The Chancery Rosewood: London's former US embassy reborn as top luxury hotel

London — The building that once housed the U.S. Embassy in Mayfair has reopened as the Chancery Rosewood, an all-suite luxury hotel that began welcoming guests in September 2025. The property has been ranked the world's best new luxury hotel by Luxury Travel Intelligence, marking a high-profile return for a Cold War-era landmark now repurposed as a hospitality flagship. The eight-year restoration, costing about £1 billion, preserved the Grade II-listed façade while converting the interior for contemporary luxury. The project was led by British architect Sir David Chipperfield, who guided the transformation to balance history with modern amenities.

Inside, the hotel presents 144 suites with floor-to-ceiling windows and a warm palette accented by gold trimmings. The eight dining and drinking venues span from Carbone, the first European outpost of the New York institution, to Serra, which riffs on southern Italian and Greek traditions; Jacqueline, a tearoom and dessert salon; and Tobi Masa, the London debut of chef Masayoshi Takayama. GSQ operates as a neighborhood deli with coffee, pastries, salads, sandwiches, and take-away options. A highlight for many guests is the Eagle Bar on the rooftop, which offers a wraparound terrace and a program of live music, alongside a broader set of bars and lounges. The property also houses two penthouses, Charles House and Elizabeth House, each with a landscaped terrace, a dining area for ten, a fully equipped kitchen and bar area, and master bedrooms with marble baths.

The Chancery Rosewood emphasizes its grand public spaces as part of the guest experience. The lobby eschews traditional front desks in favor of a concierge-led escort to suites, a setup highlighted by Financial Times as part of the hotel’s contemporary arrival paradigm. The building’s design accommodates a large volume of suites while preserving the exterior’s iconic silhouette and the eagle sculpture that has watched over Grosvenor Square since the embassy days. The spa and fitness facilities are anchored by a 25-meter pool and Asaya Spa, which includes five treatment rooms, a sauna, steam room, cold plunge, relaxation areas, a studio, and personal training services.

Reviews from industry outlets have been highly favorable. Forbes has noted the panoramic views afforded by the floor-to-ceiling windows, while Condé Nast Traveller called the hotel a landmark reimagined for London. The Financial Times described it as the hottest reservation in the city, praising its seamless, check-in-free approach in which guests are greeted in the lobby and escorted to their suites. The property’s design and scale are repeatedly cited as defining features that set a new benchmark for immersive luxury in central London.

The hotel’s price point mirrors its scale and ambition. Rates for suites begin at around £1,640 per night and climb to about £26,100 for the residence-style House suites during peak December holidays. The eight dining venues, combined with the two penthouses and a full suite lineup, position the Chancery Rosewood as a new capital-city magnet for luxury travelers seeking a historic setting fused with contemporary hospitality.

However, the guest experience has not been uniformly praised in online reviews. TripAdvisor’s current rating sits around 3.4 out of 5, with some reviewers criticizing service speed and staff attentiveness, particularly at popular outlets like the Eagle Bar. Other guests acknowledge strong architecture, generous space, and standout views but report mixed service experiences. Booking.com reported an overall impression score near 8.7 out of 10, with many reviews highlighting the hotel’s beauty, location, and rooms, alongside a few comments about variability in service. The mixed feedback underscores the challenge of delivering five-star consistency at a property of such scale and prestige amid a high-profile opening year.

In the broader context, the Chancery Rosewood stands as a deliberate fusion of history and modern luxury. The building’s transformation from a Cold War–era embassy to a worldwide luxury destination reflects a larger trend in which landmark structures are repurposed to offer immersive hospitality experiences. For visitors drawn to architecture, design, and an anthology of dining experiences, the hotel offers a singular setting on Grosvenor Square that has become a talking point for London’s culture and entertainment scene. While prices are steep and service performance has drawn mixed reviews, the property’s ambitious program, dramatic spaces, and suite-centric model position it as a defining addition to Mayfair’s hospitality landscape.