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South China Morning Post
18-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
In Whitehall, a heritage address courts Asia's most exacting buyers
[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] Ultra-wealthy buyers from Asia, whether property magnates, tech entrepreneurs or family offices, have long been active participants in London's prime residential market. But few opportunities, even for this discerning cohort of buyers, match the rarity of The OWO Residences by Raffles. The central courtyard at The OWO boasts one of the nine restaurants at The OWO, which both hotel guests and residents can enjoy. 'There will only ever be one Old War Office, and only one Raffles London. No other scheme compares in terms of build quality, beauty and location,' says Mark Elliott, head of Savills International Realty in Hong Kong, on the OWO's appeal. Housed within the former Old War Office on Whitehall, once the preserve of Churchill and T. E. Lawrence, the scheme offers 85 bespoke residences next to a five-star Raffles hotel. Its appeal lies not only in its prime location and architectural grandeur but in the convergence of imperial heritage, branded service and enduring value.'There will only ever be one Old War Office, and only one Raffles London,' says Mark Elliott, head of Savills International Realty in Hong Kong. 'No other scheme compares in terms of build quality, beauty and location.'At entry prices of roughly £4mn for a one-bed and £8-10mn for larger family homes, the residences sit firmly in London's 'super-prime' bracket. Elliott regards the premium as defensible: comparables near Hyde Park may share leafy views, but they lack the gravitas of a Grade II* listed palazzo abutting Horse Guards Parade, within strolling distance of Buckingham Palace. 'It isn't the Churchill connection that closes deals,' he concedes. 'Clients buy because of where it is, what it is, and the level of finish we're delivering. It's like buying a Monet or a Picasso,' he muses. 'You're acquiring a slice of history that will be handed down through generations.' The pitch is resonating with Asian capital that increasingly prizes 'wealth-preservation generational purchases'. Completed in 1906, the War Office served as a strategic command during both world wars and later housed the Ministry of Defence. Its commanding position on Whitehall – between Downing Street and Buckingham Palace – adds geopolitical weight to its architectural gravitas. Following a £1bn+ restoration led by Westminster Development Services, the building now incorporates nine restaurants, three bars, a Guerlain spa and 30,000 sq ft of residents-only amenities, all anchored by Raffles' first UK hotel.
Times
17-05-2025
- Business
- Times
Gopi Hinduja and family net worth — Sunday Times Rich List 2025
What is Gopi Hinduja and family's net worth? ▼ £35.304 billion£37.196 billion in 2024 The sumptuous 120-room Raffles hotel fashioned out of Whitehall's Old War Office (OWO) in central London, where Winston Churchill and Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, worked during the Second World War, has been restored to 21st-century luxury by Gopi Hinduja, who tops The Sunday Times Rich List for the fourth successive year. More recently, the gilt-edged OWO has hosted several 'leaving UK' parties for super-rich individuals and families getting out of the country. The building's owner will not be hosting one himself. Gopi — or GP as he likes to be known — plans to see out his days in his 60-room home on Carlton House Terrace, just
Times
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Times
Matthew Parris: My night sleeping in Churchill's War Office
Half a century ago I arrived in Whitehall as a young Foreign Office recruit. The building was tremendous, befitting a nation's once-confident imperial pomp. The decor of the state rooms breathed grandiosity — so long as you kept your eyes raised. Lower your gaze and you saw grubby taps, charladies filling buckets, and clerks wheeling trollies piled with dog-eared files down endless corridors. As an efficient office block for modern government the place was in the wrong century. Some proposed knocking it down. They wanted to do that — unbelievably — to much of Whitehall. The 19th-century world of clerks and formality has long gone. In its place, in another of those old state buildings a stone's throw from the Foreign Office, has come… well, something astonishing. Imagine a lavish makeover, a billion pounds or so invested in an almost reverential adaptation, with top-of-the-range restaurants and bars, and state rooms where portraits of former statesmen gaze down on mahogany four-poster beds, silk curtains and velvety carpets. Like a dream of past glories, recreated for a generation whose world is anything but glorious. Last week I spent a night in that dream. Whitehall's Old War Office — 'OWO' — is the place where, when I began at the Foreign Office, spies were reputed to keep company and the military top brass still met to mull the twists and turns of the Cold War. From its design at the turn of the 19th century and then for more than a century, the OWO corridors were paced by the likes of Asquith, Kitchener, Lloyd-George, Churchill, Slim, Eden and Profumo — a who's who of leadership in war and peace. This is where a young Winston Churchill addressed staff from a marble balcony in the First World War and where orders for D-Day were finalised in the Second. A vast palace built in Edwardian baroque style, with a sweeping staircase designed so that officers in riding spurs would not trip, and acres of luxurious panelling that took a sizeable proportion of the forests of Empire to create. Domes and turrets soar, ceilings reach to the heavens, heavy doors with brass locks clunk satisfactorily. The views from the windows even now are of Guards on horseback across the road, and the Banqueting House from which Charles I stepped to his execution in 1649. It's at the epicentre of our nation's history. And now, very discreetly, it has become a hotel of impeccable style. Apparently it took eight years to finish the conversion, longer than it took to build the OWO in the first place. Few of us frequenting Westminster had even noticed it happening. At least on the outside. But I've now walked inside to a world I'm utterly unaccustomed to — and would indeed be unable to afford. 'Good afternoon, Mr Parris, I'm your butler,' said Mateusz Wojakowski, capable and welcoming, making no comment on my tattered old rucksack, and leading my partner and me down mosaic-floored corridors into a set of rooms that would make even a prince blush. There was a vast bed, the finest linens, chandeliers and a sitting room stacked with antiques. And the bathroom! The size of a small church, with a vast polished brass bath, gleaming gold on a plinth where an altar might rest. The Haldane Suite must be the grandest room in the grandest hotel in one of the grandest cities on Earth (although, I'm told, the Granville Suite, with its wooden panelling and almost cathedral-style bedroom, is even more glorious). It became Churchill's office when he was secretary of state for war from 1919-21. The high, arching stucco ceilings are original, the great fireplaces even older, brought from the military command's original offices in houses on Pall Mall. The art on the walls comes from the private collection of the Hinduja family, who funded the new hotel. The three vast rooms run from one to the other in what the owners of stately homes call an enfilade — from bed to bath in a spectacular progression. The suite has been named after the reforming secretary of state for war — a Liberal MP and philosopher — but even this moderniser would have been astonished by the technology now slipped, almost invisibly, into his old offices. Curtains close at the touch of a tablet, subtle lighting dims and brightens, and a hidden enclave hides a bar, tucked in silent sliding draws. The bed is vast, the sheets perfect, the carpet deep, and the room, despite Whitehall outside, silent. I've rarely slept better. The price (had I paid it) is embarrassing — the luxury almost too much to take in. I had quietly expected the whole thing might be a bit flash, and I'd be able to tease the world's super-rich for their ostentation. But no. I have to report that the restoration is elegant and respectful, the regard for history spot on and even the pillows (I'm fussy about pillows) just the right balance between thin and puffy. My only regret was the walk through the suite to the loo, which seemed to take about ten minutes. I slept better than anyone deserves to in what was apparently once the office of the chief of the imperial general staff. I could almost hear him harrumphing at the impertinence. Dinner in the Mauro Colagreco restaurant was a succession of luxuriant flavours: Scottish langoustine and shellfish in lime-heavy leche de tigre, with strips of kohlrabi; radish and poached scallops fresh and tangy — a world away from the overcooked steak and caviar I'd supposed oligarchs want. Before padding back to my imperial suite there was time for a Vesper Martini in the Spy Bar, deep in the basement, photography banned, and an Aston Martin behind the counter. Somehow even this seemed more authentic than showy. There's hardly space here to tell you about the vast swimming pool buried deep underground, or the turret with a view over half of London … It was time to hang up my hotel dressing gown, pick up my plasticky rucksack and head out, past the limousines, into real life at Embankment Tube around the corner. I have never really associated extravagance with good taste. Here was both. Though what Lord Kitchener would have thought of two gentlemen together in a bed in his office, heaven only knows. The Haldane Suite begins at £16,000,
South China Morning Post
19-03-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong's historic buildings can serve as strategic assets
Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at [email protected] or filling in this Google form . Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification Advertisement In a world where financial considerations often take precedence, preserving historic buildings is frequently seen as costly and high-maintenance. The challenge lies in finding the right adaptive reuse, a critical factor that determines the value and future of these structures. Whether a building should be preserved or redeveloped hinges on if it can be aligned with modern needs while respecting its heritage. When executed thoughtfully, adaptive reuse can turn these structures into valuable assets. Globally, successful projects highlight how historic buildings have been integrated into retail and development strategies. Luxury brands have embraced the charm of these structures to reinforce their identities. In 2018, Chanel pledged 25 million euros (US$27.3 million) to restore the Grand Palais in Paris, France. Prada helped restore the iconic Rong Zhai mansion in Shanghai in 2017. These examples showcase how heritage sites can enhance the appeal of commercial ventures. Developers have also repurposed historic buildings into luxury hotels and residences, creating unique offerings that stand out in the market. A notable example is the Old War Office in London's Whitehall, which has been transformed into a luxury hotel and residence development. The irreplaceable craftsmanship and rich history of such heritage buildings elevate their luxury appeal. Historic buildings are also increasingly relevant in the context of environmental, social and governance considerations. As ESG regulations tighten in places around the world, these structures present unique opportunities to align with sustainability goals. They support the 11th UN Sustainable Development Goal, which emphasises the protection of cultural heritage. Advertisement Additionally, preservation contributes to other SDGs by reducing the need for new construction materials, minimising waste and lowering carbon emissions through practices like energy-efficient retrofitting. The ESG approach can enhance corporate reputation, benefit from green financing, ensure regulatory compliance and support long-term competitive advantages and value creation.
