It’s a case of meet the tenants for Meet the Parents actor Robert De Niro, as the acting veteran has been given the green light to open a high-end hotel in central London. And that’s all without any horse heads being left in beds of the government’s decision makers.
De Niro is working in partnership with Covent Garden property owner Capital & Counties Properties (Capco) and BD Hotels to open the “visionary” venue. It will include luxury spa, two restaurants, a café and members’ club. The centrepiece of the hotel will include a courtyard conservatory, with all amenities based around it.
“London is one of the most exciting and cosmopolitan cities in the world. It makes perfect sense to develop a hotel that represents all of that in the heart of this city in Covent Garden. The Wellington Hotel would honour the heritage of the area, while bringing the best of what we’ve done in New York to London,” said De Niro.
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The London launch marks the first international hotel launch beyond the US for De Niro and BD Hotels’ co-founders Ira Drukier and Richard Born, the trio that has already collaborated on The Greenwich Hotel in the Big Apple.
The Wellington Hotel promises to be “an entirely new hotel concept, bespoke for Covent Garden” to revive an area spanning six buildings – three of which are Grade II listed.
De Niro added: “My partners and I are pleased with the unanimous consent of Westminster City Council for The Wellington Hotel project in Covent Garden. We would like to thank them for putting their trust in our vision.
“We now look forward to starting the construction and to the completion of the hotel, of which we will all be proud.”
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Since Capco secured ownership of Covent Garden Piazza and properties on the surrounding streets in 2006, the one million square foot area has grown to welcome 40m visitors annually. The firm claims it has “transformed Covent Garden into one of the most distinct and vibrant destinations in London”.
Ian Hawksworth, chief executive of Capco, said: “It will be our first landmark hotel within Covent Garden and become an iconic venue for London. Robert De Niro and BD Hotels have emerged as the world’s leading luxury hoteliers, so The Wellington Hotel will be a must-visit destination for visitors to the area.”
Capco Covent Garden director Sarah-Jane Curtis called the news a “hugely exciting prospect for London”. With work set to begin in 2017, construction on The Wellington is set to be completed in 2019.
At launch, The Wellington will be in the company of high-end restaurant Sushisamba, which is set to join Covent Garden’s “pedigree brands” in 2017.
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