When we checked into Strand Palace Hotel in London, we rather thought the spectacular central location (steps from both the Thames River and Covent Garden) would be the standout thing about this hotel. However, we were equally seduced by the stunning Art Deco-inspired renovation and the very personal service we received.
Why We Love This Hotel
Well, the location really couldn’t be better, so well as Covent Garden, the West End theatre district is on your doorstep, making this the ideal base to use if you’re exploring London, shopping until you drop, and then enjoying a show. We also loved the chic décor and the large open restaurant.
Location
As the name suggests, the hotel is located on The Strand in central London, UK. As well as Covent Garden and the theatre district, you can easily walk to many of London’s most-loved sights and attractions, including Trafalgar Square, the South Bank, the Royal Opera House, and Somerset House.
Best Time To Visit
When the trip includes shopping, theatre, and the opportunity to pop around the corner and dine at some of the country’s best restaurants, there can be no wrong time to visit. Of course, December will always be a delightful time to visit London to enjoy Christmas shopping and the ever-popular Christmas Light displays. Still, equally the area comes alive in the warmer weather with street performers drawing crowds and the cafes around the cobbled streets of Covent Garden making the most of their outdoor seating.
How To Get There
If you are arriving by public transport, you are within easy walking distance of Covent Garden, Charing Cross, Holborn, and Embankment underground stations. We came into Waterloo mainline station and enjoyed a short walk over Waterloo Bridge to the hotel bypassing the underground altogether! If you’re traveling for business, the City is also very accessible from the hotel.
Style & Character
The hotel has undergone a recent multi-million-pound renovation and is looking sensational throughout. The original Art Deco features of the 1909 building have been beautifully complemented by a contemporary interior design with Art Deco touches. The huge lobby area boasts many seating areas, perfect for a casual business meeting or just to rest during your day. From the trendy furniture to the very striking lighting, it’s a gorgeous space that flows seamlessly into the main restaurant.
Service & Facilities
There is an on-site gym at the Strand Palace, and 24-hour room service is available at a surprisingly non-inflated price. They will also happily store your luggage for you, and there is complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the hotel.
We found the service to be just brilliant. From the initial welcome at the well-staffed reception desk where they greet you like old friends, to the wonderful restaurant staff who remember your breakfast choices, we were very well looked after.
Rooms
The 785 guestrooms at Strand Palace Hotel have all received the renovation treatment and are looking very fine indeed. They now all feature individually controlled air conditioning as standard, as well as complimentary White Company toiletries, a laptop safe, and flat-screen HD TVs. The bathrooms deserve mention too; beautiful with power showers and a fabulous lit-mirror!
Choose from Superior Rooms or the slightly larger Deluxe Rooms, which also feature entertainment systems, a Nespresso® machine, Hypnos beds, and a complimentary minibar.
Best Rooms
We would definitely recommend the Deluxe Studio King Rooms; the complimentary minibar was a very welcome touch, as was extra space. You really don’t feel like you’re in a central London hotel with the room’s expansive size. The Studio Rooms also include a pull-out sofa bed and, of course, a huge actual bed too!
Food & Drink
Haxells Restaurant & Bar was a real highlight of our stay; we visited at breakfast, came back for an afternoon coffee, and dined here also; we couldn’t keep away basically! The expansive open-plan restaurant includes cozy booths and comfy sofas as well as the usual tables where the seats are more comfortable than you’d expect. The lighting and sound deserve a mention, day or evening, the lighting was soothing and relaxing, and sound didn’t travel, meaning it wasn’t nosy even when it was busy, lending a lovely intimacy to the place. And then the food itself, the modern British Cuisine, was unpretentious but no less delicious. I can personally attest that the Chicken Cobb Salad is definitely worth sampling! They were very accommodating with our children, too, offering to make smaller portions of anything that took their fancy. Breakfast is another treat, a superb a la carte menu featuring quite literally one of the best Eggs Benedicts I’ve ever had!
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