Over the years a number of refurbishments and architectural interventions had destroyed many of the original features and much of the building’s innate glamour. In 2014, EPR Architects was appointed by Starwood Capital as lead designer to work alongside Principal Hotels, Tara Bernerd & Partners and Russell Sage Studio to restore this ‘grande dame’ back to its former glory whilst reinvigorating the space and adding a sense of modern luxury

The renovation included a hard refurbishment of guest rooms to create 334 individual custom-finished rooms with 39 new luxury suites. These suites seek to address the historical significance of the building with locations on the front façade and principal suites on the first floor, where historically the finest guest rooms would have been accommodated.

Externally, the building is distinctively clad in decorative thé-au-lait terracotta which has been extensively cleaned and restored where possible, with a reconfiguration to the external entrances. Redundant later additions have been removed with a new entrance to the restaurant and new doors and marble steps throughout.