InterContinental London – The O2 opens with 453 bedrooms

26 January 2016 by Janet Harmer

The opening of the 453-bedroom InterContinental London - The O2 marks one of the largest hotel launches in the capital for some years.

Featuring five food and beverage outlets, a spa, 3,100 sq m pillar-free ballroom, and an additional 19 meeting rooms, the hotel welcomed its first guests in December, but officially launches today.

The hotel, which is adjacent to the O2 Arena, is operating under a franchise agreement with Meridian Hotel Operations Limited and managed by a division of the Arora Group. While it is the second London property to currently operate under the InterContinental Hotels & Resorts banner, it will be the fifth to carry the brand name. The Portman, May Fair and St James hotels were all at one time InterContinental properties and have since been rebranded as Radisson Blu, Quorvus Collection and Conrad hotels.

Angela Brav, chief executive, Europe, IHG said the hotel is set to become a destination in its own right, next to one of the UK's most popular entertainment venues. "East London is going through an unprecedented transformation and I'm confident InterContinental London - The O2 hotel will be the perfect luxury retreat for both local residents and guests."

Surinder Arora, founder and chairman of the Arora Group, added: "With our unique position on the river and extensive facilities for business and leisure, the hotel brings a new world-class luxury hotel offering to this vibrant part of the capital and we're looking forward to welcoming our first guests."

The InterContinental London - The O2 is headed by general manger Hasham Soliman, who joined the hotel from the 1021-bedroom Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London, which opened in 2010.

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