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Located between Mayfair and Knightsbridge, the InterContinental London Park Lane is sandwiched between Green Park, Hyde Park and St James's Park. The hotel was opened in 1975 and reopened in 2006 after a £76m refurbishment.

The hotel is approximately a 45 minute drive from Heathrow, 50 minute drive from Gatwick, 35 minutes from London City Airport, 1.5 miles from Victoria Station and 1 minute from Hyde Park Corner tube station.

Awards
InterContinental London Park Lane has won several awards since reopening in 2006, including:
 * “TOP NEW HOTELS” Conde Nast Traveller USA, Hot List 2007)
 * Voted one of the Top Ten UK Business Hotels in the |2007 Condé Nast Traveller Reader Awards
 * Voted Number One choice for food and restaurants in the 2007 Condé Nast Traveller Reader Awards
 * Spa InterContinental named on the |Condé Nast Traveller Hot List Spas 2008
 * Theo Randall at The InterContinental crowned Italian Restaurant of the Year at the |2008 London Restaurant Awards
 * With 31 million members, Priority Club Rewards was voted the world’s best hotel reward programme in 2006.

Background
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts was established in 1947, and was the world’s first international hotel business. Today it has a worldwide portfolio of over 150 hotels in 65 countries. The group has regional headquarters for Europe, The Middle East and Africa, (in Buckinghamshire, UK) The Americas (in Atlanta, Georgia) and Asia Pacific (in Singapore).

Architecture and design features
One of the first sights greeting guests is a series of six illuminated sketches of London landmarks, drawn by local artist Alan |Alan Halliday, and converted into a frieze of travertine marble and amber glass by Artifex. Other design features include chandeliers, a curved concierge desk with a 'cracked-gesso' front and a weighty stone top and, opposite, a recessed guest relations area. To the left of the reception is the bar area. The bar is made of Belgian stone, complete with fossilised creatures, which has been water cut with a swirling pattern. The space is overlooked by a huge artwork mural developed from a photograph looking up through the trees of Hyde Park to the sky. In the restaurant, natural materials are used but with a twist, such as timbers with metallic finishes, bronzed leather upholstery, a repeating "English grass" motif and leather on the floor.

Points of interest
You will find the following attractions within five miles of the hotel:


 * Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament


 * Westminster Abbey


 * Buckingham Palace


 * Fortnum & Masons


 * Harrods


 * Madame Tussauds


 * British Museum


 * The National Portrait Gallery


 * Royal Academy of Arts


 * Royal Albert Hall


 * Victoria and Albert Museum


 * Trafalgar Square


 * Piccadilly Circus


 * Leicester Square


 * West End and Theatreland

Notable events

 * InterContinental London Park Lane was the official hotel sponsor for 46664’s high profile 90th birthday celebrations for Nelson Mandela, in support of his Global HIV AIDS awareness campaign.


 * InterContinental London Park Lane hosted the inaugural |Saudi Gulf Luxury Trade Fair in August 2008. As part of the event, a replica Gorgosaurus took up residence in the hotel lobby.


 * The hotel was the venue chosen by Dylan Jones to launch his book “Cameron on Cameron”.


 * It was also the venue of the Wimbledon Champions’ Ball, when Rafael Nadal won the Wimbledon Men’s Singles Final in 2008.