London sets to open its first underground hotel
Green light given to build London's first 'sunken' hotel.
London is setting out for a ‘first’ in hotel design with an all new underground hotel. The windowless building will be built 50 ft beneath the streets of Bloomsbury inviting 166 guests to enjoy the perks of the city along with an affordable price tag.
Approval has been granted to build the hotel on the site of an underground car park, on the fourth and fifth levels, directly beneath St Giles Hotel in Great Russell Street.
The hotel, rumoured to be ‘The LDN Hotel’, will be for budget short-term stays for tourists and business travellers.
Courtesy of Ian Chalk Architects
The eco-friendly accommodation will be designed similarly to a 'Japanese pod hotel' giving guests access to all the modern essential amenities within the heart of the city.
With its initial proposal rejected, it hasn't been easy sailing to get works approved. There were concerns over the air quality underground, but they were overruled last week on appeal.
The Evening Standard have reported the benefits of such a hotel and what impact it could have on the local residents. Planning Inspector David Prentis said: 'Visitors to London have a wide choice of hotel accommodation. Perhaps some would choose not to sleep in an underground room.
'However, others may well decide that the benefits of a highly accessible location, close to numerous visitor attractions, would outweigh the absence of a window...the proposal would make effective use of an under-used part of an existing building.
'It would provide additional visitor accommodation in a highly accessible location.'
Courtesy of Ian Chalk Architects
Design plans unveiled wood panelling, well-lit rooms and features plants to be at the core of the hotel's design. A mechanical ventilation system will help purify the air and provide, what is said to be, even 'better quality' than outside.
Overall the hotel could help the area flourish as well as provide more jobs. Katy Walker, head of planning for the firm, said: 'This is an exciting and innovative hotel project, the first of its kind in London.
'We are delighted with the recent appeal decision and look forward to bringing this unique hotel scheme to life.'
With the go-ahead given works are well on there way, are only question is, would you sleep 50 ft below the ground?
