Located at, well, One Aldwych, very close to Covent Garden and the Strand, this has been a hotel which I have been very keen to review. Why? A member of the Leading Hotels of the World, and truly one of a kind, the One Aldwych is known for its impeccable design and attention to detail. How was my stay? Let’s find out, shall we?
Pre-Arrival
– Was there any pre-arrival communication by the hotel with myself via email or social media?
My stay was organised via email and I must state how keen the hotel has been to have me over for months now. It was just a matter of finding a suitable date! The team that handled the correspondence with me was outstanding – I really felt welcome before I even arrived.
– Did I try to engage the hotel via Twitter? Did the hotel interact with me and made me feel welcome/special?
I did try and got a few tweets, but mostly after my stay (or on the morning when I woke up at the hotel). It was still nice.
– Has the hotel tried to gather any personal information (e.g. preferences) prior to my stay?
Not really, but there was no real need.
Arrival
– The wow factor! What was the hotel decor style?
The hotel has a fabulous building and I did get a lovely welcome. The decor of the lobby is fab and very sleek. I checked in at around 6pm, so the bar was quite busy and had a great vibe.
– How quick and efficient was the hotel check-in?
I was escorted by the doorman to the check-in desk and had a very quick check-in.
– Was I addressed by name once reservation has been located? (it is all about the small details, some others are outstanding with this, and I love it, like I do when I board an airplane)
Absolutely. The lady who checked me in was lovely and escorted me (and other guests) to the lift, which is always a nice touch.
– Did I get an upgrade from my confirmed pre-booked room type?
I did indeed. The Dome Suite was all mine!
– Did I feel genuinely welcomed by the hotel staff?
I thought the service overall was very attentive and quite relaxed. The hotel had a great “vibe” and when you needed someone, they were there.
– Luggage – how many people did I have to tip before the luggage made it safely to my room? This is cultural, I know
I only had an overnight bag with me and was able to take it to the room without a problem.
– Wi-fi – was I told anything about it? Was there a charge?
Wifi is complimentary and worked well during my stay.
Room Experience
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A room with a London view
– First impressions – décor, size and wow factor
The Dome suite was indeed lovely! A great bedroom, a massive living room and a great looking dining room… under a dome. It was a rainy day, sadly, but the views were quite impressive still.
– Welcome amenity
As a welcome amenity I had four pretty macaroons. Needless to say, they didn’t last very long.
– The bed
Our bed was absolutely fantastic and very comfortable. Also loved the Frette bedlinen. I slept really well!
– Closet/Wardrobe – proper hangers or those annoying ones where you need a PhD to get them out one by one? This is a personal pet peeve of mine. I can’t stand them.
Proper closet and hangers, no issues.
– Iphone Charger/Dock
There was an iPhone sound system in the living room, which was great. No need for actual chargers… and you will see why in a minute.
– Bathrobes and slippers
They were all there but I didn’t use them.
– Coffee and Tea
The suite had a great “big bar” area – one can’t call it a mini bar with full size drinks and obviously a nespresso.
– Free bottled water
Yes, left during turn-down service
– Magazine selection – had some nice surprises and doesn’t happen often enough!
It was very good indeed. Have a look at the photo above.
– Power sockets in useful places – we have more and more devices and we know where we want them! By the bed, by the working area.
Best power socket situation I have seen in a hotel – located on each side of the bed, it is fair to say we were totally charged up.
Bathroom
– First impressions – décor, size and wow factor
To be honest, this is where I was a bit disappointed. The bathroom didn’t match the rest of the hotel standards. It was OK, but honestly it wasn’t fab.
– Bath, shower and taps – I am looking for Duravits and Hansgrohes (or other fab brands) around the world. How fab was the shower? And a little pet peeve.. was I able to operate the shower without asking Mr. O for help?
We had a bath and a tiny shower, which wasn’t great.
– Towels – yes, please! How many and how soft and lovely?
Lots and all Frette. Lovely.
– Toiletries – own brand, super brand, baby ones or proper ones? I shall find out!
We had large sizes of Plantation toiletries which I had never come across. They smelled nice!
– Amenity kit – I don’t want more sewing kits thank you very much, but I will need a shower cap.
It was very good and I loved the clear bag for flying. It came home with us.
– Hairdryer – is it a human one, or just something stuck to a wall that only makes noise?
There was a proper looking hairdryer, but I did not use it.
Breakfast
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The Indigo Restaurant where breakfast is served – Décor of breakfast room
Breakfast is served at the Indigo Restaurant which was actually very nice and airy. It was quite busy when we arrived, but we quickly got a table.
– The spread (inc yumminess)
Made-to-order omelette for breakfast There is no buffet at all (which isn’t a bad thing). You have breakfast a la carte – either continental (where all the items are brought to the table) or you can order a la carte including obviously cooked items.
– Cost (I have seen a hotel charging €75 for breakfast – a tad much, maybe?)
This was also an interesting surprise. Continental breakfast started at £16 and would include all your breakfast drinks. If you went a la carte, all items could be individually ordered and priced.
The breakfast was lovely but it did take a while to be served, which can be a problem if you are in a hurry.
Bar
Make mine an El Coco, por favor! Oh yes, I had to try the cocktails and must report they were excellent. My choice for the day was an El Coco, which was heavenly. The cocktail menu was really quite impressive. I will surely go back for cocktails again – maybe a post-theatre one?
Restaurant
The Axis Restaurant at One Aldwych The next day, I had lunch at Axis, the hotel’s restaurant. Led by chef Dominic Teague, I enjoyed a fab meal. We were the only guests there on the day, which was quite unusual, but actually very nice. The restaurant is usually quite busy (I have been told).
I really liked watching Celebrity Masterchef recently, where the finalists were sent to One Aldwych to make afternoon tea. I was like “oh, I met the chef!”.
General thoughts
– How good and reliable was the wi-fi?
Not a single issue.
– Did the hotel interact with me via Twitter during my stay?
They did a little on the second day.
– Location
It is a very good location for work and play, in my opinion. Also good public transportation around. Worked for me really well.
– Cost – rooms starting from…
One Aldwych rooms are from £250 excluding VAT and breakfast. The Dome Suite costs from £865 per night excluding VAT and breakfast.
– Would I recommend it to my best friend?I would without a problem.
– Would I stay again?
Absolutely. Mrs. O approved indeed.
Have you visited this hotel? What were your thoughts?xo
Mrs. O
Disclaimer: I was a guest of One Aldwych during this stay, but hopefully you will see that this has not influenced my thoughts about the property. For more information about the hotel, visit its official website.
