Six Senses London opens within a former Art Deco department store

Rachael Thompson

23 March 2026

3 mins Read

Six Senses London is a wellness sanctuary.

The luxury hotel brand has officially made its UK debut.

London is being treated to a sweep of stunning new hotels in 2026. From the recently opened The Newman to the upcoming Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch, this year is proving that there has never been a better time to stay in the UK capital. Particularly now that Six Senses London has arrived.

Centrally located in the heart of Bayswater near Hyde Park and Notting Hill, Six Senses London sits within the former Art Deco department store, The Whiteley. Conceived by global design firm AvroKO alongside UK-based EPR Architects, the design merges classic details with a contemporary sensibility, taking cues from the building’s Art Deco heritage and drawing inspiration from William Whiteley’s fascination with the Great Exhibition of 1851.

The hotel sits within the former Art Deco department store, The Whiteley.

“Six Senses London draws from the visual language of the Great Exhibition era, which often relied on black and white contrast,” shares Adam Farmerie, partner of AvroKO. “Rather than replicate that palette, we introduced deep greens into the lobby marble and architectural detailing, reframing the period through a natural lens. Vitrines remain, but plant life now occupies them. Transparency, from the staircase to the glass shower pods in the rooms, allows light to move freely through the building and shifts the emporium from spectacle to immersion.”

The 109 rooms and suites are spacious and modern.

Anchoring the hotel is the restored grand staircase, a defining feature of the original department store. Rebuilt by hand in Devon by Foster + Partners in collaboration with The Hub, it ascends three floors to a glass-domed ceiling. The 109 rooms and suites, many with private terraces, and 14 branded residences, feature inky blues, warm woods, bold lines, Art Deco curves and expansive windows. The jewel in the crown is the spectacular Whiteley Suite with its 125-square-metre roof terrace.

The hotel features London’s first magnesium pool.

Wellness enthusiasts are catered for here more than at any other hotel in the city. London’s first hotel magnesium pool, 13 wellness spaces and six treatment rooms – including a traditional hammam and red-light therapy suites – sit alongside The Alchemy Bar, a contemporary apothecary, and a longevity clinic in partnership with HUM2N. Modern British dining with vegetable-forward menus is on offer, served at onsite restaurants Whiteley’s Kitchen, Bar and Café.

The Six Senses Place Dome Bar.

Six Senses’ first UK address is an urban sanctuary that sensitively pays homage to its British roots while embracing intellectual wellness. “We wanted Six Senses London to feel like a hotel that embraces you from the moment you arrive,” explains Nick Yarnell, General Manager of Six Senses London. “Warm, genuine, and instinctive, yet delivered with exacting standards and quiet precision. As part of The Whiteley, we honour the heritage of British craft and innovation while creating something that gives back to the neighbourhood and feels deeply connected to its community.”

A traditional hammam caters to wellness enthusiasts.

At a time when London’s hotel scene has never been more competitive, Six Sense London stands out for its genuine design pedigree and its serious approach to wellness.