Raffles London at The OWO
A restored Whitehall headquarters with suites, spies, and style
Raffles London at The OWO is a luxury hotel in London, United Kingdom holding 3 MICHELIN Keys; a Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star rating for 2026; a place on The World's 50 Best Hotels (No. 13 in 2024, No. 31 in 2025); a La Liste rating of 97.5. It ranks 8.49 out of 10 on the finehotels.world prestige index, which is built only from public award data. Every award recorded here is published by the body that grants it, and this page links to the listing that evidences it.
Raffles London at The OWO occupies the Grade II-listed Old War Office at 57 Whitehall, in the heart of London, United Kingdom. Opened in September 2023 after an eight-year transformation, it is Raffles’ first UK hotel, with 120 rooms and suites alongside 85 private residences. The building is a 1906 Edwardian Baroque landmark, restored under EPR Architects with interiors by New York designer Thierry Despont. Its political setting is not decorative backstory: the former offices once housed influential leaders, while wartime intelligence work took place in the building.
The hotel is strongest where history meets its suite-led brief. Five Heritage Suites retain the character of former offices, and the public program adds nine restaurants, three bars, and the Whitehall Ballroom. The Spy Bar is a particular draw. Guerlain’s first London Spa anchors the wellness offering, complemented by active wellness from Pillar Wellbeing. This is a fitting address for travelers who prefer a substantial building and a sense of provenance to a generic luxury tower, with enough dining and bar variety to stay in. Three MICHELIN Keys, a Forbes Travel Guide Five Star rating for 2026, and high World’s 50 Best Hotels placements confirm broad industry regard.
At a glance
- Grade II-listed Old War Office
- Five Heritage Suites
- Guerlain’s first London Spa
- Nine restaurants and three bars
- Whitehall Ballroom
How this hotel is scored
The prestige score is our own index, built from public award data: MICHELIN Keys, Forbes Travel Guide star ratings, placement in the World's 50 Best Hotels across 2023, 2024 and 2025 weighted equally, and a minor sway from La Liste. It is not a paid placement and no hotel can buy its way up. Read the full method.
Questions people ask about Raffles London at The OWO
Is Raffles London at The OWO worth staying at?
By the public record it is one of the most decorated hotels in the world. It holds 3 MICHELIN Keys; a Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star rating for 2026; a place on The World's 50 Best Hotels (No. 13 in 2024, No. 31 in 2025); a La Liste rating of 97.5. On our index that works out to a prestige score of 8.49 out of 10. In short: A restored Whitehall headquarters with suites, spies, and style. Whether that suits you depends on what you want from a stay, which is why the description on this page is written plainly rather than as marketing copy.
What awards has Raffles London at The OWO won?
Raffles London at The OWO in London, United Kingdom holds 3 MICHELIN Keys; a Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star rating for 2026; a place on The World's 50 Best Hotels (No. 13 in 2024, No. 31 in 2025); a La Liste rating of 97.5. Those come from the four independent systems finehotels.world tracks: the MICHELIN Guide hotel selection and its Keys, Forbes Travel Guide star ratings, The World's 50 Best Hotels, and La Liste. None of them can be bought, and neither can placement on this site.
How is the prestige score for Raffles London at The OWO calculated?
The score is a point total built only from award facts, then shown on a scale of 5.00 to 10.00. MICHELIN Keys carry the most weight, a Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star rating adds a flat six points, placements in The World's 50 Best Hotels for 2023, 2024 and 2025 are weighted equally, and a La Liste rating moves the total slightly. It has 120 rooms. The full formula is published on the methodology page, so the figure shown for Raffles London at The OWO can be reproduced from the awards listed on this page.
How can the awards for Raffles London at The OWO be checked?
Each award is published by the body that grants it, and this page links to the public listing that evidences the MICHELIN Keys award where one is held. MICHELIN, Forbes Travel Guide, The World's 50 Best Hotels and La Liste each remain the authority on their own award. finehotels.world is independent of all four, records what they publish, and does not review hotels itself.