London's first Corinthia Hotel set for 2011 opening

Corinthia Hotels' first London hotel - and the world's ninth - is due to open early next year.

Corinthia Hotel London is being being developed within an existing Victorian building on Northumberland Avenue between Trafalgar Square and the River Thames and will be set around an inner foyer and garden. On offer will be two restaurants, a luxury spa, a concept cocktail bar, boardroom meeting facilities and a refurbished grand ballroom.

Accommodation is to consist of 294 guest rooms, including 45 luxury suites. Some of the latter will be on duplex floors, inside historic turrets, and feature private lifts and terraces. The two-bedroom Royal Suite, at more than 470sq m (5,000sq ft), will reportedly be the largest in London and be able to be connected to adjacent rooms to provide additional accommodation. Interior design is being led by GA Design International, which is also creating the hotel's 2,140sq m (23,000sq ft) ESPA spa, as well as the suites, public spaces and one of the two restaurants. Interiors' designer, David Collins, is creating the hotel's bar, Bassoon, and specialty restaurant.

Corinthia Hotels' portfolio includes the Corinthia Hotel Budapest in Hungary, Corinthia Hotel Prague in the Czech Republic, Corinthia Hotel St Petersburg in Russia and Corinthia Palace Hotel & Spa in Malta. Also featured are the Corinthia Hotel St George's Bay in Malta, the five-star Corinthia Hotel Tripoli in Libya, and the Corinthia Hotel Lisbon in Portugal.

The Corinthia Taormina Golf Resort in Sicily, Italy is due to open in 2012.