London Hotels

Checking Back In

2026-10-12T16:59:20.802-07:00

A very long time between check-ins deserves an explanation.

I'm James WJ Wilson. I published London hospitality and travel coverage here with contributions from other writers. After time in Budapest and a long break, I'm back in London and revisiting these pages.

This particular door has been closed for rather too long.

I'd like to explore hotels as places to stay and as part of London's social life: their bars, restaurants, events and the people behind them. New recommendations will be checked for current details; the older articles remain a dated archive.

My current business, FORBIDDEN.LONDON, works with hospitality venues, but the aim here is to publish material people actually want to read.

Thanks for checking in again. Enjoy your stay.

Oxford Street Hotels & Other Bad Ideas

2019-05-01T10:34:00.000-07:00

We love London clubs but there is nothing better than leaving a top club after a great night out of Champagne and partying to head back to a luxury five star hotel with some new friends and crack open a bottle of premium vodka.

Let's face it if you have made some new beautiful friends do you really want to be heading to a badly rated budget hotel near Bayswater Road with the twins?

Each to their own.

Anyway the point of the post was to let you know we have updated our list of our top hotels on or near Oxford Street.

If you are not familiar with Oxford Street, it has absolutely nothing to do with Oxford as I had to inform a Hungarian friend the other day. It is the busiest shopping street in London, and the most populace in terms of individual shops.

It is well known for the Christmas lights, Selfridges, dangerous bus drivers, the Christmas lights, and more language schools than you would need to teach English to the Eskimos, lots of other very important things too.

So take a look at our new and improved list of recommended four and five star hotels in London on our London guide and book your next visit or trip to central London!

Sanctum Soho Hotel in London has event spaces to suit your special events

2019-04-28T19:07:00.000-07:00

The Sanctum Soho Hotel is one of our favourite hotels in Soho and London in general.

There is always a warm welcome and although the amenities might not match those of a large five star hotel such as The Dorchester the homely atmosphere and superb location more than make up for that if you are looking for a nice room at a good price in a good location.

There is always something rewarding being a guest at a boutique hotel, even a five star one. It is more rewarding than being an anonymous face in a hotel where you can contribute nothing to their bottom line without spending five grand a night. The community feel that results in the feeling of being a valued customer means that for the average traveller you will feel more relaxed and more welcome.

This feeling extends to locals too which means that the Sanctum is a popular location for events.

It is no surprise because the hotel boasts some multifarious event venues. They are available on competitive terms (that means cheap even spaces in central London in more basic terms).

For more information about venue hire at the Sanctum hotel in Soho, London, take a look at their profile and event spaces that form part of our regularly updated London guide.

London Rock Roll Sanctum Hotel Scraps Service Charge

2009-10-20T05:25:00.000-07:00

Sanctum Soho Hotel in London has become the latest hospitality business to abandon service charges on customer bills following the introduction of new tips legislation.

Owner Mark Fuller, who opened the hotel in the heart of London Soho earlier this year, said he was banning the 12.5 per cent service charge at the hotel and its No.20 restaurant to make bills more transparent for customers and give them the option to pay what they wanted to reward good service.

He said: “Service charges cleverly manipulate prices. You head out with a budget in mind, and it's blown out of control with an unwanted tax. I want guests of my hotel and restaurant to know what they’ll be paying when they leave.

“There is nothing worse than the bitter taste of a surprise bill. What you see is what you pay at Sanctum. It’s just not Rock and Roll otherwise, and I encourage others to do the same.”

Legislation that came into force on October 1 has made it illegal for restaurants to use tips left for staff to top up wages to the National Minimum Wage. Restaurants and hotels have also been encouraged to sign up to a new code of practice on tipping so staff and customers know where the money they have left is going.

London Hotels Go Into Overdrive For Art Gallery Openings

2009-10-19T07:52:00.000-07:00

As collectors descend on London for the numerous art gallery openings this week, Londons Hotels have gone into overdrive accommodating the extra influx of poeple.

This week has been the most exciting in the British art calendar: at least one mega exhibition opening every day in London; the Frieze juggernaut last weekend; blockbusters like Karla Back's sculptures at Modern Art Oxford; the photography of Martin Parr at Gateshead's Baltic; and The Long Dark at Manchester's International, a group show of industrial medievalism. Art lovers have a treat of a week ahead. So how much can one see in a day?

The Hoff Off to Rehab Following ‘Piss Up’ at Five Star Hotel

2009-10-13T04:10:00.000-07:00

Former Knightrider and Baywatch star David Hasslehoff has been in trouble recently at top London hotel, the St Martin's Lane Hotel.

He is rumoured to have gone on a wild drinking bender following Simon Cowell's birthday party, eventually annoying hotel staff so much that they ended up locking him in the hotel basement.

But Hasselhoff lashed out and is said to have accidentally struck the physician - Dr Paul Ettlinger - in the eye.

Staff then manhandled him to the basement of the St Martins Lane Hotel while the doctor called an ambulance.

X-Factor Contestants Get Moved To Hotels

2009-10-09T05:30:00.000-07:00

The X-Factor contestants have all been rushed to stay in hotels after their house was swamped by fans.

Details of the house's location were posted on Facebook and Twitter, and police were called to keep the peace.

Love notes for the male contestants were also found - including some for Welsh heartthrob Lloyd Daniels.

World's First Worm Farm

2009-10-07T08:03:00.000-07:00

For those who are worried about leaving their cats and dogs when going on holiday - there are catteries and kennells, and even posh dog hotels.

But for those with an altogether more slithery companion, the world's first worm hotel has opened.

In an increasingly eco-conscious world, there is a growing trend for keeping worm farms at home for composting - and owners who grow attached to their environmentally-friendly pets worry about leaving them when they go away.

Michelle Hattingh, thought of the idea after discovering that hundreds of people had taken worms as 'eco-pets' in her home town of East London, South Africa.

She said: "Cats have catteries and dogs have kennels, but there was nowhere for people to leave their worms when they went on holiday."

London Hotels Slash Rates To Attract Tourists

2009-10-06T09:57:00.000-07:00

Hotels in London, until recently one of the world's most expensive cities to visit, are slashing prices as they compete for a dwindling pool of overseas visitors.

Average room prices in the capital are £10 lower than in 2008 and could fall by as much again this year as competition intensifies, according to a report from PricewaterhouseCoopers. Hotel prices in the UK dropped by 8.1 per cent in 2009 – worse than the falls of almost six per cent in 2002.

Deep price cuts are being offered by hoteliers despite a weaker pound already making travel to London better value than it has been in many years. Research by the investment bank UBS last month suggested London had fallen from the second most expensive city in the world to the 22nd most costly.

London Savoy To Reopen Next April

2009-09-23T05:59:00.000-07:00

The Savoy, the 121-year-old London hotel that’s hosted Elizabeth Taylor and Claude Monet, may add to strains on the city’s luxury guesthouses when it reopens in April following British hospitality’s most expensive renovation.

After last year’s collapse of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. sparked a slump in business travel, the belated and over-budget completion of the London Savoy’s makeover will put 268 luxury rooms into a market suffering a dearth of bankers and corporate guests. Even with the Savoy shut, revenue at London’s upscale hotels this year has declined the most since the SARS outbreak in 2003, according to STR Global, which tracks the industry.

Sixty Million Pound Luxury Hotel For London Soho

2009-09-22T09:07:00.000-07:00

Luxury hotel operator Firmdale quickened the pace of London Soho's redevelopment today with a deal to build a luxury 60 million pound property on the site of Ham Yard, a former World War II bomb site.

Tim and Kit Kemp already run six London hotels, including top London Hotel the Soho Hotel in nearby Richmond Mews. They have funded the £30 million purchase and £60 million redevelopment of the three quarters of an acre site by the sale and leaseback of two hotels: the Knightsbridge hotel and Number 16 in Kensington.

Lord Mayors Show Boost To Hotels

2009-09-17T03:58:00.000-07:00

Those staying in London Hotels this November will have the chance to enjoy everything from Chinese acrobats to British military bands at the annual Lord Mayor's show.

Taking place on November 14th, the event has a history dating back to 1215 and sees the newly elected mayor make his way through the city of London to pledge allegiance to the crown at the Royal Courts of Justice.

Several local organisations will also be participating in the event, such as Streetwise Opera - a group which aims to boost the self-esteem and confidence of homeless people though singing and drama.

Spice Girls Reunion in Central London

2009-09-17T03:24:00.000-07:00

Girl Power was in the air last night as Geri Halliwell led an impromptu Spice Girls reunion in Central London.

Melanie Brown, Melanie Chisholm and Emma Bunton were in high spirits as they joined Ginger Spice over dinner at the Palm restaurant in London's Knightsbridge, before heading to Mayfair Hotel for more refreshments.

But there was one noticeable absence from the party - the fifth member of the former group, Victoria Beckham.

Stay At The Piccadilly Guesthouse

2009-09-08T10:39:00.000-07:00

The Piccadilly Guesthouse is a new, modern, penthouse-style guest house, providing bed and breakfast in the centre of London.

We offer a low cost, safe and convenient place for women to stay when staying in London, England.

Based on the 5th and 6th floor of a modern block on historic Jermyn Street, it is moments from top London attractions, including the West End Theatreland, Piccadilly Circus, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, and Oxford Street.

Easily accessible via Piccadilly Circus, Green Park and Leicester Square underground tube stations, and just 15 minutes from Waterloo the Piccadilly Guest House should be your first choice when planning a trip to London.

£80 million Makeover For The Langham

2009-09-07T07:54:00.000-07:00

No one doubts that The Langham hotel has a grand past. The question is: will it have an even grander future and become one of the great, iconic London hotels, spoken of in the same breath as The Ritz, Claridges, The Connaught and The Savoy?

It has just has some £80 million lavished upon it, and you might have seen some of the pink adverts in glossy magazines and on the side of London buses. So you would hope so!

Rumer Goes Rock 'n' Roll At The Sanctum

2009-08-28T07:41:00.000-07:00

Rumer Willis, daughter of actors Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, has been in London this week promoting her new horror film, Sorority Row.

Rumour has it she stayed at London's rock n roll hotel, the Sanctum Soho, which is owned by Embassy club entrepreneur Mark Fuller. It is not known if she threw the TV out of window, but she was carrying her purple velvet heels as she walked back to the hotel in the London rain.

Great Northern Hotel To Get Luxury Revamp

2009-08-25T10:14:00.000-07:00

The Great Northern hotel at King’s Cross is set to be redeveloped as a luxury boutique hotel in time for the London 2012 Olympics.

The Grade II-listed building will be restored as part of the areas regeneration project to include 94 luxury bedrooms, a bar and a restaurant. Work is set to begin early next year, with completion due in late 2011.

West End Hotels Weathering Well In Recession

2009-08-11T08:24:00.000-07:00

The recession may have hit the UK in a big way over the past 12 months, but there is very little evidence of an economic downturn in London's West End this summer.

Hotels such as London’s biggest five-star hotel, the Grosvenor House, have been at 100 per cent occupancy for some weeks now and around 90 per cent of guests hail from the Middle East.

The upshot of all this is that the Middle East travel industry needs to tap into this top-end market that is proving resilient to all the current challenges to tourism worldwide.

S Club Rachel Ties Knot In Mayfair

2009-08-04T04:48:00.000-07:00

A million hearts were broken when Strictly Come Dancing beauty Rachel Stevens got married in Mayfair yesterday.

Rachel tied the knot with actor Alex Bourne, 31, at posh London hotel Claridge's.

Among the celebrity guests at the largely family affair was former Coronation Street actress Kate Ford, 32, who played bad girl Tracy Barlow in the ITV soap.

Pictures from the wedding are expected to surface in the gossip columns of the usual suspects very soon...

Embassy Owner Launches New Rock N Roll Hotel

2009-08-03T09:30:00.000-07:00

Check up on the Forbidden London blog on the latest news at the VIP Embassy club - including the new hotel launched by owner Mark Fuller, the distinctly rock and roll Sanctum hotel.

Radisson Edwardian Leicester Square Hotel

2008-11-29T12:49:00.000-08:00

Radisson Edwardian Leicester Square Hotel features 60 guest bedrooms, luxuriously rich and elegant in design with Bang and Olufsen entertainment systems, leather walls by Alma, sleek black granite bathroom floors complimented with luxurious beige marble and Baccarat lighting in the bedrooms.
At only 200 metres from Leicester Square, and 300 metres from Piccadilly Circus the Radisson Edwardian Leicester Square Hotel is excellently situated for your London vacations.

22 Jermyn Street

2008-11-29T12:35:00.000-08:00

22 Jermyn Street boasts 13 luxurious Suites and 5 Double Rooms and is only 100 metres from Piccadilly Circus, and 300 metres from Leicester Square.
Thinking of a London vacation ?
If your looking for Oxford Street hotels, Mayfair hotels, or 5 star London hotels near Leicester Square visit The Hotel London.

The Mandeville Hotel

2008-11-27T09:00:00.001-08:00

The Mandeville Hotel is located in the fashionable Marylebone Village, within a few minutes walk of Oxford Street and some of London’s best shopping.
Internationally recognised interior designers have orchestrated The Mandeville Hotel's 142 bedrooms for the utmost comfort.Each bedroom exudes style and has been furnished with luxurious fabrics and wall coverings from some of the leading design houses. All rooms are individually air-conditioned in summer and heated in winter.
Equipped with flat screen interactive LCD televisions with up-to-date broadband access, safes, two telephone extensions with voice mail and a fast and efficient 24-hour room service, The Mandeville Hotel London will cater to your every need.

If your looking for Oxford Street hotels, Mayfair hotels, or 5 star London hotels visit The Hotel London.

Cumberland Hotel

2008-11-27T08:41:00.000-08:00

The Cumberland Hotel boasts 1019 superior guestrooms including double, single and twin rooms. The rooms at the Cumberland Hotel merge leading art and technology, creating the ideal living space. It is something more than a home away from home, but equally comfortable.The hotel is centrally located on the corner of Oxford Street and Park Lane, overlooking Marble Arch and Hyde Park. The nearest underground station is Marble Arch, almost next door to the hotel.

Guests will find pure Egyptian cotton bed linen, sumptuous bathrobes and plasma screen televisions just to name but a few of the state of the art facilities.

If your looking for Oxford Street hotels, Mayfair hotels, or 5 star London hotels visit The Hotel London.

Thistle Marble Arch Hotel

2008-11-27T08:31:00.000-08:00

The Thistle Marble Arch Hotel is an art-deco style hotel which features 692 bedrooms including 193 superior bedrooms, deluxe rooms and suites. Marble Arch boasts the largest air-conditioned rooms in London overlooking Oxford Street and Marble Arch, an ideal base from which to explore London’s heartland.

If your looking for Oxford Street hotels, Mayfair hotels, or 5 star London hotels visit The Hotel London.