London, May 16, 2011 - Dorchester Collection today announced 45 Park Lane is scheduled to launch in September, following a soft opening period in August.  Mayfair's newest luxury hotel is designed by internationally renowned architect and designer Thierry W. Despont and will open with celebrated chef Wolfgang Puck's first restaurant in Europe.  Thomas Tait, winner of the 2010 inaugural Dorchester Collection Fashion Prize, will consult on the design of staff attire, which will include a 24-hour dedicated host team.

45 Park Lane will offer 45 contemporary rooms and suites all with views of Hyde Park, in addition to a penthouse suite with panoramic views across London.  Wolfgang Puck's modern American steak restaurant, CUT at 45 Park Lane, is headed by Executive Chef David McIntyre and is located on the ground floor, with a ceiling that is the height of two floors. Bar 45, featuring a black granite bar and a back lit amber glass front, a library and private media room will be situated on a mezzanine level accessed via a central staircase leading from the lobby lounge.

The building's exterior has been transformed by Despont with metal fins across the full width of seven of the nine floors to emphasize the structure's curve.  An external wall sculpture, also by Despont, of bronze composite panels (each five meters wide by 1.5 meters high) will reflect both sunlight and embedded lighting across the height of the residential floors.

The interiors will continue the contrast of geometry and light throughout the building. For example, louvers along Bar 45 overlooking the restaurant will complement the architectural fins on the exterior.  The interior palette will include a rich mix of white, brick red, camel and aquamarine with earthy toned accents.   Bedrooms will feature the latest guest-centric hotel technology, walls in cerused mahogany and soft suede, and adjoining bathrooms lined with Ambarino marble.

The intimate number of rooms will allow for an unprecedented level of guest service, with a 24-hour host team offering a dedicated point of contact for guests, managing all requirements from arrival to departure. This superior level of guest interaction will enable the hosts to deliver bespoke services such as personalized mini-bar contents and amenities.  The opening of 45 Park Lane, opposite The Dorchester, follows the September 2010 launch of Coworth Park, country house hotel and spa in Ascot, Berkshire.  Guests at Dorchester Collection's hotels in the UK will enjoy the ease of seamless bill signing privileges when using any of the three hotel's outlets.

Hotel Manager Marie-Laure Akdag commented, "45 Park Lane will provide a new London address for travelers that desire personal service in sleek, contemporary surroundings in a central location.  The team are excited about revealing Dorchester Collection's new hotel this September; our vision is to create an international buzz with a London beat."

A short film featuring hotel manager Marie-Laure Akdag reporting on plans for the hotel on location from within the development site is available to view at www.45parklane.com/film

Thierry Despont Based in New York, Thierry Despont's projects over his career have included the centennial restoration of the Statue of Liberty as associate architect, the design of galleries at the J Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, the Beverly Hills Harry Winston store, and the Ralph Lauren flagship store on Bond Street in London, as well as numerous private residential projects.

Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group
The Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group specialises in operating high-end, innovative restaurant concepts known for its proven formula of exceptional and consistent cuisine, service, management and design.The award-winning restaurants of the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group include Spago (Beverly Hills, Las Vegas, Maui and Beaver Creek); the critically acclaimed CUT (Beverly Hills, Las Vegas and Singapore);  Chinois (Santa Monica); Postrio Bar & Grill (Las Vegas); Trattoria del Lupo (Las Vegas); Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill (Las Vegas and Los Angeles); Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria & Cucina (Las Vegas); Wolfgang Puck American Grille (Atlantic City); Wolfgang Puck Grille (Detroit); The Source by Wolfgang Puck (Washington, DC); Five Sixty (Dallas, TX) and WP24 by Wolfgang Puck (Los Angeles).   www.wolfgangpuck.com

Dorchester Collection is the successor to the Dorchester Group, originally established in 1996 to manage a portfolio of some of the world's foremost luxury hotels in Europe and the USA. Dorchester Collection's Chief Executive, Christopher Cowdray, has set out the company's goal to have between 15-20 hotels by 2015.

The current portfolio is managed by Dorchester Collection:

The Dorchester, London
The Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Hills
Le Meurice, Paris
Hotel Plaza Athénée, Paris
Hotel Principe di Savoia, Milan
The New York Palace, New York
Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles (currently closed for refurbishment)
Coworth Park, Ascot, UK
45 Park Lane, London (opening September 2011)