Stock - Old War Office Building
London's new Raffles hotel and residences sits on a site that comes with hoary British legacy. Image Credit: Supplied

Dubai: Want to channel Winston Churchill taking decisions that changed the course of World War 2? Or do you feel the need to assume the aura of mystery and high stakes poker through James Bond?

Any which way you want it, buying any of the 85 apartments at the former Old War Office building in London should give them that access to the past. These homes are part of The OWO Residences by Raffles – and the first ‘Raffles’ branded residences in Europe. Prices for a two-bedroom residence at the Hinduja Group owned building are from 5.8 million pounds.

The building has gone through a ‘painstaking’ transformation in the last five years and will open to its new residents next year. Also part of the destination is London’s first Raffles hotel, a 125-room attraction.

Gopichand Hinduja
"Launching sales of these extraordinary residences is a significant milestone for us as a family and for the project team at The OWO. It’s one step closer to opening the storied building to the public for the first time where branded residences will sit alongside a flagship Raffles hotel." Gopichand P Hinduja, Co-Chairman, Hinduja Group Image Credit: Bloomberg

The former site of the original Palace of Whitehall - and home to Henry VIII - the building has hosted Winston Churchill and David Lloyd George. It “inspired” Ian Fleming to start penning the James Bond novels after working for Britain’s Naval Intelligence Service. The imperious architecture has been the choice for Bond films and the more recent ‘The Crown’ series on Netflix.

Buy out

The London headquartered Hinduja Group acquired the heritage building 2014. It worked with the likes of Historic England and Museum of London Archaeology, and appointed EPR Architects to oversee the re-development. The hotel interiors are being designed by New York-based Thierry Despont.