The One Aldwych Hotel London is one of the last of a dying breed — a privately owned, five star luxury hotel in the heart of the European capital.
Located in one of the most active stretches of London – a short walk from Covent Garden, The Strand, Leicester Square, Piccadilly, the Seven Dials and Shaftesbury Avenue. You could stay at the One Aldwych for a week and not sample everything the immediate surrounding neighborhood offers, between the restaurants, the theaters, galleries, museums and other attractions.
The building that now houses the Aldwych once was home to everything from a newspaper to an insurance firm to a financial institution. Now, it’s been renovated into a fully modern hotel that blends English refinement with current European trends.
The rooms are fairly well sized for a UK-based hotel. American visitors should always keep in mind that (with the occasional exception) European hotel rooms tend to run smaller than many of their American equivalents. Of course, modern-built or recently renovated UK or Euro accommodations are getting way from that problem. Count the Aldwych in that club — with sturdy, yet comfortable beds thrown in for good measure.
The property includes a health club, full spa, gym and two restaurants (Indigo and Axis). The room rates start around £264, not counting spa treatments
However, rather than stick to your usual or play it safe with a common choice, take the time to peruse the house specialties. There are a few regionally sourced selections on that list you won’t find anywhere else in the world — like The Charlie, served over dry ice.
A special treat a short distant from that bar is the secret (…not anymore…) VIP lounge hidden off the bell desk. It’s a sizable room accessible only by hotel guests armed with a room key. Comfortable furnishing awaits — reminiscent of some brighter version of the classic London gentlemen’s club. A private server greets you and takes your order and allows you to pursue a selection of London newspapers. (It’s an educated, literary city that still reads.)
It can be a classic brandy, if you like. But, you still can’t smoke a cigar. That’s modern London for you, and that’s where One Aldwych flourishes. Long may it battle shoulder to shoulder with London’s ever-expanding list of big chain luxury hotels.
