MIAMI—Accor and Sbe have entered into an agreement to turn the five-star London hotel, The Curtain, located here, into a Mondrian hotel in collaboration with current owner Reuben Brothers. Marking the brand’s return to London, the opening will be Mondrian’s sixth hotel in the global portfolio and a European flagship. The property will be converted to the Mondrian Shoreditch London after an update and restyling of the hotel, planned for completion next year.
“I am very proud to be working with Reuben Brothers and Accor to take over such a prestigious property and to bring Mondrian back to London,” said Sbe COO Chadi Farhat. “The city has been and will continue to be such a thriving market for our lifestyle hospitality offerings, and I am very excited to reestablish Mondrian as one of London’s most innovative and glamorous destinations for hospitality, culinary and mixology experiences for locals and travelers alike.”
“The return of Mondrian to London marks a key moment in the brand’s development and reinforces our commitment to establishing the leading lifestyle brand in the heart of the most exciting cultural cities in the world,” said Gaurav Bhushan, CEO of Accor’s new lifestyle division.
“We are delighted to be partnering with Accor and Sbe to open a flagship Mondrian hotel in London,” said Reuben Brothers. “It demonstrates a firm belief in London continuing to be one of the most vibrant capitals in the world highlighting Shoreditch in particular, and shows a commitment to the dynamic lifestyle hospitality sector in which the Mondrian brand is so prominent.”
The 120-room property sits in the heart of Shoreditch, London’s creative and cultural hub. Sbe will establish several of its signature F&B brands at Mondrian Shoreditch London, including a culinary experience by Chef Dani García. This will be the first time Chef García will open a culinary experience with Sbe in London. The company will also revive the taste-making rooftop lounge Rumpus Room, a long-term fixture in London’s nightlife scene, and will bring an award-winning mixology concept to the property. The Curtain Members Club will also continue to operate under its current name.
“We look forward to establishing the property as the heart of the Shoreditch food scene in our first-ever U.K. restaurant,” said Garcia. “I have always been drawn by the magic and energy of London, and this opportunity with Sbe, Accor and the Reuben Brothers is a dream come true for us.”
The opening advances Sbe and Accor’s plan to open 10 new Mondrian properties by 2022 and follows the company’s recent launch of Mondrian Seoul Itaewon, and announcement to open Mondrian Bordeaux and Mondrian Cannes, both in France, in 2021. The return of the Mondrian brand to London reflects the continued strategic expansion of the brand’s international footprint in partnership with Accor, which will include soon-to-be-announced Mondrian properties in Australia, the Dominican Republic, Germany, the Maldives, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. By 2022, Sbe plans to open 50 new hotels internationally, of which 10 will fall under the Mondrian brand.