Cumberland
Hotel, London
Architect
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Architect in charge F.
J. Wills -
Oliver Bernard responsible for the public
rooms.
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Date
Built
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Public opening
on 12 December 1933
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Location
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Great
Cumberland Place & Oxford Street
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Description
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The
https://www.kzwp.com/ website created by
Kattie Zion has a detailed history of the
Cumberland Hotel building. She explains
that, "... In 1901 the island site
bounded by Oxford Street, Old Quebec
Street, Bryanston Street and Great
Cumberland Place, was progressively
acquired by (Joseph) Lyons for the
erection of the Cumberland Hotel. .... the
Cumberland project was formidable. The
excavations alone entailed the removal of
over 100,000 cubic yards of material
during which historical relics from all
periods were unearthed. All building
work was carried out by Lyons own
staff. The Cumberland Hotel featured
all the latest developments of comfort. It
was sound-proofed, double glazed, air
conditioned and all 900 bed-rooms had
their own en-suite. All air entering the
hotel was filtered including the supply to
the kitchen areas. Here the exhaust was
treated to eradicate cooking smells.
.... The structure consisted of
thirteen floors, ten of them above ground
and three below ground. The public rooms,
restaurants, banqueting hall, grill room
and centre court were located centrally.
Part of the hotel backbone was an enormous
100-ton girder which required the world's
largest lorry to convey it. Fifteen
thousand tons of steel-work was used in
the hotel's construction. Four hundred
thousand square feet of 'Empire grown
timber' was used in the making of bedroom
furniture. The 50,000 yards of sheets cost
£25,000 and the carpets £18,000. Two
thousand staff were employed at the hotel
and a specially built annex provided
accommodation for 300 girls who slept in
single or double rooms. There was one bath
to every four girls and they ate in their
own restaurant on the ground floor of the
annex."
The website of the Cumberland Hotel in 2019
describes it as a, "... Modern cutting
edge contemporary design Hotel in the
heart of London where Oxford Street meets
Park Lane and the glorious open spaces of
Hyde Park. The spectacular, spacious
lobby creates a striking first impression
with contemporary, original art and
lighting. Modern and luxurious, expect
more from The Cumberland hotel with free
wi-fi throughout. With a choice of over
1,000 double-glazed luxury rooms, all
equipped to high standards and many with
great views of Hyde Park. The Cumberland
is a non smoking hotel throughout."
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