Transforming One of London’s Premier Event Venues | Royal Lancaster London Hotel Case Study
Overlooking Hyde Park, the Royal Lancaster London is one of the capital’s most prestigious independent five-star hotels, renowned for hosting everything from international conferences and awards ceremonies to luxury weddings and gala dinners. Home to two of Europe’s largest pillar-free ballrooms, the hotel has built its reputation on delivering exceptional events where every detail contributes to the guest experience.
As part of a major refurbishment of the Nine Kings Suite and Westbourne Suite, Burgess was commissioned to supply 1,200 ORVIA 12/5 T side chairs. Finished with an Architectural Champagne frame and upholstered in AGUA Sark Marine fabric, each chair was also fitted with retractable linking to provide the flexibility and efficiency required for large-scale event layouts. Working closely with the Royal Lancaster London team and Alex Kravitz Design, the project centred on creating a bespoke seating solution that reflected the distinctive character of each suite while enhancing guest comfort and maximising seating capacity. From sourcing specialist upholstery to refining the chair design with a tighter rake, every detail was carefully considered to deliver a chair that combined elegant aesthetics with the durability and practicality expected of one of Europe’s leading event venues.
To gain a first-hand perspective on the project, we invited Gareth Bush, Director of F&B & Events at Royal Lancaster London, to share his experience of working with Burgess and the impact the new seating has had on the hotel’s event spaces.
Q&A with Gareth Bush – Director of F&B & Events
What was the project, and what were you looking to achieve?
Royal Lancaster London is an independently owned five-star hotel, renowned as one of Europe’s leading event venues. The hotel features two large pillar-free ballrooms and a range of smaller meeting rooms, all seamlessly designed to combine style, functionality, natural daylight, and views over Hyde Park.
With an experienced and award-winning events team, elegant and flexible spaces, and state-of-the-art technology, the hotel can transform its main rooms from a blank canvas into the perfect setting for events ranging from corporate meetings and awards dinners to lavish weddings.
The project involved replacing 1,200 banqueting chairs for use within both the Nine Kings Suite and the Westbourne Suite. The aim was to significantly improve the guest experience and enhance space efficiency across both venues.
What challenges were you facing before working with Burgess?
The flexibility of the suites is one of their main selling points, with capacity for up to 1,200 guests at any one sitting. However, the challenge was to find a chair that would suit the distinct colour palettes and styles of each suite, allow for more space between guests when the rooms were set, and provide a high level of comfort.
How did Burgess help solve these?
Burgess worked seamlessly with both the hotel team and Alex Kraviz Design, facilitating site visits to view the manufacturing process, sourcing bespoke fabric, and modifying the chair design to allow for a tighter rake.
What was the result / outcome?
The result was a contemporary chair that successfully balanced bespoke design with the durability and practicality required for commercial use.
How has the furniture performed since installation?
The chairs have now been in use for a year and are performing very well. The craftsmanship involved in their production is excellent, and they have been very well received by our guests.
“Working with Burgess was a genuinely positive experience from start to finish. They took the time to understand what we needed for our event spaces, listened carefully to the practical challenges of a busy five-star hotel, and helped us achieve a result that feels right for both our team and our guests.
The chairs look fantastic in the suites, perform beautifully day to day, and have made a real difference to the overall guest experience.”
Gareth Bush, Director of F&B & Events – Royal Lancaster London
Whether furnishing a boutique hotel or a large international conference venue, Burgess partners with clients to create tailored furniture solutions that enhance the guest experience while supporting the practical demands of busy hospitality environments.
To discuss your project, contact us at +44 (0)33 0333 9258 or hello@burgessfurniture.com.