[Solved] Where has the Atrium Hotel Heathrow’s top floor gone?

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We have written a couple of articles about, and a review of, the new Atrium Hotel at Heathrow, opposite Hatton Cross underground station.

We found it all very odd. Odd, because it looks weird. Odd, because it is very rare to build an unbranded hotel of that size these days, especially at an airport where name recognition counts. And odd because, well, it is, as our review showed.

This is the oddest move yet though. Two readers have sent me photographs showing that the top floor is being removed from the hotel. See below.

If anyone has any information, please let us know.

EDIT 10am: OK, we have got to the bottom of it. It is for “Addition of a new 7th floor to provide a sky bar/lounge, restaurant spaces and six additional penthouse suites”. Permission was only given in January 2020 despite plans being submitted in 2018. The hotel seems to have decided to finish building to its original plans, to allow it to open, and then invest in a rebuild a year later. Here is an image:

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General

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

Sideshow Bob says:

7 Nov7 November 07:45

I did see them doing something to the roof when I stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn about 3 weeks ago. It had some sort of marquee on the top of the roof and loads of workmen. The hotel looked like it had been closed for some time.
Kevin says:

7 Nov7 November 07:53

Could it be that the planning application submitted late November 17, to increase the number of rooms on the upper levels, is being carried out? Doing so may require significant internal and external works that would not be possible with internal modifications only?

Given it was approved in January 2018 and the hotel opened the following summer, is it feasible that this work was completed before it opened? I would have thought so, but you never no.
TGLoyalty says:

7 Nov7 November 08:38

Are you sure this is the 3rd?

Flyer talk says

G-STBM – Delivered on 02 Oct 2020
G-STBN – Delivered on 06 Nov 2020
G-STBO – Due in Nov 2020
G-STBP – Due in Dec 2020
- Alex Sm says:
  
  9 Nov9 November 16:50
  
  This was just quietly corrected in the article without an acknowledgment. Also, on a related subject – @Rob, where is the corrections and clarifications page on the new website? the old links does not work…
David says:

7 Nov7 November 09:30

Looks like they applied to add another floor / conversion to a skybar
- David says:
  
  7 Nov7 November 09:54
  
  This seems to be the main application for the works going on now:
  https://planning-lbhounslow.msappproxy.net/Planning_CaseNo.aspx?strCASENO=P/2018/3821
  
  Submitted 10/10/2018, decision 16/1/2020.
  
  If you follow link to related documents, and then the revised design and access statement:
  http://planning2.hounslow.gov.uk/NPSPublicDocs/00648479.pdf
  
  Reduction in bedrooms from 581 to 557 it seems.
  
  What is may be interesting from an aviation angle, the need for Heathrow & NATS consent before the cladding was installed to ensure radar mitigation measures were in place. This correspondence is confirmation they had the consent, etc.
  https://planning-lbhounslow.msappproxy.net/Planning_CaseNo.aspx?strCASENO=P/2018/4705
  - Rob says:
    
    7 Nov7 November 10:48
    
    Thanks David. I’ve added a picture.
  - Lady London says:
    
    7 Nov7 November 12:32
    
    what’s radar mitigation?
    - ChrisC says:
      
      7 Nov7 November 14:05
      
      Some materials bounce the radar signal back so it then appears on the radar screen – like the metal planes are made of – where you do want the signal bouncing back from so you know where they are.
      
      So they would want the hotel to be clad with materials that does not reflect the signal back and affecting the radar and other systems.
      - Peter North says:
        
        7 Nov7 November 15:25
        
        See my reply below. Obviously, an open swimming pool will negate any issues regarding metal or any other building materials that would compromise the radar.
    - the_real_a says:
      
      7 Nov7 November 14:16
      
      Whilst concrete generally absorbs radar energy, aluminum encased cladding can reflect it causing a blackout area in-front and behind it.
      - Alex M says:
        
        7 Nov7 November 15:12
        
        It’s aluminium, for God’s sake!!!
Peter North says:

7 Nov7 November 12:41

The reduction in rooms from 581 to 557 is to facilitate a swimming pool on the top floor, hence the marquee and extra workmen employed. Building developments in the vicinity of NATS’ radar infrastructure can receive an objection where a technical and operational impact is expected, hence the radar mitigation.
Mino says:

7 Nov7 November 13:33

Has anyone flown from Tenerife South recently and, if so, do you know if there is a lounge open? We’re flying from there tomorrow, but there is a mixture of information online suggesting it’s open/closed.
- Harry T says:
  
  7 Nov7 November 14:45
  
  I haven’t but I’m currently in Tenerife. Flying back next Saturday. Please let me know if any lounges are open. I’m flying Jet2 but have amex priority pass.
  - Mino says:
    
    9 Nov9 November 09:29
    
    There is nothing open, unfortunately. We asked and it’s been closed since March.
Alex Sm says:

7 Nov7 November 23:43

Maybe they are just downsizing the hotel to make it economically viable in the covid era? Similar to how they downsized the Olympic stadium before they let West Ham in
1ATL says:

8 Nov8 November 00:14

Having read Rhys’s review and others on TripAdvisor it sounds like it’s got all the hallmarks of being a Britannia Hotel of the future. *shudders*