The Columbia is a proudly independent hotel, event space, and shoot location in the heart of West London. Set across five Grade II Victorian townhouses built in 1856, the hotel has a rich and spirited history – from a Red Cross Hospital and Air Officers’ Club, to the go-to hotel for musicians and artists on the rise to fame.
Proudly independent for four generations, and with a story to match
The Columbia is set across five Grade II listed Victorian townhouses on Lancaster Gate, built in 1856. It began as a park-side residence for London’s Victorian elite, served as a Red Cross Hospital during the First World War (run by Lady Randolph Churchill), became an Air Force Officers’ Club in the 1960s, and from the 1970s onwards became the go-to London address for artists and musicians on the rise. Iggy Pop, the Gallagher brothers, Amy Winehouse, Stereophonics — the list goes on.
Today, The Columbia runs three distinct commercial operations from the same building, each with its own audience, booking flow, and story to tell.
The result
A site that does justice to a genuinely special building
The Columbia launched with a site that matches the building’s personality and serves all three revenue streams without compromise. The team manages its own content, the booking widget drives direct reservations, and the shoot section has helped attract production clients ranging from editorial campaigns to feature films.