It’s common to think, If these walls could talk… when staying at a historic hotel, but in the case of London’s new Raffles, which opened in Britain’s Old War Office in September, you can practically hear them shouting. This is where Winston Churchill helped map out the Allied victory in World War II, where Ian Fleming dreamed up 007. Over the last eight years, architects and designers have transformed the OWO from an office building where Boy Scouts once bicycled 2.5 miles of hallways to deliver important messages into a property with 120 guest rooms and suites, 12 bars and restaurants, a heavenly spa and pool, and 85 private residences. There are myriad reasons to check in—or even just pop in to gaze at the grand staircase and 26-foot-tall Venetian chandelier—but here are four to start.
Sumptuous Suites
While the late Thierry Despont designed all the guest rooms—decorated in serene shades of gray, sage, and white—it’s the French architect’s suites that really sing. The eight corner suites, located below the building’s turrets, are named for notable female spies and wartime luminaries (Christian Lamb, Margot Turner) and feature Art Deco accents, bold red drapes, and velvet couches. Meanwhile, an old office once used by Churchill has been transformed into the Haldane Suite; take a seat at the desk, and you’ll enjoy the same view he did when he was Secretary of War.
Peaceful Pampering
Construction crews excavated three floors beneath the building to make room for a full-fledged, four-floor wellness center that boasts the U.K.’s first Guerlain Spa, a stunning 65-foot pool surrounded by marble arches, a health club and movement studio, a juice bar, a hair salon, and more. Interior design firm Goddard Little-fair wanted to “cocoon guests with a sense of calm,” and the space does just that—especially if you treat yourself to an Imperial Relaxing Massage.
Divine Dining
UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Biodiversity and three-Michelin-starred chef Mauro Colagreco is responsible for two of the nine restaurants here (plus a chef’s table experience), and you’d be wise to dine at both of them. His eponymous fine-dining spot celebrates the bounty of English gardens with a five-course meal that makes stars of humble carrots and radicchio. (Diners are presented with vegetable note cards that would look lovely framed in your kitchen.) Colagreco’s all-day Mediterranean café, Saison, was previously a library where Fleming would hang out; dream up your own Bond stories while enjoying the breakfast spread—viennoiserie, charcuterie, oysters—or a lunch of risotto and West Country lamb.
Covert Cocktails
Raffles takes cocktails seriously—which feels historically accurate, given how much people used to drink back in the War Office’s heyday. The Guards Bar, on the ground floor, looks out on Buckingham Palace’s ceremonial entrance and offers the chance to compare the iconic Singapore Sling (created for the original Raffles in 1915) and the new London Sling, which features straw-berry (among other recipe tweaks). While anyone can score a seat here, The Spy Bar is a “classified” subterranean space reserved for hotel guests. Gawk at the Aston Martin DB5 mounted behind the bar, order a Double O Seven cocktail, and consider yourself part of His Majesty’s Secret Service.
