A LONDON STAYCATION: ONE ALDWYCH

We were guests of the hotel but as always our thoughts and opinions are our own

IN ONE LINE

An independent 5 star hotel in the heart of London’s Covent Garden, with an understated luxury and staff that will make you feel like part of the family.

SETTING THE SCENE

Built in 1905 by the same architects behind The Ritz, One Aldwych started life as home to Newspaper ‘The Morning Post’, before also playing host to the Ministry of Defence. It’s beautiful Edwardian facade hugs a corner of The Strand and overlooks Waterloo Bridge in Covent Garden, making it wonderfully located for exploring London’s best bits. The hotel has was originally opened in 1998, but underwent a refurbishment in 2019 which has left it polished and modern. The communal spaces and each of the 101 rooms feature original pieces from the 400+ private contemporary art collection and there is an air of peace and serenity throughout. Plus, despite the bustle of London being right on the doorstep, this is one hotel that manages to exude a sense of calm and quiet luxury without feeling forced or flashy.

OUR ROOM

The hotel has 85 bedrooms split into Superior or Deluxe categories, plus 12 suites and 4 signature suites - all spacious, all individually shaped and all light filled.

We made a deluxe room on the 6th, and top, floor our home for the weekend. The serene interiors, decorated in a classic style with muted tones, felt high-end and well executed. Considering we were only in the 2nd tier category we were impressed with the size of our room and how polished all the finishes were. Small touches like fresh daily flowers and a complimentary mini bar added to the overall indulgent mood of our stay.
With a wide view across the rooftops towards the Royal Opera House (including from the tub) it was hard to ignore we were in the middle of a London tourist hotspot but with triple glazed windows we couldn’t hear a thing and didn’t hear a peep from fellow guests either. Although it’s worth mentioning that the plumbing system was a little louder than normal.

We felt so comfortable and relaxed in our room that we really didn’t want to leave - surely the best compliment to a hotel! - and only headed out the door to visit the spa and restaurant for dinner.

THE SPA

The One Aldwych Health Club is hidden away in the depths of the hotel and although small, features an impressively sized gym (open 24/7), an 18-metre chlorine-free lap pool + steam room and sauna, along with a range of spa treatment rooms for the ultimate staycation treat.
During our stay I was spoiled with a heavenly pregnancy massage and really enjoyed the relaxed and welcoming nature of the spa. Nothing pretentious, with friendly staff and thoughtful extra touches that made me feel like a VIP.

FOOD & DRINK

INDIGO - The relaxed mezzanine level Indigo restaurant headed up by chef Dominic Teague serves pre-theatre set menus along with a la carte, all based around British seasonal ingredients. This is also where guests can also head for breakfast but we found the vibe of the space a little underwhelming and choose to dine in-room instead.
LOBBY BAR - The beating heart of the hotel and the perfect people watching spot, this is where you would find us if we weren’t hidden away in our room
THE LIBRARY -A guest-only lounge on the ground floor where you can grab a coffee and relax in quiet if the Lobby bar is a little too buzzy
AFTERNOON TEA - The hotel is currently running the very popular and enchanting “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” Afternoon Tea from Wednesday - Sunday.

THE AREA

Covent Garden remains one of our favourite London neighbourhoods and an area we recommend for first (or really any) time visitors to London. The Hotel is just a hop, skip and jump away from a plethora of bars, restaurants and shopping. Plus you have all the excitement of Theatreland as well as being close to the river and beautiful Somerset House.

THE HIGHS & LOWS

H: Along with the faultless staff and great location, we really appreciated that the hotel managed to balance a feeling of grand luxury while still remaining boutique in it’s vibe
L: Things that go bump in the night….We’re not sure if it was the ye olde London drains or something above us but we were startled from our sleep on a few occasions overnight thanks to rather loud an unexplained ‘roaring’ noises, similar to a plane flying low overhead. Such a shame as otherwise our room was peacefully quiet.

GOOD TO KNOW

The hotel is both child and dog-friendly
Three of the rooms are designed for wheelchair access
One Aldwych has an admirable focus on sustainability: from rooftop bees, an efficient waste and water system to in-room efforts like focusing on less plastic and serving filtered water instead of bottled.
There is a 30 seat Cinema on-site
Private spaces and meeting rooms are available to for hire for events
Spa treatments are available for hotel guests, club members and non-members.

GETTING THERE

The Closest Tube stations are Temple, Holborn, Covent Garden and Embankment or Charing Cross which also has mainline trains. If arriving from further afield; Heathrow Airport is a 60-minute drive, Gatwick Airport is a 75-minute drive and London City Airport is a 30-minute drive.