Tower Hotel, London
The Tower Hotel is a large hotel situated on the north bank of the River Thames, on the east side of Tower Bridge, in London.
The hotel was designed by the Renton Howard Wood Partnership, and constructed by Taylor Woodrow for owners J. Lyons & Co., and opened in September 1973. It was built in a modern style considered unattractive by many — it was twice voted the second ugliest building in London, in a 2005 Time Out poll, and in a 2006 BBC poll.
J. Lyons operated the hotel until July 1977 when it was sold for £6.5m to EMI Leisure. In 1980, EMI Leisure properties, including the Tower Hotel, were sold to Trusthouse Forte. The hotel was later acquired by the Thistle Hotels group.
The hotel has 801 rooms, as well as 19 meeting rooms with a capacity of up to 600 people. It also has a gym, two restaurants, a coffee bar, and licensed premises. The hotel is ultimately owned by BIL International, a New Zealand investment fund which has shifted the hotel into a separate luxury brand called Guoman Hotels.
The nearest London Underground station is Tower Hill. Tower Gateway DLR station is also nearby.
