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The 115-year-old hotel unveiled its new look last Thursday, on May 31, after the most expensive renovation programme ever undertaken in its history was completed. A massive fire, which 20 fire engines and 128 firefighters battle the blaze, struck this afternoon. It is unclear how extensive the damage is. The 18 month renovation plan saw the transformation of all 181 bedrooms and public areas in the hotel and was led by Joyce Wang, an award-winning interior design practice with a reputation for luxury interiors. The aim of the renovation was to take back the five-star Mandarin Oriental hotel to its original splendour, taking inspiration from its royal heritage and Hyde Park location.

Designer Wang was also joined on the project by New York-based designer Adam D. Tihany, who oversaw the refurbishment of the hotel’s restaurants and its SPA. The latter was set to be the flagship of the renovation, with its 13 individual treatment rooms, an Oriental Suite with two massage beds and a Rasul water temple, a room designed for Chinese medicine consultations and treatments, a mani-pedi studio, and two "beauty rooms" designed for beauty treatments. And hotel bosses were yet to reveal the largest suite in the luxury hotel. The three-bedroom Mandarin Oriental Penthouse, which includes private terraces, was due to open in July.

The Mandarin Oriental Hotel unveiled its new look last Thursday, less than a week before the fire

London fire LIVE pictures: Knightsbridge Mandarin Oriental hotel in FLAMES Wed, June 6, 2018 A fire broke out at London's Mandarin Oriental hotel, with dozens of firefighters deployed to tackle the blaze that pumped smoke high into the air over the British capital Play slideshow Twitter/@Tedmawr 1 of 29 Thick smoke rises from a building in Knightsbridge

There are still final pieces of renovation to be completed. A soft refurbishment of the hotel’s meeting spaces was set to be unveiled in July but the fire is likely to have changed plans of the constructors. This is the second blaze striking the luxury hotel in its history. The building was first hit by a major fire in 1899, and saw part of its roof destroyed and the top three floors badly damaged.

Designer Joyce Wang led the refurbishment works

The SPA was set to be the flagship of the renovation of the London Mandarin Oriental Hotel

Fire engines and 97 firefighters are trying to extinguish the massive fire engulfing the hotel