File:The Lanesborough Hotel (formerly St George's Hospital) - Hyde Park Corner, London - 21024191872.jpg

English: This building at Hyde Park Corner in London was previously the St George's Hospital. It is now The Lanesborough Hotel.

The Lanesborough is a prestigious five-star hotel on Hyde Park Corner at Knightsbridge in the City of Westminster, London. It is reputedly the most expensive hotel in London, the highest rate being up to £14,000 per night for the "Lanesborough Suite". A 24-hour private butler is available to each guest. The Lanesborough has accommodated visiting royalty, eminent politicians, and entertainers. Opposite are Hyde Park and Apsley House, the former home of the Duke of Wellington. The hotel is next to the Hyde Park Corner tube station.

The Lanesborough, designed by William Wilkins, was originally constructed from 1827 to 1844 as a 350-bed facility for St George's Hospital. Originally having three floors, a fourth floor was added in 1859. It was closed in 1980 and remained vacant until it was refurbished and reopened as a hotel in 1991. The hotel has 93 rooms (including 43 suites), a restaurant, a bar, 6 meeting rooms, and a spa.

www.thelanesborough.co.uk/

Grade II* listed building

St George's Hospital St George's Hospital and Attached Drinking Fountain, Westminster

   In the entry for:-
   TQ 2879 NW Hyde Park Corner, SW1
   88/16 St George's Hospital
   II*
   The address and description shall be amended to read:-
   Hyde Park Corner, SW1
   St George's Hospital and attached
   Drinking fountain.
   Purpose built hospital, begun 1827. William Wilkins. Painted stucco;
   slate low pitched roof to parapet. Symmetrical block facing east with
   return to north and south. Three storeys with attic added in 1859. 13
   bays wide, including double centre bay. Podium. Basement with
   chanelled rustication. projecting pedimented central portico of three
   bays with square doric antae to entrance below. Pair of bays to each
   end of block advanced, with applied doric pilasters. Dentil cornice
   above second floor and subsidiary cornice to attic. Frieze of portico
   with rosettes and words "St George's Hospital". Square headed windows
   with architraves, corniced to ground and first floor; second floor
   windows with flanking pilasters (a modification of 1859). Small paned
   sash windows retaining glazing bars. Return elevation also of
   interest. Facing Knightsbridge a C20 gateway in portland stone by C
   Holden, with bronze bust of John Hunter by Alfred Gilbert.
   Attached drinking fountain on Knightsbridge facade. Inscribed
   "MDCCCLX" (1860) on the frieze. Erected by the Metropolitan Drinking
   Fountain and Cattle trough Association. Fluted shell basin of carved
   stone on a rough stone base flanked by stepped plinths surmounted by
   acanthus leaf consoles carrying a frieze and cornice with scrolled
   pediment and central finial. One of the earliest drinking fountains
   erected by the Association, a hospital being seen as an appropriate
   location. Founded in 1859 The Metropolitan Free Drinking Fountain
   Association (Cattle Trough added 1867) provided free fresh water to
   many humans and beasts at a time when ale and spirits were easier to
   obtain than water and most supplies contaminated. The Christian
   association of water with purity of spirit led evangelical Victorians
   to become patrons of the Association which provided a catalogue of
   functional designs but some wealthy patrons used their own.
   London Vol I. Pevsner.
   country life November 11th 1976, p1354-6.
   ---------------------------------------------------

   TQ 2879 NW CITY OF WESTMINSTER HYDE PARK CORNER, SW1
   88/16
   14.1.70 St George's Hospital
   GV II*
   Purpose built hospital, begun 1827. William Wilkins. Painted stucco; slate low
   pitched roof to parapet. Symmetrical block facing east with return to north and
   south. Three storeys with attic added in 1859. 13 bays wide, including double
   centre bay. Podium. Basement with chanelled rustication. Projecting pedimented
   central portico of three bays with square Doric antae to entrance below. Pair of
   bays to each end of block advanced, with applied Doric pilasters. Dentil cornice
   above second floor and subsidiary cornice to attic. Frieze of portico with
   rosettes and words "St George's Hospital". Square headed windows with
   architraves, corniced to ground and first floor; second floor windows with
   flanking pilasters (a modification of 1859). Small paned sash windows retaining
   glazing bars. Return elevations also of interest. Facing Knightsbridge a C20
   gateway in Portland stone by C Holden, with bronze bust of John Hunter by Alfred
   Gilbert.
   London Vol I. Pevsner.
   Country Life November llth 1976, p1354 - 6.

   Listing NGR: TQ2829779779

This text is a legacy record and has not been updated since the building was originally listed. Details of the building may have changed in the intervening time. You should not rely on this listing as an accurate description of the building.

Source: English Heritage

Listed building text is © Crown Copyright. Reproduced under licence.