For opulence & heritage
£ £ £ RAFFLES LONDON AT THE OWO
After a seven-year, £1.3-billion restoration, the Old War Office on Whitehall has been reborn, and it can already claim to be one of London’s finest hotels. Thousands of craftspeople worked on the transformation of the 1906 building, breathing new life into architectural elements that include the show-stopping central staircase, complete with bespoke chandelier, and wood-panelled hallways lined with mosaic flooring. Former occupants, such as Winston Churchill and author Ian Fleming, are referenced throughout, from the subtle theming in the Heritage Suites to a hidden bar on a floor that once housed secret service offices. Inviting social spaces include Mediterranean restaurant Saison in the old library, and the cosy Guards Bar, which serves a ‘London sling’, a version of the cocktail made famous by
