PROFILE AND BACKGROUND

The Westbury’s heritage is built from the love of the great game of polo and opulent luxury and service excellence…

POLO came to England in 1869 with cavalry officers returning from India and made its home at the Hurlingham Club in Fulham. On a visit to England, James Gordon Bennett Jr. owner of the New York Herald, watched a game and transported sticks, balls and a set of rules to America. Before long Polo became the sport of choice for the wealthy and Polo clubs become prominent in the Old WESTBURY area of Long Island.

In 1886 the Hurlingham Club was challenged by the Westchester Club for a series of matches. English players and ponies sailed to New York and triumphantly took the Westbury Cup to England. Polo resumed after the Great War. Leaders of Long Island society were also the polo playing families of the day and the social life around the game was to be envied.

In 1927, the polo playing Phipps family founded the luxury WESTBURY Hotel in New York which became a favourite amongst the polo playing set and stars of their day. On the success of this great hotel the Phipps family opened a sister property 1955 as the first American hotel in London. Following the flourishing success of the Polo Bar in the Westbury New York the Phipps family brought this now synonymous brand to London and POLO BAR and LOUNGE LONDON was born. The Westbury Cup, continued to be a highly sort after cup but only contested in the UK. It was housed on permanent display at the hotel for many decades and was one of the oldest trophies played for at Guards Polo Club, Windsor.

The luxury Westbury Hotel in New York still stands, no longer a hotel, but a conglomerate of sumptuous apartments but still exuberating luxury at its best.

HISTORY

The Westbury in London started with a big hole in the ground, a leftover from the last war. The section of Old and New Bond Street and Conduit Street was badly bombed. Reports from General Lee who stayed at the time in Claridge’s are no pleasant reading.

“Savile Row was ‘fairly battered to pieces’. All the glass is out in Bond Street and Regent Street. Not a shop in Conduit Street has any glass in it.”

In 1955 Bond Street and Conduit Street was still reminiscent of the war. Many buildings were still being re-constructed and businesses reforming. It was at this time that the polo playing, Phipps family assembled the Westbury Hotel, the first hotel to be built in London post-war. After successful trading it was the American KNOTTS HOTEL Group that recognised the potential, not only the growing demand for extra hotel rooms, but also the location, right in the heart of the world’s most prominent shopping street – BOND STREET. Savile Row, now famous for their tailors and cutting and stitching for their immaculate suits replaced the once most fashionable street for doctors’ consulting rooms, those you find now at Harley Street.

Over the next 40 decades the hotel went through a number of operator changes including

Trust House Forte and Granada. In 1999 Cola Hotels acquired The Westbury Hotel with a clear vision to re-create the glamour, glitz and ostentation of a bygone era. The Cola family had a clear vision of bringing the Westbury to the forefront of the hospitality industry.

On the turn of the millennium the Cola family decided that they would re-invigorate the Polo Bar. An extensive renovation was completed and the bar was extended to three time its original size. Boasting Gucci and Fendi furnishings and with its signature Swarovski crystal window shades it soon became ‘The’ place to be seen in Mayfair.

ALYN WILLIAMS AT THE WESTBURY

Elegant, understated and chic, Alyn Williams at The Westbury is a shining star in Mayfair’s ever- growing Michelin constellation.

Following eight years perfecting his craft with Marcus Wareing in the Berkeley Hotel, Alyn Williams stepped into the spotlight with the opening of his eponymous restaurant in the autumn of 2011 – and has already made quite an impact.

A Michelin star, Four AA Red Rosette Award, top 15 ranking in the UK’s 100 Best Restaurants and National Chef of the Year crown have catapulted Alyn and our sophisticated establishment to the top of everyone’s fine dining wish list.