Fire Damage at the Mandarin Oriental, London
Less than two weeks ago, the Mandarin Oriental London announced the completion of its multi-million pound restoration. Work on the 181 guest rooms and suites, as well as all public areas, had been overseen by internationally acclaimed designer, Joyce Wang (interviewed in SPACE issue 1/18). Each room had been custom-designed with curated artworks and individually designed furniture to highlight the building’s grandeur and elegance in keeping with its royal heritage (pictured), and the unveiling at the end of May had been a huge success with more launch parties set to take place over the coming weeks.
Devastatingly, a fire started during the afternoon of Wednesday 6 June, and ripped through the upper floors of the hotel. The incident was widely reported, with video footage and photos doing the rounds on social media from tourists and passers-by as well as breaking news stories covered by national media.
Luckily, with stringent safety measures in place, the hotel’s staff were able to evacuate all guests, including singer Robbie Williams, to a safe place and no-one was hurt. It is reported that more than 120 fire officers attended the scene.
It is not yet known how the fire started or the extent of the damage, but hotel management have issued the following statement:
“On the afternoon of 6 June a fire broke out at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London. The fire has been extinguished and all guests and colleagues are safe and accounted for.
We would like to express our appreciation to everyone who has conveyed their concern about this sad incident and we also thank the emergency services for their swift response. We are working closely with them to ensure the safety of the building and to assess the full extent of the damage.
Hotel guests are being accommodated at other hotels in the vicinity and we are in the process of assisting future guests with alternative accommodation until such time that we are ready to re-open.”
Future guests and those with current reservations have been asked to contact the team on + 44 (0)20 7235 2000.