Principal unveils plans for London
The latest addition to Principal, a collection of hotels based in landmark buildings, will open in London in early 2018.
The renovation of the 334-key Principal London will transform the former Hotel Russell, a Grade II listed building which occupies the eastern flank of Russell Square in Bloomsbury. Opened by the Frederick Hotels Company in 1898, the hotel is steeped in history and features four British Queens guarding the entrance of its terracotta exterior.
Inside the property contemporary interior design by Tara Bernerd & Partners and Russell Sage Studio pays homage to the building’s history, whilst providing form and function for the modern traveller. At the heart of the hotel is Palm Court, a restored living room that sits alongside Principal London’s listed ballroom.
Ranging from city singles to The Principal Suite, guestrooms comprise carefully chosen artwork and accessories in a nod to Bloomsbury’s literary and artistic heritage, whilst creating a distinctly contemporary point of reference. Familiar in-room touches from Principal also include a red bedside telephone and a complimentary tuck-box of treats.
Elsewhere, three-time Bib Gourmand winner Brett Redman and stylist-turned-restaurateur Margaret Crow have partnered on neighbourhood restaurant Neptune, fusing the informal flair of their Richmond gastropub and Borough Market institution Elliot’s. Alongside the culinary offering, cocktail bar Fitz’s conjures the spirit of the 1920s, while coffeehouse Burr & Co. becomes a wine bar by night to offer an independent alternative to the nearby Brunswick Centre.
The opening of The Principal London follows launches in Edinburgh, Manchester and York, each of which has sensitively restored a historic hotel. The collection also includes properties in Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds and Oxford, with plans in place to open in Birmingham and Liverpool.
