The Imperial hotel features 357 redesigned rooms and suites alongside new wellness and cultural spaces.
Arcus offers near-360-degree London views from Bloomsbury’s first rooftop bar and restaurant.
Bancone has opened its first hotel restaurant on the ground floor.
The historic Bloomsbury hotel has reopened with 357 rooms, destination dining, cultural programming and the neighbourhood’s first rooftop bar.
London is never short of hotel openings, but few arrive with more than a century of stories behind them. The Imperial London has officially reopened overlooking Russell Square, marking a new chapter for one of Bloomsbury’s longstanding hospitality institutions. Following an extensive refurbishment, the property is ready to welcome guests again with 357 rooms and suites, new drinking and dining destinations, wellness spaces and a cultural programme designed to reconnect the hotel with its creative surroundings.
The Imperial’s history on Russell Square stretches back to the early 20th century. Designed by Charles Fitzroy Doll, the original hotel opened in 1905 as an elaborate neo-Gothic building featuring turrets, decorative tiles, a grand ballroom and winter garden. Turkish Baths lined with shimmering mosaics followed in 1913. The original building was demolished in 1966, with the hotel returning in Modernist form by 1970. Over the decades, its guest list included figures such as Barbara Windsor and Margaret Thatcher.
Rather than disguise that later architectural identity, the new transformation embraces it. Cube Design led the architecture, while Trevillion Interiors and Keane Brands handled the interiors. The building’s geometric windows and distinctive façade have been retained, while the new spaces reference the 1960s and 1970s through timber panelling, terrazzo, burnt orange accents, sculptural lighting and mid-century furniture. Five historic bells have also survived, while a wrought-iron galleon from the former hotel has been incorporated into the Bell Room & Terrace.
That approach continues across the 357 bedrooms and suites. Many retain The Imperial’s angular windows, while selected accommodations add private outdoor areas, garden spaces and freestanding outdoor bathtubs. Retro touches include GPO Audrey telephones and complimentary Chopper bike hire, while wellness bags add another playful detail to selected rooms.
Adam Ellis Studio Art House has created more than 500 original prints for the bedrooms and communal areas, strengthening the connection between the hotel and Bloomsbury’s artistic legacy. A continuing programme of music, poetry, cultural discussions and wellbeing experiences is also intended to make The Imperial a destination for Londoners as much as overnight guests. Weekly rooftop performances and events across Edit Bar form part of the programme.
Food and drink provide another reason to visit. Edit Bar & Lounge occupies the lower levels with an all-day offering, while London pasta favourite Bancone has opened on the ground floor. The 140-cover restaurant marks Bancone’s sixth London site and its first within a hotel, complete with an open kitchen and a 60-seat outdoor terrace.
The biggest addition, however, sits ten floors above Russell Square. Arcus is billed as Bloomsbury’s first rooftop bar and restaurant, offering near-360-degree views across London. St Paul’s Cathedral, the London Eye and the domes of the British Museum can all be spotted from the terrace, with seasonal food, cocktails, breakfast, brunch, live music and late-night programming all part of the experience.
For The Imperial London, this is the third incarnation of a hotel that has watched Bloomsbury change around it for more than a century.
Where: The Imperial, 61-66 Russell Square, Bloomsbury, London, WC1B 5BE.
Contact: www.imperialhotels.co.uk