Great urban resorts don’t hesitate to let their personality shine through. But The Londoner – the self-proclaimed World’s First Super Boutique Hotel – takes things a step further, embracing the city’s vibrant West End throughout its whopping 16 storeys. The result inspires guests to explore London while providing myriad reasons to schedule time to simply stay put.
Location
Located on the southwest corner of Leicester Square, the hotel’s address is tough to beat. Covent Garden, Soho, The National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, and Trafalgar Square are all an easy walk.
Arguably an engineering marvel, eight of the property’s 16 storeys are located underground. Chic and sophisticated, but with a healthy dose of quirky, it’s a treasure trove of bold art and well-thought-out design. Lobby walls mimic West End theater curtains, while patterned carpeting pays subtle tribute to the cobbled streets of Kensington.
It took me a few hours after checking in to understand the best way to move about, but once you get the basic lay of the land, it’s easy to take advantage of everything the hotel has to offer.
Accommodations
I stayed in a Corner Suite on the eighth floor. Just getting to the room is a fun experience.
Elevators have peepholes, playfully acknowledging the hotel’s proximity to nearby Soho, the Red Light District. Those brave enough to take a peek discover miniature works of art. Hallways are studded with modern portrait pieces worth taking a moment or more to investigate.
With 350 accommodations, you might ask what’s boutique about The Londoner. But when you step inside a room or suite, it all makes sense.
My suite was larger than I expected, with large stretches of floor-to-ceiling windows that brought natural light and city views inside, but blissfully silenced any unwelcome noise. The king bed was topped with white linens and a fluffy comforter; a throw and decorative pillows added pops of color. There were multiple switches and ways to customize the lighting, but most impressive was how simple the tech was to operate.
The sitting area, with a comfy chaise, a small makeup table/desk, a coffee machine, and an electric kettle, was especially appreciated when jetlag took sleeping out of the equation early one morning. The room also had a small refrigerator, but the minibar items monopolized most of the space. A duckhead umbrella at the ready for the next rainshower added even more charm to the space.
However, my favorite part of the suite was the bathroom. Rectangular blue tiles cover a majority of the room, making it hard not to have pep in your step when you enter. A generous shower, separate soaking tub, Toto toilet, and Dyson hairdryer (in Great Britain, hair dryers cannot be used in the bathroom for safety reasons) surround the mirror. Hollywood vanity lights complement the space.
Public Spaces and Facilities
There’s a dizzying number of places you’ll want to enjoy while staying at The Londoner.
The Residence consists of a trio of lounge spaces exclusively for hotel guests. Complimentary tea, coffee, soft drinks, and snacks are served throughout the day. There’s also a speakeasy whiskey bar stocked with more than 50 options, including a Macallan 1938 and a Mammoth Cave medicinal whiskey produced during Prohibition.
The Retreat is a subterranean spa with pool, hot tub, cabanas, steam room, sauna, hair salon, superfood-focused café, and 24-hour fitness center. A pair of treatment rooms hosts a variety of facials, body treatments, and massages.
- Guided Tours in the UK
- Buy Travel Insurance
- Get a universal plug adapter
- Get a Car Rental
- Save big on sightseeing with a London Pass
- Get an eSim to be able to use your smartphone abroad.
Dining Options
The Londoner boasts a half-dozen restaurants and bars. You’ll find modern Japanese at rooftop 8 at The Londoner; I took photos of the city skyline from the terrace but opted for a table in the cozy (and quieter at the time) Shima Garden to catch up with some friends over a memorable Panna Cotta cocktail (Haku vodka, passion fruit, peach, vanilla amazake, Sake Ono, Junmai Daiginjo, Aperol).
Steps off the lobby, Whitcomb’s serves a French Mediterranean-inspired menu. I didn’t get there for dinner, but breakfast is worth getting out of bed. A selection of pastries, breads, juices, fruits, cheese, and charcuterie is presented buffet-style, but a handful of mains can be ordered from the menu. I would return for the Purple Broccoli toast with spiced fried eggs, lime yogurt, cumin, and chili powder on sourdough. Depending on your booking, breakfast may or may not be included.
Good to Know
To reach The Londoner from Heathrow Airport, take the London Underground (commonly called the Tube) Piccadilly line to Leicester Square station. Expect the trip to take a bit less than an hour. It’s a short walk to the hotel once you exit the tube station.
The property is arguably focused on adult guests, but families are welcome. Extra beds are available in corner suites and higher room categories; cribs are available in Courtyard-facing Deluxe Rooms, Corner Suites, and higher room categories.
Kids are welcome at the pool, Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon and 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and 12 noon to 1:30 p.m.
Rates for a Corner Suite at The Londoner start at $1,510 (£1119), including access to The Residence.
Check rates online at Expedia, Booking.com, or Hotels.com.
Review and photos by San Francisco Bay Area travel writer and television correspondent Dana Rebmann. Her stay was organized by The Londoner, but as always her thoughts and opinions are her own.
