Exclusive: Tao Group to open its first UK venture at new Marylebone hotel
Hakkasan owner Tao Group Hospitality will launch its first new UK restaurant at the new The BoTree hotel in Marylebone, which is set to open its doors this summer.
The hospitality offering will include flagship restaurant Lavo, which will serve “coastal Italian fare” as well as a more casual dining option and bars.
New York-based Tao Group bought Hakkasan Group in April 2021 and is the owner of dining and nightlife venues including Tao, Yauatcha, Marquee, Beauty & Essex, Cathédrale, Little Sister and Omnia.
The BoTree is the latest London property from Preferred Hotels & Resorts, the biggest independent hotel chain in the world. The BoTree will be a sister venue to Covent Garden’s Middle Eight hotel and Westminster’s The Guardsman.
The 199-room The BoTree is located at the intersection between Marylebone and Mayfair, offering 30 suites, several bars, two restaurants – one with rooftop views over the city – and a screening room.
The move is a vote of confidence in a hospitality industry still faltering from the triple whammy of Covid, inflation and Brexit.
“There were opportunities to build hotels in other central London locations but this was the one that attracted us the most,” The BoTree founder Rishi Sachdev told City PM “We are surrounded by all that is great about London – the boutiques of Marylebone, the flair of Mayfair and the energy of Soho, whilst being steps away from Bond Street and Regent Street. The hotel will harness that to offer a contemporary hotel to international travellers and locals alike.”
Sachdev said the tough economic climate did not delay plans to open the hotel: “Every decision we make is for the long term and a strategic one, so the current climate does not change that.”
Tao Group Hospitality co-CEO Noah Tepperberg also downplayed the current economic situation as “short-term”. He said: “This project has been in the works for many years, long before the economic headwinds we are facing now set in.
“As in everything we do, we take a long-term approach and decided not to slow down or redirect in the face of these problems we view as short-term but rather to push through. There are many strong indicators that a purpose-built product like ours is still in high demand in the luxury hotel market.
“There are very few ground-up new luxury hotels in central London, so this will give The BoTree a unique positioning in the market. The custom design of the experience anchored by the numerous food and beverage outlets will create a fun yet sophisticated guest experience that really brings the excitement of stepping into a chic new place from the front door into the rooms.
“As far as Tao Group Hospitality goes, this is our first opening in the UK, and we are excited to bring a new perspective on social dining from Lavo Ristorante’s sister venue in Los Angeles. We believe The BoTree will become a mainstay hotel for American travellers while in the UK but the focus from day one will be to create a very neighbourhood friendly restaurant and bar.”