Mason Jones (Reporter)
ONE of London’s most iconic landmarks is to receive a Spanish makeover after plans were unveiled to turn Admiralty Arch into a luxury hotel.
The Grade I-listed building – situated between Trafalgar Square and The Mall – has been bought for €75 million by Spanish hotel developer Rafael Serrano.
The Spaniard, who already owns the €1,060 per night Bulgari Hotel in Knightsbridge, has promised ‘subtle illuminations’, a lavish ballroom and a spa.
Serrano insisted he would preserve the historic features of the 100-year-old building, with the deal including an agreement that the public will be allowed access for the first time.
The five-star hotel is expected to attract 50,000 guests a year, with the same number expected in its bars and restaurants.
The eight-storey building is currently empty, despite racking up €1 million-a-year running costs, with Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude describing it as a ‘tragic waste of an historic building’.
