The Ritz announces £300m refurbishment featuring a new subterranean spa

London’s iconic Ritz hotel is set to undergo a major renovation that will see the addition of a significant new subterranean spa. 

The redevelopment will be the most extensive in the hotel’s 115-year history and will include a two-storey subterranean spa comprising: 20m swimming pool, gym, several treatment rooms and steam and sauna experiences, as well as a dedicated beauty salon and juice bar. 

It will also see the addition of 53 new bedrooms, increasing the number of rooms in the hotel to 191, and a secure basement car park for guests.

Westminster City Council has already approved the works, which are thought to be valued at £300m. 

The news comes after the Piccadilly icon, which has hosted distinguished guests such as the Queen, Jackie Onassis and Winston Churchill, was sold to Qatari businessman Abdulhadi Mana Al-Hajri for a reported £700m last year. 

The plans are said to be part of a long-term plan to guarantee that the hotel remains a successful and beloved institution. However, they could also, in part, be a response to the new Londoner hotel, which opened to rave reviews in early September.

An ‘iceberg hotel’, the Londoner boasts the largest habitable basement in Europe with a spa and cinema room spread across six subterranean levels. Meanwhile, Claridge’s, a fellow grade dame establishment in Mayfair, is also working on its own five-level subterranean redevelopment, with a spa, 20m pool and cinema facilities planned. 

“The Ritz is a long-established hotel known throughout the world and it’s a cherished institution in both St James and the West End,” said Andrew Love, the Ritz’ senior advisor. 

“The five-star service it provides has established itself as a West End and global icon. However, in recent years there’s been a realisation and an acute need to enhance the operation of the Ritz for its guests and visitors.” 

“This has been compounded by the pandemic but increasingly due to fierce competition from other globally-renowned hotels,” he added. 

A spokeswoman for the Ritz said: “This inspired project will ensure that the unique essence of the hotel is retained, sympathetically restored and further enhanced to reaffirm its status, for generations to come, as one of the world’s most iconic hotels.”