St. Ermin’s Hotel in Central London is housed in a Grade II listed building which was once a 15th century chapel and maybe a monastery even before that. The building has a lot of history behind it but it has undergone extensive renovation worth £30m ($48m) recently that has incorporated all the modern luxuries and amenities into the hotel. The timeless luxury has been made contemporary to appeal to the modern luxury traveler. The hotel reopened its doors for the guests recently after the comprehensive refurbishment. The new look interiors has raised the bar for the other luxury hotels and restaurants in London.
It Was Known as St. Ermin’s Mansion for Sometime
The hotel is located in the heart of Westminster that makes Parliament, parks and the shopping districts of Knightsbridge conveniently accessible. Sightseeing spots like the Buckingham Palace and the banks of the Tames are also in the nearby vicinity. The entire area has history that dates back hundreds of years but has evolved and changed with the times. In 1800s when Westminster became a prime area of the city of London the building was redeveloped with elaborate rococo ceilings, glittering chandeliers, Art Nouveau plaster work and transformed into a highly covetable serviced apartments called St. Ermin’s Mansions. It had well heeled residents and a fleet of servants to take care of their needs.
It Played Host to British Intelligence Service During World War II
The serviced apartment was in existence for barely a decade and then it was converted into a hotel. It has been a hotel since then and has been upgraded and renovated to keep up with the times. During the Second World War the hotel gained prominence as it played host to the British intelligence services as well as Winston Churchill’s Special Operations Executive. The restaurant of the hotel, Caxton Bar also became notorious in the 1950s as it was here that double-agent Guy Burgess handed over top-secret papers to his Russian colleague. The restaurant now known as the Caxton Grill has recently installed a Josper Grill that cooks food over charcoal but closes like a regular oven. The kitchen is also famous for using urban honey in many of its dishes that is sourced from the hotel’s rooftop bee colony.
