Gracechurch Street Hotel as seen from the street

In London, A Historic Bank Branch Becomes a Boutique Hotel

Holloway Li takes a London hotel back to its building’s roots in turn-of-the-century banking.

Words: Eric Mutrie
Photos: Nicholas Worley
Posted: Apr 24, 2025
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When you hear about someone spending the evening in a bank, it’s usually as part of a cautionary tale addressing the financial industry’s gruelling work culture. (The pilot episode of HBO’s Industry dives head-first into the dangers of investment firm all-nighters.) London’s Gracechurch Street Hotel in the city’s business district poses a different idea: Maybe a bank can actually make for a good night’s sleep. Mind you, it helps if the building in question is a handsome, historic one, like HSBC’s first U.K. branch. Built in 1913, the former economic hub was initially converted into a 203-room hotel back in 1998. But with post-pandemic work trips picking up again, the boutique property recently found itself in need of some strategic...