HIGH LIFE
The famous London attraction being turned into a £275million hotel
The tower's new owners previously redeveloped a world-renowned hotel in New York
ONE of London's most famous landmarks is being turned into a huge luxury hotel.
The Grade II-listed Tower, which opened in 1964, has long been a much-loved part of the capital's skyline.
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On its completion the 620ft tower became the tallest structure in London soaring above the Millbank Tower, only to be overtaken in 1980 by the Tower.
However, over the years, many of its original telecommunication functions have dwindled, with its aerials removed a decade ago.
Tourists used to be able to visit once a year when it opened to the public and it was also once home to a rotating restaurant, which closed in 1971.
It has now been sold to US-based MCR Hotels in a £275million deal to turn it into a mega hotel.
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Brent Mathews, Property Director of the BT Group, said the decisions came because of the company "increasingly delivering content and communication via other means".
He added: "The BT Tower sits at the heart of London and we’ve been immensely proud to be the owners of this important landmark since 1984.
"This deal with MCR will enable BT Tower to take on a new purpose, preserving this iconic building for decades to come.”
Tyler Morse, CEO and owner of MCR Hotels, said: “We are proud to become owners and custodians of the iconic BT Tower.
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“We will take our time to carefully develop proposals that respect the London landmark’s rich history and open the building for everyone to enjoy.”
Other projects from MCR Hotels include the TWA Hotel in New York's JFK Airport.
After closing in 2001, it reopened in 2019 with many mid-century, 60s style designs of the "hey-day" of travel, along with a rooftop pool.
Inside the tallest hotel in Europe - with rooftop bar overlooking Brit-loved Spanish beach
Mr Morse added: "We see many parallels between the TWA Hotel and the BT Tower - both are world-renowned, groundbreaking pieces of architecture.
"It’s been a privilege to adapt the TWA Flight Center into new use for future generations, as it will be the BT Tower."
MCR Hotels is also behind the , and has another 150 hotels across the US.
More is to be revealed as designs are finalised, including how many rooms and how much they will cost.
An official opening date is also yet to be confirmed.
In the mean time, you can visit London's first billion-pound hotel which opened last year.
The Peninsula London opened after a 30-year project, becoming the first of the brand in the UK.
You might need to start saving first as rooms start from £1,300 a night.
And if you're looking for the best views of London, here's everything you need to know about The Shard, the tallest in the capital.
Inside is the five-star Shangri-La Hotel, between floors 34-52, as well as the Gong bar which is the highest hotel bar in western Europe.
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Top 10 tallest buildings in the world
1. Burj Khalifa, Dubai - 2,717ft
2. Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia - 2,227ft
3. Shanghai Tower, Shanghai - 2,073ft
4. Abraj Al-Bait Clock Tower, Saudi Arabia - 1,972ft
5. Ping An International Finance Centre, Shenzhen - 1,966ft
6. Lotte World Tower, Seoul - 1,819ft
7. One World Trade Center, New York - 1,776ft
8. Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre, Guangzhou - 1740ft
8. Tianjin CTF Finance Centre, Tianjin - 1,740ft
10. China Zun, Beijing - 1,731ft
Other restaurants and bars inside include the Aqua Shard on floor 31 and Oblix on floor 32, along with cafe and wine bar Lang on the ground floor.
But the Shard might not be the tallest for long though, with a new London skyscraper set to be just as tall.
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