30 Pavilion Road: Knightsbridge's next boutique hotel and spa approved
Pavilion Road has evolved from a back-of-house service lane into one of the most distinctive streets in the area, with independent shops, restaurants and homes tucked behind the Sloane Street boutiques. Now it is set to gain something it has never had: its own boutique hotel. The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has granted planning permission to turn 30 Pavilion Road into a 30-room hotel and spa, designed by PLP Architecture for the property investor JohnMichael Mouskos.
What has been approved
The consent, announced in July, replaces an earlier approval for a mix of hotel rooms and homes on the site with a single hotel and spa concept. According to the scheme details published by e-architect, the project is a sensitive refurbishment rather than a rebuild. More of the existing fabric will be kept than under the previous scheme, and the interiors will be reorganised to work better as a hospitality and wellbeing building, with improved accessibility.
The building dates back to the 18th century and has suffered a series of unsympathetic alterations over the years. The approved design keeps elements of the existing elevations and original entrances where possible, adds new painted timber sash windows with traditional detailing, re-clads the mansard roof in natural slate and realigns the lead-clad dormers. It also includes basement works and a carefully integrated roof extension. PLP partner Andrei Martin has described the job as one of precision and restraint, strengthening the character of the existing building while creating a highly individual boutique hotel and spa. Mouskos, for his part, has framed the ambition as a world-class destination that respects the area's architectural heritage.
Why Pavilion Road
Historically a mews and service street for the grand houses of Sloane Street, Pavilion Road now acts as a link between Sloane Square and Knightsbridge, and a quieter alternative to walking the main street. A small hotel here would put guests a few minutes from Harvey Nichols, Sloane Street and the Brompton Road department stores, while sleeping on a street with the scale and feel of a village. PLP's London hospitality work includes Pan Pacific London at One Bishopsgate Plaza, named Hotel of the Year at the AA Hospitality Awards 2022, and the forthcoming Mandarin Oriental Bankside, due to open on the South Bank in 2028, and it has worked in conservation settings before, including 60 Curzon in Mayfair.
What we do not know yet
No operator, name or opening date has been announced, and a planning consent is the start of the process rather than the end. Building work, fit-out and recruitment all lie ahead. We will report on the brand, room rates and the spa offer as soon as they are confirmed. In the meantime, Knightsbridge's established hotels are covered in our hotels guide. If you want to see the site for yourself, Pavilion Road runs parallel to Sloane Street and is an easy walk from either Sloane Square or Knightsbridge station.
