Dominus Hospitality to open 382-room City of London hotel in 2028

Real estate investor Dominus and global alternative investment manager Cheyne Capital have together secured approval to transform an Art Deco building in the City of London into a 382-room hotel.

The joint venture acquired the vacant, 250,000 sq ft office at Ibex House, originally built between 1935 and 1937 and now a Grade II-listed Art Deco building, in December last year.

The property is being designed by Studio Moren and will feature more than 50,000 sq ft of public areas, as well as a conference centre with a ballroom, flexible meeting spaces, café, speakeasy and relaunched ‘Peacock’ pub once the hotel opens in late 2028.

An on-site Hospitality Academy, run in partnership with industry charity Springboard to provide training and employment opportunities for locals, will be housed on the ground floor.

The hotel will be operated by Dominus Hospitality and is expected to create 160 jobs once complete.  

Preet Ahluwalia, chief executive at Dominus, said: “Drawing on our development and operational expertise, we will transform this vacant office building into a landmark hotel that will celebrate its Art Deco design. Our plans include opening up the ground floor with a pub, café and hospitality academy as part of our commitment to creating exceptional spaces that deliver long-term value.”

Hamish Gordon, director in Cheyne Capital’s real estate group, added: “The plans for Ibex House preserve the character of this landmark building while supporting the City of London’s Destination City ambitions and long-term economic growth. That is why we are pleased to continue our partnership with Dominus on a project that combines heritage restoration with the delivery of a high-quality hotel asset.”

Dominus and Cheyne Capital previously collaborated on the 2024 acquisition of 65 Fleet Street to deliver an 875-bed student living scheme while also restoring the Grade II-listed Tipperary pub, London’s oldest Irish pub, and the Grade II-listed Whitefriars Crypt.

Founded in 2011, Dominus today operates five hotels under Dominus Hospitality, comprising the Dixon, part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection in London’s Tower Bridge; Lost Property, a Curio Collection by Hilton in nearby St Paul’s; a Courtyard by Marriott in Oxford and two Hampton by Hilton hotels in Bath and London City.

Its sixth hotel, the Derby London City, a Curio Collection by Hilton, is due to open in early 2026.