TPG exclusive: Your first look inside the new Park Hyatt London River Thames
London has no shortage of luxury hotels, from the Savoy to the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park to Raffles London at The OWO.
Until now, one of TPG’s favorite upscale hotel brands, which you can book with points, has been strangely absent from one of the world’s premier hotel markets.
The highly anticipated Park Hyatt London River Thames, originally slated to open in 2022, will finally open next month on Tuesday, Oct. 8. TPG was invited inside for an exclusive pre-opening tour.
So, was it worth the wait, and will this now be the best hotel in London for redeeming points?
Related: 22 best Hyatt hotels in the world
Park Hyatt London River Thames basics
The Hyatt property is in an unusual location for a new luxury hotel. Though still in Zone 1, the Nine Elms neighborhood is south of the Thames River and a fair distance from buzzy areas favored by tourists like the West End, Chelsea and Hyde Park.
The nearby Vauxhall tube station is on the convenient Victoria line, which can wizz you to Oxford Circus in minutes (and also a few minutes walk away is Nine Elms tube station on the Northern line), though Vauxhall is an area more associated with late-night dance clubs than sophisticated living.
The surrounding area is being rapidly developed following the opening of the nearby new U.S. Embassy and the Battersea Power Station, in which no expense has been spared.
The hotel occupies one of two towers constructed on-site, both with floor-to-ceiling windows; the other is a residential tower where permanent residents can purchase ultraluxury apartments and access some of the hotel’s social spaces. Guest rooms are on floors 3-16, and the Ambassador and Presidential Suites are on floors 17 and 18.
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World of Hyatt members looking to redeem points at the hotel should know the new Park Hyatt is a Category 7 property, meaning award nights range from 25,000 points to 35,000 points per night.
The hotel’s General Manager Rike Erdbrink, who commenced her career as an apprentice at Park Hyatt Hamburg in 2001 and comes from the Park Hyatt Chicago where she was also General Manager, told TPG that Category 7 was a “starting point” as a new property and that a potential move to a Category 8 listing would be both a blessing and a curse.
“We don’t determine our category within the World of Hyatt program, and while being moved up to the program’s highest category in the future would no doubt be a prestigious acknowledgment of the high standard of luxury the Park Hyatt London will deliver, we also want to ensure our loyal members can redeem their Hyatt points at reasonable rates time and time again,” Erdrink told TPG.
Park Hyatt London River Thames lobby and dining
The lobby, with its three check-in desks and single concierge station, was still under construction during TPG’s site tour, with workers furiously polishing the new flooring, and we were asked not to photograph this construction.
Above the lobby hangs a beautiful gold Charlie Winney artwork commission entitled “Ebb and Flow,” which draws inspiration from the nearby River Thames.
Behind the check-in area, the Nine Elms Bar & Lounge is arguably the most impressive social space in the new hotel. It features a beautiful flowing light installation above more eye-catching artwork.
Once open, guests can enjoy a wide range of cocktails in this lobby bar/lounge space.
The intricate bronze detail behind the bar’s back wall nods to Nine Elm’s automotive history, where the first Vauxhall cars were manufactured in nearby Vauxhall, and one of the world’s best Bentley showrooms was opened.
The Covent Garden Flower Market has been relocated to the Nine Elms area, allowing fresh flower displays to constantly adorn the new hotel’s social spaces.
Leather-coated banisters are an opulent reminder of the luxurious accommodations of this property, and the stone walls, parquet accents and gold way-finding signage are a Park Hyatt signature, blending the lines between hotel and art gallery or museum.
The main restaurant, The Nine Elms Kitchen & Terraces, is also on the ground floor. It will serve a buffet breakfast for guests each morning, with hot items cooked to order from an a la carte menu in the central open kitchen.
Related: Which hotel has the best free breakfast? TPG ate 10 meals to find the winner
This will also be open for lunch and dinner and provide outdoor dining options, subject to London’s unpredictable weather.
This space is still being finalized and fitted out, with a team of chefs being trained to cook dozens of breakfast items quickly for hungry guests. World of Hyatt Globalist members can enjoy a full complimentary breakfast each morning at no extra cost.
The second-floor TAMIS’e Wine Library and Tea Room were designed by Studio Moren (who also created Shangri-La the Shard London). While this was originally planned as a dedicated wine bar, the hotel couldn’t resist offering the iconic British tradition of afternoon tea in the beautiful, light-filled space with a private tasting room stocked with over 1,800 different bottles of wine.
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The fourth hospitality venue on-site is the yet-unnamed Cantonese restaurant. This is still a work in progress, so an early 2025 opening is likely.
Park Hyatt London River Thames guest rooms
The Park Hyatt London boasts 203 guest rooms, including 34 suites, two Ambassador Suites and one Presidential Suite. 42 rooms are connected for those who want to be close to family or friends.
Guest room interiors feature artistic flourishes by Gabriel Leung and Tsi Kwan Lau.
While the new building does not capture some of the storied history of listed-building conversions in the city, it has some undeniable benefits, namely uniformity of rooms and space.
Most floors have the same number of rooms in the same layout, with rectangular shaped base rooms and then suites with 180 degree views across the River Thames.
Base category guest rooms start from 360 square feet, positively spacious by London standards, though the decision to use hardwood floors in a new luxury hotel does feel a little basic and there is a definite “Hyatt” feel about the furnishings.
Rates for World of Hyatt members start from 490 British pounds per night (about $650).
Each guest room offers marble bathrooms with separate showers and bathtubs.
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The Park Hyatt London River Thames will do away with the tradition of stocking LeLabo bathroom toiletries. The hotel is designing exclusive products in collaboration with British brand Tea & Tonic. However, these are unlikely to be ready for opening day next month.
In the meantime, the less opulent Molton Brown toiletries will be stocked in bathrooms.
Along with a minibar, all guests can enjoy Nespresso pod coffee machines, a fully stocked minibar and sheer and blackout remote-controlled curtains.
Most guest rooms enjoy either city or river views.
Park Hyatt London River Thames suites
Junior Suites include the 560-square-foot Park Suite and 581-square-foot Park View River View Suite, which have separate living rooms, 65-inch flat-screen televisions and walk-in wardrobes.
They start at around $1,509 in winter, though rates are expected to rise in summer with demand.
If you have World of Hyatt elite status, General Manager Rike Erdbrink told TPG these are the rooms Globalist members can expect to be upgraded to on a space-available basis.
TPG also gained access into the jaw-dropping 1,851 square feet Presidential Suite with its private elevator, butler kitchen, full-sized dining room and an epic 85-inch flat-screen television.
The bedroom enjoys views down the river to the London Eye.
The separate, spacious dressing room has a central console, perfect for storing purchases made along London’s trendy Regent Street or iconic Harrod’s department store.
The freestanding bathtub, with views of both the London Eye and the Shard, is surely one of the best places in the city to soak after a busy day of sightseeing.
The incredible Presidential Suite is bookable from Nov. 1, 2024, and rates start at an eyebrow-raising $6,500 per night.
Park Hyatt London River Thames wellness floor
Forget your cramped, windowless basement workout room and single massage table. The Park Hyatt London River Thames has devoted the entire property’s first floor to wellness.
The on-site gym has double height windows giving an excellent feeling of space and is equipped with TechnoGym equipment with a factory-fresh smell.
There is plenty of space for guests to stay in shape while traveling, whether using free weights, machines or focusing on pilates or general stretching.
The floor-to-ceiling windows offer a view, though it’s currently over a construction site for a separate project next door, unaffiliated with the hotel. Still, the property has assured TPG that these are low-rise office buildings that will not substantially block the view.
The hotel’s spa area begins with a serene reception area.
Six separate treatment rooms will offer a range of traditional and modern beauty treatments.
After enjoying their beauty indulgence, guests can relax in a post-treatment space with views across London.
The area will include two Somadome meditation pods for guests who want more privacy and peace.
One of the most impressive features of the Park Hyatt London River Thames is the indoor swimming pool, measuring 65 by 26 feet, which is also on the Wellness floor. It is so new that it was being filled for the first time during TPG’s exclusive tour.
There is also a small Finnish-style dry sauna for guests to sweat it out in.
Of course, there are luxurious changing and storage facilities for guests to freshen up before returning to their rooms or heading into the city.
Just above the Wellness Floor, a grand ballroom with a capacity for up to 830 guests in reception style (or can be split into smaller spaces for meetings like below), will likely be popular for both weddings and corporate events.
Smaller meeting rooms are also available and can flex size depending on demand.
The influence of the winding River Thames nearby is evident throughout the property, including these opposing hallway arches with luxurious gold arches.
How to earn Hyatt points
You can earn World of Hyatt points by opening a World of Hyatt credit card. Here are the current offers:
- World of Hyatt Credit Card: Earn 30,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening. Plus, receive up to 30,000 more bonus points by earning 2 bonus points per dollar spent on purchases that normally earn 1 bonus point (on up to $15,000 spent) in the first six months from account opening.
- World of Hyatt Business Credit Card: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
You can also transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt at a 1:1 rate. Here are some of the credit cards to earn Ultimate Rewards available right now.
If you have one (or more) of the above cards, you can combine your Ultimate Rewards points in a single account. Then, you can effectively convert the cash-back earnings on the following cards into fully transferable Ultimate Rewards points:
- Chase Freedom Flex®: Earn a $200 bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
- Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year), worth up to $300 cash back.
- Ink Business Cash® Credit Card: Earn up to $750: $350 bonus cash back after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months from account opening.
- Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card: Earn $900 bonus cash back after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Bottom line
The Park Hyatt London Nine Elms is an exciting addition to London’s impressive luxury hotel scene. While the fit-out, especially in the guest rooms, doesn’t quite reach the uber-luxury of some of the most exclusive properties to open in the city recently, and the location may be polarising for some guests, you won’t need to part with $1,500 for a base room here.
The property will open on Tuesday, Oct. 8, and you can book it right now from just 25,000 World of Hyatt points per night.
