The Ritz to splash out £300 million on huge luxury basement with a new pool and spa

By Hannah Neary, local democracy reporter

The Ritz is set to splash £300 million on a huge luxury basement with a new pool and spa area to make room for more guests.

The five star hotel is a Grade-II listed building that opened in 1906, with famous guests including the Queen, Winston Churchill and and Charlie Chaplin.

Its plans for a new five-storey basement would create 53 extra bedrooms, bringing the total to 191.

The new basement would also include a new parking area for VIP guests, like royals and heads of state that require top security.

A planning report says: “Brand new facilities including a new pool, gym and spa area are proposed… which the applicant states is critical in order for the Ritz to be able to compete with other leading hotels in London and the Hotel’s future success.”

The Ritz expects the development will create 150 jobs during the construction phase and within the hotel when the extension is complete.

The proposed extension would be conntected to the existing hotel and its main entrance, bar, restaurant and function areas would not be hit.

A spokesperson for the hotel said: “We are excited about the forthcoming development of The Ritz London that will continue to evolve the vision of our founder, legendary hotelier César Ritz.

“This inspired project will ensure that the unique essence of the hotel is retained, sympathetically restored and further enhanced to reaffirm its status, for generations to come, as one of the world’s most iconic hotels.”

Westminster City Council’s planning officers have recommended the plans are approved and members will consider them on Tuesday.

If the plans are approved, the hotel would be required to give £188,911 to the Westminster Employment Service, a recruitment service for locals.

It would also have to contribute £509,352 to carbon reduction projects and £10,000 towards planting trees.