Situated directly across from the Horse Guards Parade (from some of the suites you can actually see the guards whinnying about with their horses before starting duty in the most London possible scene) in Whitehall, and one block from St James Park, Big Ben and Trafalgar Square, its location is unparalleled. But it’s actually the building itself, imbued with the kind of tony heritage and world-shaping history that any other hotelier would kill for, that makes it extraordinary.

The James Bond connection

After all, this was the building where MI5 and MI6 were formed. Ian Fleming, author of the James Bond novels, worked in this building. The spies were said to have their own entrance to the building. The Spy Bar in the hotel basement nods to this, and that you have to put a sticker over your phone upon entry only adds to the fun.

Oh, if the walls of the building could talk! Churchill gave his morning address in the Juliette balcony above that grand staircase that welcomes you into the hotel. Like much of the hotel, the staircase is original, albeit with the addition of a glittering two-storey iDogi chandelier. It’s the same for the hallways, some 4km of them, which retain the ultra wide dimensions that allowed for couriers on bicycles to deliver messages during its war office days. With interiors by the late, legendary Thierry Despont, it possesses a certain statesmanlike quality. The colour scheme throughout is blazing red, inspired by the coats of the Horse Guards. The button details on the curtains recall the buttons of the cavalry. The wood panelling, marble, wallpaper and chandeliers evoke a certain old-world elegance – you can practically smell the cigar plumes that must have once furled in these rooms.

The best suites in the hotel are named for the top brass who once walked the halls, including the Haldane Suite, which was once Churchill’s office, and the Christine Granville suite, named for the daring spy described as the “female James Bond” (and rumoured lover of Fleming), must have the most beautiful bathroom I’ve ever seen complete with a gleaming copper bathtub.

Bedroom beauties

In total, there are 120 rooms and suites. My suite is named for the spy Jessica Atkins and upon entering it is impossible not to gasp. With soaring ceilings, an ornate fireplace, red drapes and lounges, as well as an incredibly well-stocked mini bar (is an ultimate hotel luxury fresh milk rather than UHT?), full dining table and chairs, it has the immediate effect of feeling like you ought to be composing some kind of rousing and important speech or at least nestling into that inviting couch and leafing through the array of thoughtfully curated coffee table books. Or perhaps I’d ask my private butler, a service on offer to those staying in certain suites in the hotel, to do some pressing of my clothes or other such tasks if I could actually bear to leave the room.

Every detail in the bedroom is thoughtful, from the wooden hangers in the generous cupboards to the Dyson hairdryer, steamer and the tablet to control the opening of the ornate drapes. The bathroom is, frankly, enormous and with its marble accents, double sink, heated floors and deep bathtub, incredibly luxurious.

You could, and I did, get lost in the warrens of corridors and floors. Indeed, in the restoration the owners made the building even bigger than it originally was, digging deeper into the earth to make a grand ballroom and the impressive – especially in London – 20-metre swimming pool. Here too are vitality pools, a steam and sauna, as well as the nicest hotel gym I’ve ever seen, replete with Technogym equipment and chic (truly!) weights. It’s enough to make this non-hotel gym person turn over a new leaf. The hotel’s four-floor Guerlain spa is also subterranean, and it’s not only the well-curated treatments – such as the stress-melting Imperial Relaxing massage – that leave one feeling lighter than before, but also the recovery lounge, replete with its delicious protein balls, fruit and tea, that is also soul and spirit lifting.

Dining in Michelin grandeur

In any case, my new-found gym enthusiasm made room to indulge in afternoon tea, one of the greatest British traditions, in the clubby confines of the Drawing Room. Here, surrounded by handsome Chesterfield couches and a pianist playing in the corner, I decided upon a smoky tea blend inspired by Churchill’s favourite blend to accompany a delectable assortment of savouries, scones and almost-too-pretty to eat treats. Dining is taken awfully seriously at Raffles OWO.

There are nine restaurants within the hotel (and three bars – do stop by the Guards Bar for a London Sling, a British twist on the Singapore classic). Superstar three-Michelin-starred chef Mauro Colagreco, known for his seasonal, locally sourced approach to food, is behind several of them. This includes the eponymous Mauro Colagreco, where on my visit the tasting menu is inspired by the Chelsea Flower show and the meal is a symphony of flavours and textures. He’s also behind Saison, an airy atrium-like space with vibrant green accents.

You could happily not leave the hotel all day. I recommend taking a tour with the hotel’s personable and incredibly knowledgeable concierge team to delve deeper into the rich history of this significant building. It’s a reminder that within its walls are great swathes of British, and indeed global, history. But also, the hotel is so, so incredibly plush.

Of course, all of this heritage and unparalleled refinement comes at an eye-watering cost. But Raffles OWO is not a hotel you’d forget in a hurry. And in a sea of bland luxury, this counts for an awful lot.