Mayfair certainly isn’t short on luxury hotel openings; the last year alone has seen 1 Hotel Mayfair and the Mandarin Oriental Mayfair pitch up just a few streets over from Mayfair moguls The Connaught and Claridges. It's clear that everyone wants a piece on the most expensive spot on the Monopoly board. Ready to throw its top hat into the game, Auberge Resorts Collection is set to make its UK debut with the opening of Cambridge House in 2025.
The American-based hotel operator has been appointed to manage the property by London-based investors and developers Reuben Brothers, which purchased the property at 94 Piccadilly back in 2012. Originally it was set that Cambridge House, which dates back to the mid 1700s and was the former site of the In and Out Miltary Club, would be turned into a private family residence. Now, plans have been unveiled for a 102-room hotel with an accompanying spa, several restaurants and a private members club.
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“Reuben Brothers’ vision for Cambridge House is incredibly inspiring and we are honored to have been chosen to usher this uniquely British property into its next chapter as a luxury hotel,” said Auberge Resorts Collection chairman, Dan Friedkin. “Adding such an iconic Mayfair destination to our growing portfolio is also an exciting step forward in our focused expansion into Europe.”
Cambridge House is part of Reuben Brothers’ £1bn (approx. $1.3bn) renovation project of this 1.3-acre stretch of Mayfiar, which also includes the super-prime residential development of One Carrington and the cobblestone streets of Shepherd Market.
“Cambridge House is one of the most exciting projects my family and I have ever brought to fruition,” said the company’s principal, Jamie Reuben.“Our vision for this special property is not just to offer a new destination, but a new level of hospitality and something that London has not seen before. We chose Auberge Resorts Collection for the brand’s unrivaled spirit of intention – to provide a distinct and unparalleled luxury hospitality experience.”
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Two leading designers have been assigned with the task of transforming the Grade 1-listed Palladian-style townhouse – which once hosted and entertained the likes of Queen Victoria – into a world-leading destination for today’s London elite. Jean-Louis Deniot will oversee the hotel's transformation, while interiors wiz Laura Gonzalez will be in charge of designing the club’s bar, dining venues, spa and nine members-only club rooms.
While further details are yet to be unveiled, the initial announcement notes that Cambridge House will offer a “kaleidoscope of venues”: from an elegant Georgian ballroom and open-air courtyard, to a brasserie-style restaurant and “exciting culinary partnership” that is set to be announced soon. Cambridge House will also play host to a double-level spa, which will feature two heated swimming pools, seven treatment rooms, and a Roman-style bathhouse.
While Cambridge House will be the first UK-based property for Auberge, it is part of the brand’s planned expansion into Europe, joining the likes of Collegio alla Querce in Florence, Italy, which is set to open this year, and its existing properties in Domaine des Etangs in France and Grace Hotel in Santorini, Greece.
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