Sofitel London St James Hotel (London)

 hotel  Add category

Sofitel London St James is a 125,000 sq. ft grade II listed building, formerly the headquarters of a Lloyds Bank subsidiary and owned by The Crown Estate.

Designed by E. Keynes Purchase in association with Durward Brown, the original building was completed in 1923 to house the headquarters of Cox & Company and later became Cox's & King's following the acquisition of Henry S. King & Co. It was subsequently taken over by Lloyd's Bank who occupied the building in the years following.

Founder Richard Cox was appointed agent for the First Regiment of Foot Guards, later called the Grenadier Guards, in 1758. In the pioneering days of the British Empire, Cox & Co set up branches in India, Burma and Egypt. Richard Cox, genuinely devoted to the welfare of the regiments he represented, was also a patron of the arts, and a friend of many of the best actors and musicians in the West End.

The architecture and structure of the building complement the master strategy originally laid down by John Nash for his Regent Street urban plan 100 years earlier.

Sofitel has developed the site in collaboration with The Crown Estate, Westminster City Council and MWB, to create a hotel, which reflects both the original grandeur of the building and the outstanding architecture in this prime St James location.

The architects behind Sofitel London St James are award-winning RHWL, whose reputation lies in redeveloping and refurbishing many listed buildings in visually sensitive and historic locations. RHWL's previous projects include some of the UK's most notable structures such as Sadler's Wells Theatre and The Criterion in London, Botleys Park in Surrey and Bridgewater Hall in Manchester. The practice's international scope includes a number of major developments such as the Duisburg Musical Theatre in Germany.

www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-3144-sofitel-london-st-jam...
www.sofitelstjames.com/