Mandarin Oriental Hotel in London Closed Indefinitely After Fire
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
The Mandarin Oriental hotel in the Knightsbridge district of London is closed indefinitely, the hotel said in a statement Thursday, after a fire ripped through the newly renovated building.
The London Fire Brigade said that 36 hotel guests and 250 hotel staff were evacuated from the building after the blaze started around 4:00pm Wednesday. Everyone was accounted for, and there were no injuries reported.
It took 20 fire engines and 120 firefighters a total of six hours to control the blaze. Thick plumes of black smoke could be seen throughout all of central London.
“Firefighters worked extremely hard in exceptionally hot conditions to bring the fire under control,” London Fire Brigade Station Manager Pam Oparaocha, who was on the scene, said. “Crews wearing breathing apparatus carried out search and rescue operations throughout the inside of the building.”
Current guests of the hotel were being accommodated at other hotels in the area, Mandarin Oriental said.
Mandarin Oriental said it was “too early” to tell when the hotel would fully re-open. “At present the damage is being assessed and we will provide updates as and when we have further information to share,” the statement read. The hotel recommended any customers with upcoming stays at the Knightsbridge location book alternate accommodations. All cancellation fees would be waived and pre-paid stays would be refunded.
Upon initial inspection by the city’s fire brigade, several parts of the hotel were damaged. “The external planting facade was damaged by fire,” the London Fire Brigade said in a statement. “Small parts of several floors of the hotel, the roof and plant machinery on the roof also sustained fire damage.”
The hotel had just re-opened after completing a multi-million dollar renovation on May 29 that it said was “the most extensive restoration in [the hotel’s] 115-year history.” All of the hotel’s 181 guest rooms and suites had been refurbished. The renovation also included adding “living walls” of plants and vertical gardens to the hotel’s courtyards.
The cause of the fire is still being investigated.
Featured image by Con Chronis/Getty Images.
Sign-up Successful!
Welcome to The Points Guy!
WELCOME OFFER: 80,000 Points
TPG'S BONUS VALUATION*: $1,650
CARD HIGHLIGHTS: 2X points on all travel and dining, points transferrable to over a dozen travel partners
*Bonus value is an estimated value calculated by TPG and not the card issuer. View our latest valuations here.
- Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. Plus earn up to $50 in statement credits towards grocery store purchases within your first year of account opening.
- Earn 2X points on dining including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out and travel. Plus, earn 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 80,000 points are worth $1,000 toward travel.
- With Pay Yourself Back℠, your points are worth 25% more during the current offer when you redeem them for statement credits against existing purchases in select, rotating categories.
- Get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on eligible orders over $12 for a minimum of one year with DashPass, DoorDash's subscription service. Activate by 12/31/21.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get up to $60 back on an eligible Peloton Digital or All-Access Membership through 12/31/2021, and get full access to their workout library through the Peloton app, including cardio, running, strength, yoga, and more. Take classes using a phone, tablet, or TV. No fitness equipment is required.
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.