A new magnet is attracting America's super-rich.

VTV.vn - American billionaires with a combined net worth of over $130 billion have been spending money buying apartments at The Peninsula in London, an exclusive residential area located inside a luxury hotel.

The average price per square foot of an apartment holds the record for the most expensive building in London, and the most expensive penthouse ever sold in London. (Photo: VNA)

According to Land Registry records and sources close to the matter, Stephen Schwarzman, head of Blackstone, Ken Griffin, founder of Citadel hedge fund, and Jan Koum, founder of WhatsApp, have all purchased homes in the Belgravia complex. Financier Todd Boehly, former US football team owner Dan Snyder, and John Liew, founding partner of AQR Capital Management, have also purchased apartments there.

Located within this five-star hotel, the apartment building, which opened in 2023 and boasts views of Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park, has already sold 20 units. The final six units will be offered for sale this autumn. Residents have access to a 25-meter indoor pool with a “sculptural ceiling inspired by ice caves,” according to marketing materials obtained by The Financial Times, along with a fleet of Rolls-Royce cars with chauffeurs.

Real estate agents said these transactions reflect a broader increase in the number of Americans seeking second and third homes in London in recent months, as US citizens applied for British citizenship in record numbers.

Rupert des Forges, Head of Luxury Central London Property Development at Knight Frank – the firm that sold the apartments at The Peninsula – believes that American buyers have become the most important customer group in luxury central London property development. He added about the building: “The average price of an apartment holds the record for the most expensive building in London, and the most expensive penthouse ever sold in London, per square foot.”

Mr. Schwarzman – with his £40 million purchase of an apartment at The Peninsula – has an estimated net worth of $55.3 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. In 2022, he bought a 2,500-acre estate on the border between Wiltshire and Hampshire for £80 million.

The Peninsula is a relatively small hotel chain, with only 12 locations worldwide , and is considered a luxury brand by the wealthy.

The London property of this hotel chain cost over £1 billion to build. Buyers in the British capital can choose from two-bedroom apartments starting at over 200 square meters and three-bedroom apartments nearly 400 square meters in size. Some apartments offer views of Buckingham Palace gardens and tennis courts.

Consultants say there has been competition among buyers wanting to enjoy the advantages of hotel living while still maintaining a home-like feel; however, agents say smaller apartments, as well as those with less attractive views, are harder to sell.

According to official data, more than 4,120 US citizens applied for British citizenship in the first half of 2025, the highest number since records began and a 39% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

Source: https://vtv.vn/nam-cham-moi-hut-gioi-sieu-giau-my-100251006081435334.htm