Hinduja Group Chairman and Indian-origin billionaire Gopichand P. Hinduja died in London on Tuesday at the age of 85. His business ranges from banking, oil to real estate. Gopichand P. Hinduja converted London’s Carlton House Terrace (near Buckingham Palace), Winston Churchill’s WWII headquarters, into a 5-star hotel (Raffles London) for £350 million.
The old war office of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill is now seen as a luxurious luxury hotel. Hinduja Group opened this project for the general public in the year 2023. The walls of this building have seen those moments when the most difficult decisions of war were taken. But almost a century later, a new story was started from this very place which was considered a confluence of history and luxury.
Famous for grandeur and royal look
Before constructing it in 2023, Indian-origin Hinduja Group had purchased this building from the British government about 10 years ago. His aim was to bring it back to life, but in a new form. He decided to convert this historical building into a luxury hotel. For this, he partnered with the world’s famous hospitality brand Raffles Hotels & Resorts.
This building, built in 1906, is an excellent example of the design of British designer William Young. While maintaining its grandeur and royal look, Hinduja Group incorporated modern facilities in it. This attempt to combine both the beauty of the old era and the technology of the new era makes it special in itself.
Raffles London specialty
About 120 luxurious guest rooms and suites have been built in the hotel. Apart from this, there are also 85 luxury apartments, 9 restaurants, and 3 bars. The design of each room reflects British past, but the comfort is completely modern. It is not just a hotel, but an experience, where history can be felt. It took many years to complete this project. The Hinduja Group team took special care that the old identity of the building was not harmed. Everything from small stones to the carvings on the walls were carefully restored.
During the construction work, many old wartime documents and historical objects were also found, which will now be displayed in special parts of the hotel. The new version of the Old War Office – “Raffles London at The OWO” – is now open to those who want to experience the fusion of history, art and luxury all in one place. Where once war plans were made, today guests from all over the world are enjoying peace and royal grandeur.
Now this building is in front of the world in its new form, so it has become not just a hotel, but a symbol of the shared history of India and Britain. Hinduja Group has shown that business is not just a means of profit, but it can also become a means of preserving cultural heritage and passing it on to the coming generations.
