Manex Properties has secured planning permission to convert Waterman House on Kingsway into a 73-bedroom boutique hotel, expanding the AMANO brand’s presence in Central London.
The scheme, approved by Westminster City Council, will see the long-vacant office building transformed into a lifestyle hotel under the AMANO banner, alongside a new ground-floor food retail offering designed to enhance the street scene.
Waterman House, a nine-storey, 25,000 sq ft building located just yards from Hotel AMANO Covent Garden, has stood empty for more than a decade. The redevelopment will bring the landmark property back into use while restoring elements of its historic character.
The project is being delivered by Manex Properties, the joint venture between Berlin-headquartered AMANO Group and London-based Excellion Capital.
HOSPITALITY CLUSTER
The consent represents a significant enhancement of the plans announced when the property was acquired in September 2025, increasing the room count and improving the operational efficiency of the building.
Once complete, Waterman House will become the second AMANO-branded hotel in Central London, creating a hospitality cluster alongside the existing 141-bedroom Hotel AMANO Covent Garden.
The location, at the junction of Covent Garden, The Strand and Bloomsbury, places the hotel within easy reach of London’s theatre district, universities, museums and major commercial occupiers.
MAJOR MILESTONE
Philip Rokeach, Director at AMANO Group, says: “Our vision to bring Berlin’s flair to London was already validated by the exceptional performance of Hotel AMANO Covent Garden.
“Securing planning consent for Waterman House was an important next step in expanding our AMANO brand in the city.”
Robert Stafler, Director at AMANO UK and Manex Properties, adds: “Securing planning permission is a major milestone. The approval enables our office-to-hotel conversion and increases the room count to 73 keys.
“It improves building design, operational functionality and street-level presence. We are delighted to start the restoration of Waterman House later this year to bring this long-derelict landmark asset back to life.”
On completion, the combined London estate is expected to have a value of around £150m.
