Work has begun to convert Phoenix House in Vauxhall, London into a 180-bedroom Premier Inn, eight months after Whitbread agreed lease terms for the site.
The 10-storey, 7,469 sqm former office building sits opposite Vauxhall Underground Station and was secured as part of Whitbread’s London expansion programme. Under the arrangement, the company has leased the building from Lambeth Council and is leading its conversion into a latest-format Premier Inn.
The 30-year agreement between Whitbread and the council was signed in March 2025, with planning consent granted in July. Whitbread has now taken control of the building and begun strip-out works, targeting an opening in early 2028.
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Phoenix House was previously occupied by Lambeth Council and was vacated as part of its Your New Town Hall scheme, which reduced the council’s core offices from 14 to two and delivered new homes for rent and sale.
Whitbread plans to introduce its enhanced Premier Plus rooms at the site, alongside a first-floor restaurant. The hotel is expected to create about 25 permanent roles, with recruitment scheduled to begin in autumn 2027.
Jonathan Langdon, senior acquisition manager at Whitbread, said the partnership had enabled rapid progress. He said: “Thanks to a successful partnership with Lambeth Council, we have been able to acquire a fantastic hotel location, secure planning, and move into construction in just eight months, showing what’s possible when everyone comes together.
“We have been looking for a suitable location for Premier Inn in Vauxhall for at least ten years. In a little over two years’ time, we will be welcoming customers to a sensational hotel location, literally opposite Vauxhall Underground Station.”
Redhammer Demolition has been appointed to carry out the strip-out works, which are due to complete by Easter 2026. Whitbread is in discussions with contractors for the fit-out stage.
The redevelopment forms part of Whitbread’s wider plans to address the shortage of affordable hotel rooms in the capital. The company operates more than 100 Premier Inn and hub by Premier Inn hotels within the M25, including five in Lambeth.
