Over the years, the hotel has checked in over 8 million people and hosted more than a million events. From escorting elephants across Westminster Bridge to delivering babies, Park Plaza Westminster Bridge really has seen it all. To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the hotel, we took a trip down memory lane, reliving the hotel’s opening days, celebrating staff who have been with us from the beginning, and recalling some of the hotel’s most memorable highlights.

Where it began

‘Really exciting and terrifying in equal measure’. That’s how Daniel Pedreschi, then hotel manager, now the Executive Vice President of Operations, remembers the opening days of Park Plaza London Westminster Bridge. ‘When I joined Park Plaza Westminster Bridge for the pre-opening, I was employee number five and there were 600 builders here… opening day was fantastic here’.

‘No one has ever built a hotel of this scale in London before, and they never will again’. That’s the reason Laurence Markham, then Marketing manager, came on the journey with the hotel from opening and is still working for PPHE today.

Before the hotel was built, the site had been disused, and derelict, being voted one of the ugliest buildings in the UK. Now spanning over 20 floors, with 1023 guestrooms, four restaurants and bars and covering 68,000 sqm the hotel stands impressively at the end of Westminster Bridge and has forever changed the landscape of the South Bank.

Prior to opening the hotel had a more than memorable topping out ceremony, with the then Mayor of London Boris Johnson cutting the ribbon to celebrate the building’s construction and the economic benefits it was guaranteed to bring to the local area.

Our people

We are fortunate to still have many dedicated individuals working with us today that were there on opening day. For a hotel of such scale as Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, building a strong team and recruiting the right people was key.

Lisa Price took on this challenge, hiring the hotel’s opening team and training them to welcome the first guests. Reflecting on this period, Lisa shared, ‘When we opened the hotel, we needed around 300 people. We had a lot of recruitment to do and then a lot of onboarding as well, training those people. I remember it being very busy from that perspective for my team particularly’. Looking back, Lisa highlights the growth and development of the team members as one of her proudest achievements.

Another key person who trained the staff at the opening was Paresh Vara, who played a pivotal role in the team’s learning and development. He ran the Connect training program for all the new starters and was a driving force in energising the team.

The hotel’s first revenue manager, Darren Thacker, recalls the buzz of the hotel opening and the influx of bookings, as everyone wanted to experience this new landmark. ‘To say that it was popular would be an understatement’.

Our favourite memories

‘Do I have a favourite memory at Westminster Bridge? I’ve got dozens of them.  And they’re all to do with the team delivering something they never thought they could deliver’ recalls Daniel Pedreschi.

Night Manager John Downes, who has been here since opening day, shared some of his most memorable moments. A standout one was the time he assisted a woman who delivered her baby in the hotel lobby! Other memories included lost sleepwalkers, meeting some famous faces and watching the annual New Year’s Eve fireworks from the hotel each year.

As Head Concierge, David Haines gets countless requests and recommendations, some being near-impossible tasks. When the hotel was hosting an Indian Wedding, for instance, the groom wanted to arrive across Westminster Bridge on an Elephant. David made this happen and even escorted the Elephant across the bridge to the hotel, taking going above and beyond for guests to a whole new level!

Over time, the team have made countless memorable moments for guests, from outlandish proposals to hosting some of London’s most extravagant events. It’s part of the reason guests return time and time again to enjoy the authentic service at Park Plaza Westminster Bridge.

‘I can’t express how amazing our stay was at this hotel… This is my third time and can’t wait to go again.’ Karen E, Tripadvisor

‘Excellent hotel and above and beyond service.’ James K, Tripadvisor.

‘We have been coming to Park Plaza every year, it’s our 8th year and the standard of care is excellent, and the level of service is top-notch’. Sandra H, Tripadvisor.

What does the next 15 years look like?

‘We’re going to be the number one leading conference hotel in London’ James Clarke, General Manager declares. ‘When you want to hold an event, and you want to travel anywhere from the world to come to London and take a look at that beautiful Big Ben when you wake up in the morning…for me, I see a bright future here at Westminster Bridge’.