One Whitehall Place
/ About
One Whitehall Place is the events building of The Royal Horseguards Hotel, set back from Whitehall on the Embankment side and looking across Whitehall Gardens to the river. It was built in 1884 by Archer & Green as the home of the National Liberal Club, and the club's original state rooms are what is hired today: faience-tiled columns, coffered ceilings, a freestanding circular marble staircase, and floor-to-ceiling windows onto the Thames and the London Eye.
The Gladstone Library is the principal room, book-lined to its gallery (the 30,000 volumes are faithful replicas of the originals) and holding 400 for a reception or 252 for dinner. It interconnects with the Reading & Writing Room, and the two are let together for up to 650. The Whitehall Suite, formerly the billiards room, keeps the balcony from which ladies once watched the game; it takes 320 standing, and the operator publishes a dinner-and-dance layout for 150 in both it and the Library. Below them the rooms get smaller and more particular: the oak-panelled River Room, the daylit Meston Suite, Churchill's Bar, and The Cellar, where the foundation stone Gladstone laid in 1884 is still visible.
The building housed the original Secret Intelligence Service, and in 1911 its first chief moved the service to the eighth floor. Events are run by the hotel's own team with catering in house, and there is a walled garden terrace off the meeting suites for summer receptions. The hotel's 282 bedrooms are next door, through the same lobby.
/ Rooms Available
The Gladstone Library & Reading and Writing Room
PrivateThe two principal rooms interconnect and are let as a single space, the book-lined Library opening into the Reading & Writing Room and its windows over the river. The largest configuration in the building, taking up to 650 for a reception.
The Gladstone Library
PrivateThe building's principal room, named for the Prime Minister who founded the club that built it. Books line the walls to a first-floor gallery, faience-tiled columns carry a painted coffered ceiling, and the chandeliers are original to the room. Holds 400 for a reception and 252 for dinner, with a published dinner-and-dance layout for 150. Interconnects with the Reading & Writing Room.
The Whitehall Suite
PrivateThe club's former billiards room, with intricate faience tiling on its columns, painted murals along the walls and the original balcony from which ladies watched the game, still in place. Takes 320 for a reception and 180 for dinner, with a published dinner-and-dance layout for 150. Connects directly to the Whitehall Reception, used as the greeting area.
The Reading & Writing Room
PrivateOnce the club's quiet room, with floor-to-ceiling windows looking over Whitehall Gardens to the Thames and the London Eye. Light and open, and the room the Gladstone Library opens into. Holds 300 for a reception and 120 for dinner.
The Terrace
Semi PrivateA walled garden terrace behind the building, screened from the street and lit in the evening. Used for summer receptions and barbecues; holds 100 standing.
The Meston Suite
PrivateA daylit room looking onto Whitehall's architecture, with cream panelling and chandeliers. Fully accessible for wheelchair users. Seats 72, or 80 for a reception.
The River Room
PrivateRich original oak panelling and floor-to-ceiling windows onto the London Eye and the river. A warm, enclosed room that suits a private dinner: 72 seated, 80 standing.
Churchill's Bar
PrivateNamed for the member who spent much of his time in the club. A dark, panelled bar with a backlit spirits display, taken for private receptions of up to 50.
The Thames Suite
PrivateA bright, plainly finished room on the hotel side of the building, laid out for board meetings, training and cabaret dinners. Seats 45, or 50 for a reception, with the Waterloo Suite and London Room alongside as syndicate rooms.
The Cellar
PrivateA vaulted brick room below ground, where the foundation stone laid by Gladstone in 1884 is still visible. The building was home to the original Secret Service, and local legend has a passage running from here to the Ministry of Defence. Takes 40 for a reception, 10 for dinner.
The Terrace Room
PrivateA flexible room with good light that opens onto the outside terrace, used for private dinners of up to 30 and receptions of up to 40. Adjoins the Chelsea Room.
The London Room
PrivateConnects with the Thames Suite and has access to the terrace, which is why it is generally taken as a catering or syndicate room. Seats 20.
The Waterloo Suite
PrivateA small room in the main hotel, used for private dinners of up to 20 and as a syndicate room alongside the Thames Suite.
The Executive Boardroom
PrivateA quiet, daylit boardroom with a built-in screen, seating 10.
/ Perfect For
/ Features
Catering
- – In-House Luxury Dining
- – Private Bar
Licensing
- – Full Alcohol Licence
Venue Specs
- – Air Conditioned
- – Wi-Fi
- – Dedicated Events Team
- – Outdoor Terrace
/ Getting Here
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