Criterion Capital has opened a new underground Zedwell hotel on Park Lane, expanding its presence in central London with a 133-room site in Mayfair.
The opening marks the second fully underground Zedwell hotel in the capital, following the launch of Zedwell Underground Tottenham Court Road, which the company describes as England’s first hotel built entirely below ground.
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Zedwell Underground Park Lane is located close to several established luxury hotels, including the Dorchester and Grosvenor House, and forms part of Criterion’s wider push to grow its budget-focused accommodation brand in prime city-centre locations.
The hotel has been developed beneath street level, with Criterion saying the approach allows underused urban space to be repurposed while reducing the environmental impact associated with conventional new-build projects. The company said the design aims to lower embodied carbon and construction waste, while limiting disruption to the surrounding area.
The Park Lane site includes 133 soundproofed rooms, which Zedwell refers to as “cocoons”. The rooms are windowless and fitted with ambient lighting, air filtration systems and cushioned mattresses. The hotel also includes automated self check-in kiosks and a co-working area with views towards Hyde Park.
Criterion said the hotel was designed to appeal to both leisure and business travellers seeking lower-cost accommodation in central London, with a focus on sleep quality and efficient use of space.
Halima Aziz, head of hotels at Criterion Capital, said: “Zedwell is built around one simple idea: delivering great sleep in unbeatable locations at an affordable price point, democratising access to city centres and luxury neighbourhoods like Mayfair.”
Criterion said it now operates more than 3,000 hotel rooms across London’s West End. A further 6,000 rooms are under construction and due to be completed by 2029, which would take the Zedwell brand to more than 9,000 rooms across London, Oxford, Edinburgh and Manchester.
