Whitbread Secures Planning Permission for London’s Dorset House Hotel Conversion

Whitbread has obtained planning permission to convert Dorset House in Southwark, London, into a 421-room hub by Premier Inn hotel.

Whitbread has received planning consent to transform Dorset House, a former office building located on Stamford Street in Southwark, London, into a 421-room hotel under its hub by Premier Inn brand. This development marks the first hub by Premier Inn south of the River Thames and is part of Whitbread’s recent expansion efforts in Central London.

The company acquired the 90,000 square foot Dorset House freehold in May 2025 and initiated discussions with Southwark Council to change the building’s use from office to hotel. The planned conversion will maintain the existing structure’s floorplate, adding compact hotel rooms and a new entrance on Stamford Street. The design includes a basement-level food and beverage area visible from the ground floor through cut-out concrete sections.

Construction is scheduled to commence in the latter half of 2026, with the hotel expected to open in summer 2028. The location is strategically positioned within a ten-minute walk of Waterloo Station, Blackfriars Station, London’s South Bank, and the Royal Festival Hall.

Dorset House is one of four properties Whitbread acquired in 2025 for development into Premier Inn and hub by Premier Inn hotels, collectively adding nearly 1,000 rooms and approximately 262,000 square feet of development space to its pipeline in London. Other acquisitions include:

– 35 Red Lion Square, WC1: A 150-bedroom hub by Premier Inn is planned for this 47,500 square foot former headquarters building, acquired in February 2025.

– Phoenix House, SW8: An 80,000 square foot former office acquired from Lambeth Council in March 2025, with conversion work beginning eight months post-acquisition.

– Victory House, WC2: A 45,000 square foot office building on Kingsway, intended for a 200-bedroom hub by Premier Inn, pending planning approval.

These acquisitions represent over £100 million in direct investment. All new hotels will operate using electricity from renewable sources, aligning with Whitbread’s sustainability initiatives.

Whitbread’s expansion in London is part of its strategy to increase its UK and Ireland hotel estate by 45%, aiming for a long-term target of 125,000 rooms. Currently, London hotels account for 18% of Whitbread’s approximately 86,000 rooms in the region.