Leading UK hotel owner and operating company, the Arora Group, hosted a formal ceremony at the new InterContinental London – The O2 yesterday, 5th July, to mark the official opening of the luxury hotel, located adjacent to The O2 arena.
Founder and Chairman of the Arora Group, Surinder Arora, was joined by special guests Sir Cliff Richard OBE, Thomas Miserendino, President & CEO of AEG (owners of The O2) and Richard Solomans, CEO InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG®) at the event attended by local partners, clients and stakeholders involved in the development of the landmark hotel designed and built by Grove Developments, the construction division of Arora Group.
The event incorporated the unveiling of a commemorative plaque by Sir Cliff Richard OBE in the hotel lobby after a Champagne reception and tour of the hotel. A celebratory lunch was then served for the 150 guests within the hotel’s extensive 4,500sqm conference centre overlooking Canary Wharf.
Surinder Arora commented, “I am delighted to be here today to mark this very special event, officially celebrating the opening of our landmark InterContinental London – The O2. This hotel is by far Arora’s largest end-to-end project to date and has been a labour of love for us all. With its unique position on the curve of the Peninsula overlooking the river Thames, we have succeeded in creating a thoroughly original space, with a considered and intricate design and breath-taking views that are unsurpassed in the capital.”
Surinder added: “In addition to the luxury accommodation and extensive facilities for meetings and events here at the hotel, we have brought a beautiful spa and five destination restaurants and bars to this vibrant and modern part of historic Royal Greenwich. We have also created over 500 jobs for the local community. I am immensely proud of our team and this incredible new hotel which perfectly complements Arora’s growing portfolio of luxury hotels in the UK.”
Commenting on behalf of InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG®), Angel Brav, Chief Executive, Europe, IHG said: “We are thrilled to commemorate the official opening of the iconic InterContinental London – The O2 with Arora Hotels. The hotel has fast become a leading destination for our discerning InterContinental guests and has already established itself as an outstanding London venue for world-class conferences and events.”
Opened in January 2016, InterContinental London – The O2 features a 453-room luxury hotel and 4,500qm dedicated conference centre with 19 multifunctional meeting rooms and one of the largest hotel function suites in Europe, The Arora Ballroom, a 3,100sqm pillar-free space. The hotel also features the signature Club InterContinental business lounge along with Market Brasserie, The Peninsula Restaurant, Clipper Bar and rooftop Eighteen Sky Bar, each offering stunning views of Canary Wharf, The O2 and beyond.
Situated next to The Spa, The Meridian Lounge on the ground floor has an outdoor riverside terrace and offers a wide selection of East India teas and patisserie for an authentic London Afternoon Tea experience.
Located just 400m from North Greenwich Tube and North Greenwich Pier for fast, regular access into central London in as little as 15 minutes, the hotel offers 240 onsite parking spaces for guests arriving by car and is only 6 miles from London City Airport.
InterContinental London - The O2 is managed and operated by The Arora Group under a franchise agreement with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG®).
www.iclondon-theo2.com - @InterConTheO2
Davies Tanner - +44 (0)1892 617909
Julia Gosling | Becca Krug | Arabella Halfhide | Nicole Moor
InterConO2@DaviesTanner.co.uk
Notes to Editors
About the Arora Group
The Arora Group is a successful UK-focused private group of companies, which leverages synergies across its specialist property, construction and hotel divisions to its strategic advantage. Since 1999, the Group has built its standing through meticulously managing projects from inception to delivery and beyond. Today, it owns and manages a diverse portfolio of flagship assets across the nation’s key business locations, partnering with some of the world’s most recognised brands to deliver consistently high service levels and sustainable growth. For more information please visit www.thearoragroup.com
