ONE ALDWYCH
What do you think of when you picture The Strand? Tourists? Bright lights? Traffic and theatre-goers? Commuters battling their way to Charing Cross station? It’s true, the area is hardly known for its peaceful atmosphere, which is why One Aldwych is so special. Its location means you get the convenience of staying in the beating heart of the capital (it’s a few minutes’ walk from Covent Garden) yet the vast rooms, high ceilings and luxe new interior (thanks to a redesign in spring 2019) make it easy to forget you are so close to the action. The best of both worlds.
It boasts a beautiful, buzzy lobby bar (black and white marble floor; soaring ceiling; great people watching!), a gluten- and dairy-free restaurant, Indigo, and a Basque kitchen and bar, Eneko. We drop in to the latter to choose from delicious small plates like clams in salsa verde and hand-dived scallops with butter foam and chives, then larger sharing plates, from grilled octopus with coriander marinade to hake tempura.
There are two obvious highlights for me: first, the room. A dome-shaped suite with night views of London’s bright lights that feels like it could be the setting for a Bond film. And then there’s the pool. A beautiful blue-lit sanctuary in the hotel’s basement, where guests can find a moment’s peace before they begin the day. We do just that before breakfast, and wish that every day could start this way. NATASHA LUNN
TRIP NOTES Rooms from £385, including breakfast (onealdwych.com)