PARK HYATT LONDON, RIVER THAMES, ENGLAND

Posted in Projects on 16 March, 2025

The Hyatt of sophistication in London’s Nine Elms.

Words by Emma Kennedy.

Like most sprawling cities, London really is a collection of small towns and villages, and keeping it local is often the norm. As such, it’s quite easy for major developments in areas that don’t fall into your ‘manor’ to rise up unnoticed despite being little more than a stone’s throw away from your front door.

However, it would be hard to miss the Nine Elms development, which has been transforming the industrial landscape of Vauxhall in Southwest London over the past 15 years. Broadly seen as one of Europe’s largest regeneration projects – stretching between Lambeth Bridge and Chelsea Bridge – at its centre is One Nine Elms, a mixed-use development and home to the London debut of Park Hyatt London River Thames.

Park Hyatt London, River Thames, England. Photographs courtesy of Park Hyatt

As its name suggests, the new hotel stands tall on the banks of the River Thames. Forty-two storeys high, it resides in one of two connected glass towers, with far-reaching views that take in a diverse array of iconic London landmarks. From Battersea Power Station, Westminster Abbey, and Buckingham Palace to Tate Britain, the Houses of Parliament, and Big Ben – gazing out across the river soon becomes an addictive pastime.

Designed by architects KPF (Kohn Pedersen Fox) in collaboration with Studio Moren, the interiors are predominantly the work of Japanese studio Super Potato, with key areas by Studio Moren.

Leaving the drizzle of a damp December day behind, the welcome is warm as I enter Park Hyatt London River Thames. The elongated lobby – running the length of the River Tower – is an elegant affair. Wrapped from floor to ceiling in pale stone, discreet lighting casts a downward glow from the pillars. Overhead, a spiralling bentwood installation, Ebb and Flow by London artist Charlie Whinney, weaves its way along the walls and ceiling, echoing the river outside. Simple bench seating in warm wood replaces the more usual clusters of arrival armchairs, and sleek black carriage lights pay homage to Vauxhall’s industrial heritage. It’s calm, curated, and very smart. Calm because of the abundance of natural materials in quiet neutral tones, curated because of the standout art pieces that instantly draw the eye, and smart because it is, of course, a Park Hyatt.

The Nine Elms Bar & Lounge beckons.

Framed in ebony black, the opening to the Nine Elms Bar & Lounge beckons. Here, the design lights up with the installation of 296 (no, I didn’t count them) hanging lights, which appear to dance overhead. Chairs and sofas gather around low dark wood tables in a rich mix of reds, greens, and ochres, leaving you in no doubt that you are in a very glamorous bar, which in turn demands an equally glamorous cocktail. The art of paper quilling is taken to the next level with two vast ombré artworks that sing out from walls of warm wood, and the bar ahead takes on the look of a library, with machine parts instead of books forming the rich backdrop. It’s a stunning space, which I believe is already becoming a favourite with the smart new locals.

Yú Gé Cantonese restaurant.

The Nine Elms Kitchen & Terrace is the hotel’s main all-day restaurant. Here, the design dilemma of creating a space that needs to work equally well at breakfast and dinner has been eased with the presence of the terrace. Though far too new to have established itself at the time of my visit – and far too cold to be inviting – it’s easy to imagine it coming into its own as the seasons change. Inside, the restaurant is a versatile design, offering an array of elegant tables and chairs around a central bar. Creating a more relaxed ‘international diner’ feel, a glass wall of falling leaves forms the backdrop to classic booth seating. Divided by intricate handmade metalwork screens, the spaces are inviting and intimate. It’s purposefully seasonal, reflecting the menus on offer, and once again is smart and understated, leaving Yú Gé – the Cantonese restaurant higher up – to make the design statement.

Yú Gé restaurant. A beautiful space with strong lines and contemporary Chinese aesthetic.

Discreetly sitting behind ebonised double doors with brass bamboo handles, Yú Gé draws the eye upward on entry with a flame-red ceiling hung with a contemporary Chinese carved wood installation that hangs down like an exposed roof structure. Taking this as the starting point, the palette below softens with accents of black for the service points, metalwork screens, and tables. Furniture dressed in muted greys and soft reds gathers round respectfully. It’s a beautiful space with strong lines and contemporary Chinese aesthetic.

Yú Gé private dining.

Completing the hotel’s F&B offerings, Studio Moren are the design team behind the TAMISé Wine Library and Tea Lounge. Situated on the top floor of the building, it really is the icing on the cake. Taking its theme seriously, the Wine Library has 1,300 bottles of wine on offer – and not a cocktail in sight. Accessed down a deliciously dark corridor, there is the distinct air of a sophisticated speakeasy. Inspired by the 18th-century Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, the bar’s pared-back decadence includes accents of gold that pop subtly against chairs dressed in soft velvets and bouclé fabrics in a palette of corals, forest greens, and muted neutrals. Marble tables lit with sculptural lamps, soft rugs on marble floors, and lights that hover overhead like strange fish from the river below set the scene for drinking in the views across the city.

The Park Hyatt’s wellness offerings are exceptional. As one would imagine, The Spa offers everything with state-of-the-art, holistic bells on – which, given the brand, is what you would expect. What isn’t a given in central London is the sheer volume of space it inhabits, and for once, it isn’t subterranean. Spanning the whole of the first floor, it takes full advantage of the natural daylight, which really does flood in through the double-height windows.

The pool – an impressive 8 x 20 metres – is simply breathtaking. Staggered slices of floor-to-ceiling walls jut out screen-like at angles, their sharp lines reflecting in the water. It’s serene and quietly futuristic in design and ambience. Beyond, the serenity continues with six treatment rooms, Somadome meditation pods, saunas, relaxation rooms, and a fitness centre.

The 8 x 20 metre pool is serene and quietly futuristic in design and ambience. The guestrooms have a reserved British feel to them.

The guest rooms and suites – all 203 of them – have a reserved British feel to them. They are elegant, tasteful, and beautifully appointed. Vanilla walls, dark-framed furniture, contemporary clean lines, and splashes of William Morris wallpaper create a refined aesthetic. The marble bathrooms feature generous showers, freestanding bathtubs, and Japanese toilets. My Park Suite River View Deluxe, was exceptionally spacious, and I really did feel rather sophisticated as I wafted my way around. Waking up the following morning, a bedside flick of a switch instructed the sheer blackout blinds to quietly open, revealing panoramic views. The next hour was spent identifying landmarks and neighbourhoods, watching the planes flying across London, boats chugging their way along the Thames, and the traffic below. It was a fine way to start the day!

As someone familiar with the Vauxhall of yesteryear in all its grungy glory, I can’t help but marvel at its latest incarnation. Back then there really was very little to recommend it apart from its location – but what a location! Within a 15-minute walk, you have most of the aforementioned landmarks, and now within a two-minute walk, you have bars, restaurants, and retail in an exciting urban hub. Super Potato’s beautifully crafted interiors are thoughtful and elegant. The respectful design references to the locale’s history fuse harmoniously with the owners’ Asian heritage. Rich in parts without a shadow of glitz, it’s setting a high standard for the flurry of hotels sure to follow.