Virgin Hotels poised to open first London property

Virgin Hotels will make its debut in London this summer as it takes over the existing 120-room Mondrian Shoreditch.

The hotel will open under its new guise in August when it will undergo a ‘gradual transformation’ to become the eighth location for the luxury lifestyle brand from Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group.

Located on Shoreditch’s Curtain Road, the property will bring Virgin’s “iconic trademark and unrivalled personalised hotel experience to one of London’s most vibrant neighbourhoods,” known as a hub for tech and creative businesses.

The property, which Virgin Hotels is working with Reuben Brothers to develop, will continue to house Spanish restaurant BiBo and will feature a rooftop bar, pool, private members club, gym and treatment rooms.

“Since the inception of Virgin Hotels, we’ve had our sights set on London; a place that so many of our customers either call home, or name as one of their favourite destinations – and of course where Virgin’s story started,” said Branson.

“Virgin Atlantic customers have always said to me that we give them a wonderful experience in the sky, but they don’t have the same Virgin experience when they land. Well, we’ve sorted that in Las Vegas, New York, Edinburgh and now London too,” he added.

The Virgin Hotels group, which opened its first property in Chicago ten years ago, is also present in Dallas, Nashville and New Orleans, with additions in Denver and Miami coming next year. The group is also targeting new openings in Boston, Los Angeles, Austin, Philadelphia and Seattle.