Our History | The Dilly, Historic Hotel in Central London

The Dilly has a rich history as one of London’s finest hotels. Our excellent reputation is built on years of British tradition, with our Edwardian heritage reflected in everything we do. We take pride in our status as one of central London’s premier hotel destinations. If you want to stay in a hotel steeped in history in the centre of London, look no further than The Dilly.

1904 – 1921

1904 – British architect Richard Norman Shaw designed the hotel in a Neo-Baroque style, based on English Palladian architecture of the 18th century. 

1908 – After a short 18-month build, the hotel opened as The Piccadilly Hotel and quickly became one of London’s most luxurious hotels.

1910-1920 – The high Edwardian architectural style of the hotel attracted the upper echelons of London society, including the royal patronage of King George V.

1921 – The hotel was sold to a Welsh-catering company, RE Jones.

1950 – Present

1950s – Maxwell Joseph purchased the hotel again for £1.75 million. Later, Gleneagles took over the hotel, and it was closed for 10 months while undergoing a massive £16 million refurbishment.

1986 – The hotel was purchased by Le Meridien Group for £31 million.

1994 – The hotel became part of the Forte Group, which Granada acquired in 1996. Archer Hotel Capital B.V. (formerly Host Hotels European JV) acquired the hotel in 2010.

2021 – The hotel was rebranded as ‘The Dilly’, a new name for a new era. Our Piccadilly address inspires us to draw on our London history and identity.