Cancel

Open app

Search

Hatchards

4.6 (43 reviews)
ModerateBookstores
Closed 12:30 pm - 6:30 PM

Hatchards Photos

Recommended Reviews - Hatchards

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

One of the original Paddingtons
Evelyn F.

Beautiful bookshop that I stumbled on while making my way to Fortum and Mason's. The collection of Diane Wynn Jones books displayed in the window drew me in. I can't think of a more beautiful, well-organized bookstore, I could've easily have spent the afternoon here. Just a heads up to those with mobility issues, this shop has lots of stairs.

Sapphire M.

There aren't a lot of bookstores where you can browse beautiful rare books. On the top floor, we found Bronte, Dumas, Dickens, and even a novel by Winston Churchill. Because of the age and value of these books, they were protected by plastic dust jackets, and the clerk said we were allowed to pick them up as we browsed. He also gave us personal recommendations on books he liked and didn't. The prices ranged from £60-600 from what we saw, and while that was way out of our budget, it was exciting to take a look. New books of all genres are located on the lower floors, including a section for the British monarchy on the ground floor towards the back. This is one of the best bookstores I've been to and a historic gem in the middle of London! Don't just walk by, have a look inside.

Even the bag is amazing.
Brian L.

By and large, bookstores are hard to come by these days. Yes, I've read many a list of "bookstores you MUST visit!" and have had this place bookmarked for a long time. I was really happy coming in here after my uncomfortable experience in Maison Assouline a few doors down. It was crowded with people, but all book lovers... and let's be honest. By and large, book lovers are generally nicer and more respectful than the casual tourist or shopper. Five floors of books, some of them being special/first editions or cloth-bound volumes of classic and contemporary works. Some books were signed by the author, and there were also rare and out of print books. It was a lot of fun looking at what was on offer. I'd loved to have picked up a first edition of Animal Farm or The Plague, but I did not have £250+ to spend. I picked up a couple books. I had to. One had been in my goodreads queue for quite a while. The other was a special book published through the bookstore itself. Two little souvenirs from an epic bookstore. Even the shopping bag was fancy and keepsake worthy. Even if I never use or look at it again. It is the sort of bag that is not to be thrown away. Top three of bookstores I've ever been to! Must go!

Abby S.

STUNNING! So beautiful. We stopped by before our tea at fortum's and got two books. Knocking off a star since checking out took like 20 minutes since their card reader was down but still 4 stars for the selection of books, the set up, the cuteness and little sofas perfect for reading. A special place historically too.

My 750gbp order now offered at 10K. Pure greed.

Appalling customer service, dodgy business practices, arrogance and dishonesty (Order 19861120) I think it is important to make this public. At least 6 orders we are aware of (but probably more) placed on 22 September 2021 for the Paul McCartney signed deluxe limited edition of The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present by Paul McCartney at 750 GBP were cancelled by Hatchards on 28 September 2021 arguing that: "a system error on our website resulted in more copies of The Lyrics Deluxe Edition being released for sale than we physically have allocated by the publisher". This was a blatant lie, as Hatchards covertly offered the exact same book for the exorbitant amount of 10,000 GBP on Thursday 26 January 2023, through a notice board stood outside their shop (see picture). As it now transpires, my order and others were cancelled despite the book being still available at Hatchards. They have shown absolutely no respect for their customers and displayed poor judgement, greed and dishonesty, a far cry from the mission statement of Tim Waterstone when he started the company. They are also most likely in breach of their publisher agreement and Waterstones policies. Do not buy from a store with such poor ethics.

What I bought...Aloha!
Jeffery A.

I like order. I like the peace. It's what attracts me to bookstores (that and the books). I'm a fanatic when it comes to books. Being a fanatic is a weakness, the fanatic is always concealing a secret doubt. A longing to be somewhere, someplace, someone else that just maybe...they can never be. Reading is not merely for knowledge, it's empathy. Reading teaches us to put ourselves in another's shoes. The sociopath/psychopath doesn't read, I think, he watches, he studies. Not that I don't have sociopathic tendencies, we all do. I just own mine. I'm driven. What a beautiful find for a book store. So delicately peaceful, full of a menagerie of book lovers, and hushed tranquility. Palatial red carpeted isles overflowing with bound knowledge, and someone to direct you with oracular clairvoyance to your desired destination. My desire: Marco Pierre White's classic cookbook: White Heat I was looking for a first addition and at a reasonable price. You'd think that the place to find this would be in his home country. Having been originally published in 1990, and hitting a price spike after his Hell's Kitchen success, I was informed that such a unicorn dose not exist, most especially in the U.K. I bought it new. I did meet many likeminded cooking enthusiasts and had a robust exchange of ideas and favorites (they were very impressed by my recent visits to Antica Macelleria Cecchini and even more so by my knowledge of the duck shepherds pie at Balthazar). "By God! A Yank with standards!" The top floor: Used book section is loaded with rare finds! Hemingway's (First addition, superb dust jacket) Men Without Women (£195), and Winner Take Nothing (£395) both of which were fun to hold but For Whom the Bell Tolls would have been a deal breaker (and pocket, I'm sure). Then there was poor Graham Greene's The End of the Affair (£95). It's soon to be a relic, a bookstore dedicated to selling books, not coffee. Thank you for keeping it real. A place for readers. That was something my grandad taught me. Real men? They wash the dishes, they eat quiche (and any damned thing he set in front of them), and they read books. Aloha

Nola G.

Hatchards is appointed as the bookstore for the Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, and the Prince of Wales. The store, located near Fortnums, has been in existence since 1797 and I was told had been both a publisher and a store. I actually found a book published by Assouline that was not at Maison Assouline. Also, I had spent £4 less on a book that I found at Waterstones that was also carried at Hatchards. The store is old and beautiful. It was nice to see children sitting in the children's book department reading. The associates are very helpful. The stairs could be hard to navigate by some. (I assume there is an elevator.) There is a register immediately located at the entrance. There was a long line of holiday shoppers which made navigating the entrance of the store and accessing the stairs difficult. This bookstore is gorgeous and if you appreciate books, then I recommend you visit Hatchards. They also ship globally. FYI...there is no sales tax on books in the UK. They participate in Waterstones reward program and they also have a Hatchards reward program. www.hatchards.co.uk

Qype User (poshto…)

Hatchards Booksellers stands to date as the oldest surviving bookstore in London. First established in 1797, Hatchards stands on Piccadilly opposite the Royal Academy of Arts and between Green Park and Piccadilly Underground. Once an independently owned bookstore that saw customers such as Queen Charlotte, Oscar Wilde and Lord Byron, Hatchards is now owned by UK's leading bookseller Waterstones. Although they don't publicise this fact, because of their joint ownership customers are able to use their Waterstone's card for purchases made at Hatchards. The Waterstone's card allows its holder to collect points upon purchases which cumulatively can be redeemed for future purchases at either store. The Waterstone's card is available free at any Waterstones bookstore and can be used at any of the store's many locations. Whether you are after that hard to find book or a signed addition by your favourite author, Hatchards is the ultimate treat for bookworms, historians and visitors to London alike. Customers are treated to multiple levels of the latest and hard to find books ranging from art, architecture, biography, children's books, cookery, gardening, hardback fiction, history, literature, performing arts, natural history, non-fiction and reference. I strongly urge all to stop by if not for the books themselves, then for the historical atmosphere that surrounds Hatchards Booksellers.

See all

Photo of Kasey P.
109
410
335

3 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 months ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

11 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Brian L.
169
1073
1044

3 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of K J.
1
509
94

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Daphne O.
15
38
14

2 years ago

Lovely bookstore with lots of new and old books. Location is wonderful and staff were super helpful.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 years ago

Helpful 55
Thanks 0
Love this 53
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

14 years ago

Helpful 4
Thanks 0
Love this 3
Oh no 0
Photo of David J.
96
2344
11912

17 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Nola G.
61
1184
12365

6 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

18 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Yee Gan O.
1381
2298
7858

16 years ago

Helpful 10
Thanks 0
Love this 10
Oh no 0

11 years ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 0
Love this 4
Oh no 0

13 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

14 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Melania P.
10
220
271

17 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

17 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

18 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

9 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

15 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

13 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

10 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

11 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Tri L.
349
131
1569

10 years ago

Simply a gorgeous bookstore. A must-visit for any bookworm. Quiet, well-organized, with friendly staff. One could browse here for hours.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

14 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

13 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

18 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

17 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

18 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

16 years ago

Great bookshop, great location, knowledgeable staff. Second only to Foyles bookstore.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

13 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

Page 1 of 2

Hatchards Reviews in Other Languages

Review Highlights - Hatchards

If you are a passionate book lover, Hatchards is a must-visit while in London.

Mentioned in 3 reviews

Read more highlights

Verify this business for free

People searched for Bookstores 819 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

Verify this business

Libreria - Cosy!!

Libreria

(7 reviews)

££

Brick Lane, Shoreditch

**Newly opened and currently open til 6pm but they are looking to expand their hours shortly. If…read moreyou're unsure about opening hours and you want to visit, I recommend firing off a tweet to @SECONDHOMELDN ** Popped in to Libreria last night for a quick reconnaissance mission. New independent bookshops aren't exactly ten a penny. It also happened to be World Book Day, I have just realised. It was meant to be. I love how it looks from the outside. Like a portal to another world. You go down Hanbury Street, think you must've missed it and then...suddenly it's there. Stylish black shopfront with a nice inviting glow. This was only a very quick visit but I like how they do things in Libreria. First, I have to note that there was a Riga RP-1 record player with Velvet Underground & Nico on the turntable so...good start. No espresso bar here. No mobiles allowed. Comfy seating and little nooks to sit down and check out a book. Tick tick tick. Sally, Libreria's director, introduced herself to me and explained how things were laid out. Very friendly and helpful. Books are largely organised alphabetically, fiction on the left and nonfic on the right. However, within that, books are clustered into themes or ideas, in order to promote interesting combinations of books nestling next to each other. Great idea. Pure A-Z is so 2015. Also, they have asked celebs to do a mini-curation of their favourite books. Shami Chakrabarti's faves are currently on display. I think the idea is to change everything round every quarter. Events are also gonna happen here. I dutifully added my email to the mailing list on the front desk. Waterstones can do one.

A quaint independent bookstore in the eastern part of London…read more https://prashantmudgal.wordpress.com/2019/08/07/the-cost-of-living/

Hatchards - bookstores - Updated May 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...