Left to right: Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Surinder Arora, chairman and founder of the Arora Group, and Stephen Clayton, general manager of Renaissance London Heathrow Hotel
Prince Andrew, Duke of York, was the guest of honor yesterday (February 4) at the official re-launch of the Renaissance London Heathrow Hotel following the completion of a £20m (US$29m) renovation project. The official event was held in the hotel’s newly refurbished lobby and included the unveiling of a commemorative plaque by Prince Andrew to mark the occasion.
Completed in December 2015, the refurbishment encompassed all areas of the hotel including upgrading its 32,300ft² conference and events space; reconfiguring the public areas to introduce a new restaurant, bar and lounge; and adding 61 new guestrooms bringing the total number of suites and bedrooms to 710.
Surinder Arora, founder and chairman of the Arora Group, the hotel operator, said, “I am honored to be joined by The Duke of York, our team, partners and our special guests, to mark the official re-launch of this impressive hotel after such an extensive transformation.
“The hotel and I have a unique relationship from my time as a waiter in the bar during the 1970s, so to be standing here cutting the ribbon more than 40 years later, remembering those days fondly, is very special.”
Stephen Clayton, general manager of Renaissance London Heathrow Hotel, said, “I am proud to be part of this landmark event and lead a team fully committed to delivering a first class hotel experience that unequivocally reflects the extensive investment in the property.”