London bets on luxury hotels to lure tourists     

All Covid travel measures were dropped for entry into the UK and tourists have more choice than ever on where to stay

The Rosewood London. Rosewood’s managing director Michael Bonsor says bookings from the US have increased in volume every week since February, while the loosening of restrictions across much of Asia has helped deliver a clientele willing to reserve extended stays in top suites.

On its first day of post-lockdown operations in September 2020, the Rosewood London welcomed just 20 guests into its 308 stylishly monochromatic rooms and suites. For a hotel that would see 80% occupancy during a normal year with visitors attending shows such as the London Fashion Week, the muted response was unprecedented — but also somewhat expected.

Tourism’s recovery in London has been an uphill climb. Although it outpaced Paris, Berlin, Rome, and Barcelona for hotel business in 2021, it reported only 36.7% occupancy across the entire calendar year.