The outlook varies between Whitehall Place and the Edwardian inner courtyard. Inside, contemporary art adds colour to the historic setting. The linens and furniture were custom-made for the hotel.
One two-bed design places a writing desk at the far end of the bedroom, with a plaid armchair beside it. A tall cabinet with a patterned front stands along the wall. Pale mouldings line the walls, and green geometric curtains frame the windows.
The marble bathroom includes a walk-in shower. Coffee and tea facilities are provided in the room, and small pets weighing less than 5 kg are welcome. Thierry Despont’s interiors include customised carpets, fabrics and wallcoverings. The window treatments take their inspiration from the uniforms of the Horse Guards.
The outlook varies between Whitehall Place and the Edwardian inner courtyard. Inside, contemporary art adds colour to the historic setting. The linens and furniture were...
Curated art and custom-made furniture give this room a contemporary interpretation of Edwardian style. Fabrics and wallcoverings were designed for the hotel, while the bathroom is finished in marble and has a walk-in shower. The room has freshly filtered air, along with facilities for making coffee and tea. An extra bed can be requested for a child or adult, and a crib is also available on request.
Within one King-room design, a bench stands at the foot of the bed. Beside the window, a plaid armchair and a small table form a sitting area, with the writing desk set against the adjoining wall. Green geometric curtains and pale moulded walls frame this part of the room.
Bathroom layouts vary: one combines a built-in bathtub with a long, dark-fronted vanity fitted with drawers and a broad mirror. Custom-made linens are supplied for the stay.
Curated art and custom-made furniture give this room a contemporary interpretation of Edwardian style. Fabrics and wallcoverings were designed for the hotel, while the bathroom...
Views of the Edwardian inner courtyard accompany a neutral interior enlivened by contemporary art. The bed is dressed in custom-made linens, with furniture and lighting individually designed for the hotel. The marble bathroom has a walk-in shower.
In a two-bed design, an upholstered bench stands at the foot of each bed. There is a window-side sitting area with a plaid armchair and a side table, while a writing desk is placed along another wall. Pale mouldings run across the walls, and the windows are dressed with green patterned curtains.
An extra bed for a child or an adult is available on request, as is a baby crib. Coffee and tea facilities are also provided. Small pets under 5 kg are welcome, and the room’s fabrics, carpets and wallcoverings were customised as part of the hotel’s interior design.
Views of the Edwardian inner courtyard accompany a neutral interior enlivened by contemporary art. The bed is dressed in custom-made linens, with furniture and lighting...
A spacious sitting area forms part of the main room, with contemporary works of art and custom-made linens. Depending on the suite, windows look towards Horse Guards Avenue, Whitehall Place, the Edwardian courtyard or Whitehall.
In one King-bed layout, a sofa stands across the foot of the sleeping area with a low rectangular table in front. An armchair and matching footstool sit beside a window. The two curtained windows and pale moulded walls continue around the sitting and sleeping zones.
The marble bathroom is fitted with a walk-in shower. Another bathroom design includes a built-in bathtub opposite a long vanity with drawer fronts and a broad mirror. An additional bed can be requested for a child or adult, and a crib is available on request. Coffee and tea facilities are supplied within the suite.
A spacious sitting area forms part of the main room, with contemporary works of art and custom-made linens. Depending on the suite, windows look towards...
Connecting rooms are available as an option.
A separate living room with bespoke art gives this suite its main gathering space. Edwardian Baroque decoration runs through the interior, with custom-made furniture, lighting and fabrics created for the hotel.
The marble ensuite has a walk-in shower. In one bathroom arrangement, a built-in bathtub stands opposite a long vanity with dark drawer fronts and a broad mirror. Custom-made linens are supplied, along with coffee and tea facilities. An extra bed for a child or adult, or a crib, can be requested for the stay.
One bedroom design has a wide doorway beside the bed leading into a built-in storage and dressing section. Pale wall mouldings and green geometric curtains surround the sleeping area. A small guest bathroom is also provided.
A separate living room with bespoke art gives this suite its main gathering space. Edwardian Baroque decoration runs through the interior, with custom-made furniture, lighting...
This suite has a fitness mirror and equipment for yoga and TRX suspension training. Normatec recovery boots and weighted blankets are also provided, alongside a health-focused minibar.
The interior uses fragrance-activated technology. The bedroom is designed to be dark and quiet. The marble bathroom pairs a walk-in shower with a bathtub. An extra bed may be requested for a child or adult, and a crib is available on request.
In an indicative layout, the entrance opens into the living room, with a sofa and armchair grouped around small tables. A short passage leads to the bedroom; the bathroom and wardrobe open separately from this passage. The guest toilet is beside the entrance, away from the main bathroom, and a desk is placed inside the bedroom. Historic details shape the suite interiors, alongside custom-built furniture and lighting. The suite also features bespoke fabrics, carpets and wallcoverings.
This suite has a fitness mirror and equipment for yoga and TRX suspension training. Normatec recovery boots and weighted blankets are also provided, alongside a...
The usual suite has one bedroom. A two-bedroom option is also available.
An exceptionally large separate living room, with contemporary art, is the focus of this suite. The bedroom has its own dressing area and ensuite bathroom, with a small guest bathroom also provided.
The ensuite is finished in marble and includes a walk-in shower. Custom-made linens, furniture and lighting form part of the Edwardian Baroque interior. Coffee and tea facilities are available, and an extra bed for a child or adult can be requested. A crib may also be arranged on request.
In one King-room design, a wide double doorway opens from the bedroom into the sitting room, where a deep sofa and chairs surround a low table. Two upholstered chairs and a round table stand beside the bedroom window. Pale moulded walls and patterned curtains carry through the visible rooms.
An exceptionally large separate living room, with contemporary art, is the focus of this suite. The bedroom has its own dressing area and ensuite bathroom,...
These suites sit below the building’s turrets and are named after notable women, including Clementine Churchill. Art Deco accents and custom furniture inspired by the Queen Mary ocean liner give the interiors a distinctive character.
The separate living room has a dining table for six. A guest WC is provided in addition to the marble bathroom with its walk-in shower. Views take in historic Whitehall. A two-bedroom configuration is available as an option. Custom-made linens are provided, and an extra bed for a child or adult, or a crib, is available on request.
One bedroom design features a broad tufted headboard with curved projecting sides. A tall, dark-fronted cabinet stands beyond the bed. Patterned curtains frame a deep window recess beneath a sculptural pale pendant.
These suites sit below the building’s turrets and are named after notable women, including Clementine Churchill. Art Deco accents and custom furniture inspired by the...
The OWO sits on Whitehall, close to Horse Guards, Downing Street, St James's Park, Westminster Abbey and the National Gallery. This is one of the most symbolic addresses in London. It works very well for guests with plans around Westminster, Mayfair, St James's, Covent Garden or the West End.
The location is also useful for first-time visitors who want landmarks close by without staying in a purely tourist hotel. Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament and the South Bank are within easy reach. Traffic can still be slow, but many central sights can be reached on foot or by a short car ride.
Raffles London at The OWO has 120 rooms and suites. The best categories use the building's proportions to strong effect, with high ceilings, deep windows and a sense of ceremony. Some rooms feel more urban and inward-looking, so view and category matter more here than at a simpler new-build hotel.
The design is rich and controlled, with Edwardian character balanced by modern comfort. Guests should expect a more formal London mood than at many newer lifestyle hotels. The suites are the main event for travelers who want the full OWO experience, especially those that make use of the building's heritage rooms and grander volumes.
For couples, the hotel can feel like a special-occasion address. For business travelers, the Whitehall location and service depth are practical. Families can also make it work, though the tone is more grown-up than playful. Raffles Butler service helps with packing, transfers, restaurant bookings and the small details that matter on a dense London schedule.
Dining is one of the hotel's biggest strengths. The OWO brings together nine restaurants and three bars, giving guests far more range than most London luxury hotels. Mauro Colagreco leads a major part of the culinary program, including his signature restaurant and Mauro's Table.
Mauro Colagreco's cooking focuses on seasonality and the flavors of the English garden. Saison offers a more relaxed Mediterranean mood. The Guards Bar and Lounge is the main Raffles bar, overlooking Horse Guards and serving both hotel guests and outside visitors. It is a strong choice for a drink that still feels tied to the building.
Other venues across The OWO broaden the offer, including rooftop dining at Kioku by Endo, the speakeasy-style Spy Bar, Pillar Kitchen and additional destination restaurants. The advantage is obvious: guests can stay several nights and still have different dining moods without leaving the address.
The Guerlain Spa is a major reason to choose this hotel. It spans four levels and is paired with Pillar Wellbeing for movement, nutrition and recovery. The spa includes a 20-meter pool, treatment rooms and serious beauty and wellness programming, making it one of central London's most complete hotel wellness setups.
This matters because Whitehall can be busy and ceremonial. A deep spa gives the hotel a private, restorative layer below the grandeur. Guests can spend the morning at galleries or meetings, return for a treatment or swim, then dine in the building without losing momentum.
The wellness offer is not an afterthought. It is part of the reason the hotel feels like a full destination rather than only a room above restaurants. Guests who care about spa time should plan it before arrival because prime slots can be in demand.
The service style is formal, polished and carefully choreographed. That suits the building. This is not a casual check-in-and-disappear hotel. It works best for guests who enjoy being looked after and who want a staff presence that can handle luggage, cars, dining, spa and special occasions without fuss.
Atmosphere is grand and public in parts, especially because The OWO attracts diners, residents, spa guests and London visitors as well as hotel guests. Yet the hotel areas still feel controlled. It is a good match for travelers who like a sense of occasion and less ideal for those who prefer discreet townhouse intimacy.
Claridge's remains the Mayfair benchmark for classic London glamour, with a more established social scene and a softer residential feel. The Peninsula London has a newer Belgravia address and a strong sense of arrival near Hyde Park Corner. Raffles London at The OWO answers with Whitehall history, a huge dining ecosystem and one of the city's strongest wellness offers.
The Lanesborough is more intimate and aristocratic, with a Hyde Park Corner location and butler-led service in a smaller grand-hotel frame. Rosewood London has a stronger Holborn and legal-quarter position, with a different courtyard mood. The Savoy is better for guests who want Strand, theatre and river heritage. The OWO is best when Whitehall, St James's and Westminster are central to the trip.
Compared with these peers, Raffles London is still the newer arrival, and that can be felt in both its ambition and its visibility. It is not the quietest choice. It is, however, one of the most complete choices for guests who want history, restaurants, spa and a landmark address in one package.
Book Raffles London at The OWO if you want a grand London stay with Whitehall history, serious dining, a major spa and easy access to Westminster, St James's, Mayfair and the West End. It is especially strong for special occasions, high-level business stays, culture-focused weekends and travelers who want the hotel itself to be part of the London experience.
Think twice if you want a quiet village-like neighborhood, a small townhouse hotel or a room rate driven mainly by square footage. This is a high-profile landmark hotel with big public energy. For the right guest, that energy is the point: a London stay with scale, theatre and enough substance behind the spectacle.
Guided history tours help make sense of the former Old War Office, turning impressive rooms and corridors into a more informed London experience.
A swimming pool beneath a double-height ceiling gives Guerlain Spa an architectural calm, offering a sheltered change of pace after busy Whitehall days.
Saison's all-day Mediterranean dining brings a Riviera influence to the stay, giving lunch a different mood without leaving the Old War Office.
57 Whitehall, London, SW1A 2BX, United Kingdom
Yes. Raffles London at The OWO is one of London's strongest luxury choices for travelers who want history, design, dining, and wellness. The hotel has 120 rooms and suites inside the restored Old War Office on Whitehall, with Raffles service and a major spa program.
Raffles London at The OWO is on Whitehall, close to St James's Park, Trafalgar Square, Westminster, and the River Thames. The location works well for guests who want government landmarks, museums, theatres, Mayfair, Covent Garden, and central London access.
The hotel occupies Britain's former Old War Office, a historic building linked to major 20th-century events and state history. Its transformation pairs grand Edwardian Baroque architecture with modern rooms, restaurants, bars, residences, and wellness spaces.
Rooms and suites are refined and contemporary, with historical details, bespoke furnishings, rich fabrics, and a polished London feel. Higher suites can add more space, stronger views, grander proportions, and a closer link to the building's heritage.
Book a room with Whitehall or city views if location and sense of place are central to the stay. Choose a suite if you want more living space, a special occasion setting, or a more residential London experience.
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