A huge side-facing apartment in a Mayfair building on the corner of Old Park Lane and Piccadilly with a remarkable backstory that includes the Elgin Marbles, Queen Victoria and Paul McCartney has been put up for sale for £26.25 million.

The four-bedroom apartment at 149 Old Park Lane takes up the entire fourth floor of an Edwardian-style block overlooking Green Park.

The 486 sqm home has been extensively transformed by London-based investors Fairway Capital and Saudi Arabia-based DAR Capital, together with construction company Leconfield Property Group, and is now for sale through The Family Office, UK Sotheby’s International Realty.

The Grade II listed building stands on the site of one of Mayfair’s oldest private homes, Gloucester House, built for the Bruce family in the 1760s.

It was here that Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin, first exhibited the Elgin Marbles in the early 19th century. Thomas planned to turn the property into a private museum before the Marbles and their property passed to the British Museum in 1816.

Between 1816 and 1904, the mansion served as a private palace for members of the British royal family, including Prince George, Duke of Cambridge, a cousin of Queen Victoria and Commander-in-Chief of the British Army. Here, Prince George received Queen Victoria, Prime Minister William Gladstone and Field Marshal Haig.

After the Duke’s death in 1904, the building was demolished and replaced by a seven-storey apartment building in Art Nouveau and Classical styles, designed by Savoy Hotel architect Thomas Edward Colcutt and his partner Stanley Hamp.

The covered glass entrance on the ground floor leads to the hotel-style lobby with marble floors and trompe l’oeil ceiling, domed skylight, passenger elevator and 24-hour doorman and concierge service. Above is a series of large, side-facing Parisian-style apartments with palatial interiors, one per floor.

Between 1906 and 1971, 149 Old Park Lane served as the Mayfair headquarters of Rolls-Royce Motorcars, with a showroom on the ground floor and the apartments above used as entertainment rooms and second homes for Rolls-Royce directors.

In 1971, the former exhibition space became the venue for the first Hard Rock Café in London, where Paul McCartney made his first live appearance with his new band Wings in March 1973.

The fourth-floor apartment has a ceiling height of 4.3 meters, crystal chandeliers, original marble fireplaces as well as paneled walls and high doors

The large reception hall has marble floors and a grand piano and leads to the three adjoining reception rooms, which have parquet floors with inlaid borders.

The story continues

The main salon is designed as two living areas and features a large bay window overlooking Green Park. The salon is connected to an adjacent formal dining room, creating a large entertaining space that can accommodate up to 100 guests.

The living room leads to the family kitchen and the informal breakfast room. Next to the family kitchen is a separate kitchen for a professional chef.

The master bedroom features a large master bedroom with day area with sofa, walk-in dressing room and master marble bathroom with freestanding bathtub and separate walk-in marble shower.

There is also a separate staff apartment with its own independent access.

Marcus O’Brien, Founder of the Family Office at Sotheby’s International Realty, UK, says: “This magnificent apartment at 149 Old Park Lane has an illustrious history that includes royalty, the Elgin Marbles and Rolls-Royce cars.

With its exceptionally palatial interiors, this magnificent apartment is one of the largest side apartments in the area. Recently refurbished to the highest standards by Leconfield Property Group, it offers the finest new side apartment available for sale in Mayfair.”

George Brooksbank, CEO of Fairway Capital, says: “149 Old Park Lane is emblematic of the type of residential building that combines significant history and an unrivalled address. Fairway Capital provided the financing and Leconfield Property Group has managed to transform it into a unique showpiece home. The apartment building offers a balance between traditional and modern living and was originally inspired by the luxurious Savoy Hotel. Leconfield Property Group has sought to preserve and restore the original features whilst incorporating the latest technology and bespoke, contemporary furnishings.

“Mayfair is one of the most sought-after addresses in London, so we wanted to create a residence that is best in class in terms of amenities and high-quality interiors and stands out from the rest.”

Marcus O’Brien added: “This exceptional side apartment at 149 Old Park Lane is exactly the kind of apartment that affluent buyers in Mayfair are looking for. It has the size and dimensions of a stately home, but the living accommodation is all on one floor. In 2023, almost £530 million worth of homes were sold in Mayfair, and over 70% of homes sold valued at over £10 million were large side apartments.

“In 2023, the average size of apartments sold in Mayfair priced over £15 million was almost 4,900 square feet, so the 5,222 square foot apartment at 149 Old Park Lane fits the exact dimensions buyers are looking for.

“Currently, the luxury residential market in Mayfair is driven by affluent buyers from just eight countries – the United States, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, India, Saudi Arabia, India, the United Kingdom and Pakistan – so we will leverage our national and global network to reach buyers in these locations.”