Riu Hotels & Resorts has made its UK debut with the opening of the Riu Plaza London Victoria, a new four-star 435-room establishment located in the heart of Westminster near Buckingham Palace and Big Ben.

The hotel is also beside Victoria Station, a strategic transportation hub in the British capital that links directly to Gatwick Airport.

The Riu Plaza London Victoria has a contemporary minimalist design and the structure is divided into two parts: the podium and the tower. One of the most eye-catching features of the podium is a circular glass tower that houses the reception area, dubbed “the drum” by the project’s creators.

Upon arrival, guests will find themselves in a lobby with a conical dome that is flooded by natural light from above, with a spectacular hanging sculpture of organic shapes, full of colour and movement, creating a welcoming and elegant space.

The design, which was conceived with a focus on privacy, pays special attention to the communal areas. The furniture was chosen to create small private areas all within the same space. The lobby bar offers a change of scene with a livelier atmosphere, switching calm and elegance for energy and colour.

The hotel rooms are modern and comfortable, decorated with contemporary wallpaper and watercolour paintings that give them a more artistic feel. Many of the modern superior suites and rooms overlook the city centre, but the most spacious rooms are located on floor -1, a common feature in UK hotels to maximise space.

As for food options, in addition to the lobby bar, the hotel has a restaurant where guests can enjoy a full buffet breakfast in the morning, which is included in the room rate, and à la carte dinners in the evening. Guest can also use the fully equipped 24-hour fitness centre.

The 12-storey building was originally built in the 1960s and was completely renovated in the 1990s and features appealing design and quality finishes, prompting most characteristic features to be maintained during the refurbishment. The interior has been completely transformed to prioritize design and comfort, as well as the latest developments in energy efficiency.

The first hotel in the Riu Plaza city line opened in 2010 in Panama, and since then the hotel chain has continued to expand to the world’s main capitals. The Riu Plaza London Victoria is the 10th hotel of this kind and joins properties in Panama; Guadalajara, Mexico; Madrid; Miami, San Francisco; New York (2); Berlin and Dublin. Next up: Chicago and Toronto.