A week after announcing a big hotel deal for New York City, Hard Rock International, in an interesting collaboration with innovative London-based GLH Hotels, on Thursday unveiled plans for Hard Rock Hotel London, set for a summer 2018 opening.
A conversion of the existing Cumberland Hotel, will place the 900-room hotel in one of London’s most sought after locations – directly at Marble Arch on Hyde Park and at the crossroads of the iconic Oxford Street and Park Lane.
“From our foundation in 1971 with the opening of the first Hard Rock Cafe in London to the many days and nights spent at the legendary Hard Rock Calling festival in Hyde Park, London has always been a special city as the birthplace of our brand,” said Hamish Dodds, chief executive officer at Hard Rock International. “We look forward to completing the circle and establishing the Hard Rock Hotel in London, a legendary musical city that brought the greatest styles of rock to the world stage.”
A short walk from the original Hard Rock Cafe, the upcoming Hard Rock Hotel will stay true to the city’s musical heritage through live events featuring both local and international talents. In addition, the music-inspired hotel will celebrate London’s standing as an epicenter of classic and contemporary music with curated memorabilia displays and a memorabilia vault within, housing some of the brand’s more than 80,000 historical pieces.
Hard Rock Hotel London will feature a lobby lounge offering guests signature cocktails and live music, an on-site Hard Rock Cafe and a Rock Shop, featuring the brand’s iconic merchandise. The hotel will also cater to guests with a full-service Rock Spa, signature restaurant and speakeasy. Additional plans call for a rooftop and lounge and music-inspired design.
“With Hard Rock’s proven track record of world-class service and hospitality, combined with GLH Hotels’ extensive operating skills and expertise in the region as the largest hotel owner-operator in London, we are confident the future Hard Rock Hotel will be a success and we look forward to continuing to grow our collaboration,” said Mike DeNoma, chief executive officer of GLH Hotels.
With 23 hotels and 11 casinos globally, Hard Rock International has announced over 10 projects in the past year, including Hard Rock Hotel New York, Hard Rock Hotel Berlin Checkpoint Charlie and Hard Rock Hotel Atlanta.