We did the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory tea and it was fantastic. Super nice staff, who really get into the excitement of the place and theme. The food was amazing - come HUNGRY. First course is five different sandwiches and they let you get more of any that want. Second course is scones with all the jams. They space the courses so not rushed, which is also nice. Third course is dessert, which is where the Charlie theme really shines. Great list of tea options, plus can have cocoa and for extra, drinks. The only disappoint is that there is no real theme decorations downstairs. Since we are all about pics, it would have been nice to have a few read more

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Absolutely marvelous stay from beginning to end. Gorgeous interior, attentive staff, and great restaurant. The location is top notch. We loved our stay here and appreciated how the staff treated us. I will be back! read more

I was able to book an afternoon tea here the morning of which was great! My favorite were the macaroon and the coronation sandwich. They will bring you more of whatever you like so it's pretty much an all you can eat! The drinks were cool since they came with dry ice and the tea we ordered was also great with the food. The atmosphere was fun and the service was great! Everyone was so nice and encouraged us to order more of what we liked. My friend has a nut allergy so they were able to accommodate that as well so we could all enjoy the experience! It sounded like they were used to accommodating many types of allergies there read more

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Charlie and the Chocolate Factory themed afternoon tea was a treat! Enjoyed in the lovely lobby with huge windows great for people watching. Service is lovely and food, oh-so-filling. The chocolate and mint teas were both flavorful. Veg savory options included a beet wrapped in tortilla, a carrot/hummus tart, avocado and roasted pepper sandwich, and cauliflower version of coronation chicken. They were all just OK, but the savory cheese scone with a rich onion jam was tasty with a bit of the flaky salt sprinkled on top. Savories come with as many refills as you can eat, but you'll want to exercise restraint because the sweets are the real treat. The deserts are creative, colorful, and more food than any one person should eat. A cherry cake pop, lemon cotton candy, rich chocolate financier, a delicious violet and lemon cake, light and creamy strawberry mess, rich chocolate mouse, banana and chocolate milkshake, and scones with jam and creams. Recommend! read more

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Make reservations for their afternoon tea (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). It Is a prefixed menu with your choice of tea (You can try as many flavors as you like), 6 savory pastries, and about 8 different desserts (So come hungry!) It is around £50 a person, add a little more £ if you would like your prefixed menu to include alcohol. Although the teas (Ordered the mango tea) didnt catch my attention (Flavors were not strong or distinct enough), the savory pastries were very unique and delicious! Overall, if you get a chance this to try this restaurant is a great experience for those who are visiting London. read more

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Decor: Charlie chocolate factory where? Service: gracious Food: Absolute nope I WOULD'VE PUT one STAR BUT I DON'T WANT MY REVIEW BURIED. Dahl's stories catapulted readers into singularly captivating, immersive worlds. Conversely, this food was unimaginative with hella imaginary prices. Roald Dahl was a memorable part of my childhood ---though the stories are a lil' sick to feed to children and call pastime. That's besides the point- this place does some weak sauce homage. They dragging Roald through these London streets: with oversized styrofoam cupcakes, apothecary jars of sugar cocaine, cardboard bonbons wrapped in Christmas paper - in the middle of August; this is where their creativity ended. We were served lack lustre tea sandwiches, Nutella and breadsticks they said were a throwback to WillyWonka, and some other stuff I could've gotten at the pastry shop down the street. The scones and the servers were nice but not worth 100pounds for tea for two. And they burnt my green tea. If you are selling afternoon tea and don't know the correct temp to steep and serve green leaves- don't. Drop the name and slash the prices cause this ain't it and unless his estate is getting what they should be compensating better chefs- the Math ain't mathing. Special shout-out to the lovely staff- Mr. Finbar, the Congolese hostess, the servers who were very polite, gracious and added a table because stunningly!!! the first available booking was six days away! For why? Marketing people. Don't be fooled. read more

The Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Tea at One Aldwych is charming from beginning to end. (And don't confuse it for the other tea with the same theme that's also in London. Word on the street is this one's better.) Each guest's menu features a different child from the book, illustrated for a London theatre production. The service was "tip top" as the concierge (a.k.a. hunky British version of the one of Winklevoss twins) was prone to say, and they accommodated my daughter's food allergies They served the tea in courses as they should, so nothing (I'm looking at you, scones!) got cold. The best of the sandwiches was the smoked salmon, and I also was quite happy with the quiche. I was not as into the vegetable wellington, nor the blueberry brioche from a later course. (Those with the two clunkers of the meal.) As is true only of the tea places we encountered in Britain, we received seconds of any of the sandwiches we wanted. This tea did an outstanding job of following the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory theme for the sweets course. Particularly charming were the chocolate eggs filled with mango and cheesecake and topped with gold sparkle, and the candy floss (cotton candy to us Yanks) where we tried to guess the flavor. (Apparently 70% of Brits get it right and 0% of Americans.) The sweets were all a bit too sweet - personally I prefer dark to milk chocolate. The chocolate caramel milk looked darling but just tasted like chocolate milk. I liked the cocoa financiers but no one else did at our table - perhaps because they were quite oily. We had a really great time and the food was all really good. This tea service wasn't some one trick pony where they paid attention to the desserts but not the savories. My only critique is that it would be wonderfully fun if there was something else inspired by the book that was really special and unusual. A color changing drink? Maybe I'm just asking too much. Hey, chefs for this place: look into Harry Potter party ideas for inspiration. Kathleen's High Tea Rankings 1) Claridge's, London 2) Le Parloir, Montreal 3) The Fairmont Empress, Victoria B.C. 4) CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY TEA AT ONE ALDWYCH, LONDON 5) Aubrey Rose, La Mesa 6) Crown and Crumpet, San Francisco 7) Lovejoy's, San Francisco and Redwood City 8) Tea Upon Chatsworth, San Diego (closed) 9) Lovey's, Pacifica 10) Lisa's Tea Treasures, Campbell 11) Tyme for Tea, Fremont 12) Lisa's Tea Treasures, Los Altos 13) Dushanbe Tea Room, Boulder 14) Satori, San Jose 15) Charles Chocolates Tea, San Francisco 16) Ampersand Science Afternoon Tea, London 17) Tea Time, Palo Alto 18) Lisa's Tea Treasures, San Jose 19) Samovar, San Francisco (Page St.) 20) Shakespeare's Corner Shoppe and Afternoon Tea, San Diego 21) Cafe du The, Burlingame 22) The Huntington Langham Hotel, Pasadena 23) Satori, Saratoga 24) Dartealing Lounge, San Francisco read more

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This review is for the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Tea. So when in Rome, do like the Romans, and when in England you must have a proper tea, or in my case champagne and tea. I chose this because it was different than all the rest. You can go to London and spend anywhere from 25 to 125 pounds for tea service. This in the middle with a lot of different additions such as the mini chocolate shake. You get the usual canapes and finger sandwiches with unique touches such as cotton candy. My youngest niece was enchanted. You have a choice of teas to choose from and they bring out the courses starting with tea, followed by finger sandwiches and then thus box of sweets abd goodies. Highly recommend! Give yourself at least hours because it does take time! read more

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I cannot say enough about this exceptional hotel. The staff is phenomenal. Every single person I encountered from the front desk to the cleaners was kind and accommodating. I can't say enough about how comfortable clean and wonderful this place is...not to mention it is in the most ideal location. Short walk to any local theater or Trafalgar Square. For great coffee nearby... Ole & Steen. read more

One Aldwych - Outside One Aldwych - Hotels Near Me - London, XGL

We had the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Tea, if you like desserts and sugar this is the tea for you. Presentation was beautiful and the service was helpful. The sandwiches were great, we are going back summer of 2017 and we already made our reservations to return. read more

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Between the room, the people, the restaurants, and the amenities, this hotel was a perfect experience overall. The room is really clean, bright, and spacious - surprisingly quiet too despite overlooking the theater - and the bathroom is big with a really nice tub. I had a great massage and enjoyed spending time in the spa amenities. I researched a lot of hotels in the area and this is far and away the best. There is only one thing that was disappointing. The restaurant that serves breakfast, Indigo, is completely gluten and dairy free all night but in the morning only offers one GF toast option which has nuts, a common allergen. They were more than happy to create blueberry crepes that were gluten, egg, dairy, and nut free though which were excellent! read more

One Aldwych - Hotels Near Me - London, XGL

One Aldwych was the perfect hotel for our family's first visit to London. From our initial email correspondence the reservation and concierge staff were courteous and accommodating helping with airport and cruise transfers. Our suite of adjoining rooms with a sitting room was ideal for traveling with teenagers. It gave us space to unwind and take in the bustle of the city at a remove. The in-house filtered bottled water, fresh fruit, honeycomb and lovely flowers were very nice touches. The bespoke china and throws made for a very homey stay. The Covent Garden location was perfect to walk along the Thames in the morning, reach Buckingham Palace on foot midday and take in a show in the evening. I wish we had skipped the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Tea for something more traditional and gone for a dip in the pool instead. Next time! read more

We did the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory tea here today with our 8 year old, who loves everything Roald Dahl, and our 1.5 year old. My sister and brother in law, whose kids are adults, came too, slightly under protest. Our incredible server was Felix. Honestly some of the best service we've ever had. I was very full from a poorly planned late lunch but he worked with that. If we said we liked something, we immediately got two more. My youngest started picking berries off the desserts - he brought her a massive plate of just strawberries. My BIL randomly got a bloody nose - there was Felix with a pack of ice. The food was yummy, the scones were to die for, and we all loved the desserts. Even my SIL and BIL were thrilled to have tagged along. We had an absolute BLAST. Highly recommend. read more

I came for the Willy Wonka themed Christmas tea. The options of tea were delightful, and they offered champagne by the glass. The savory selection came first with an unlimited number of refills before desserts. The bacon jam and scones were very tasty, as well as the salmon finger sandwich. The real star of the show was the inventive desserts! There was a golden egg with custard, a cranberry sauced pudding, almond flavored milk, and strawberry vanilla cotton candy! Id say this experience is wonderful for a special occasion. read more

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What a delightful afternoon tea experience! Everything was delicious and I was so impressed with how attentive the wait staff were when it came to my food allergies. If you are looking for a tasty, whimsical and affordable afternoon tea experience in London, this is it! We tried three of their teas, all delicious, and had the vegetarian (and nut free) savory choices. The table next to us got dairy free. It all looked amazing. read more

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After much research, my family and I decided on afternoon tea at one Aldwych. The Charlie and the chocolate factory themed tea was delightful!!! The staff accommodated our peanut and tree nut allergy superbly! Our only dislike was that the tea was served in the lobby of the hotel and not an actual tea room. Guests were walking in and out if the area continually and we were seated at coaches which was hard to enjoy our tea and sit comfortably. Overall, it was a good experience! Costly, but well worth it for the experience! read more

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We had such a delightful afternoon tea at One Aldwych! As exchange students, tea was definitely a bucket list item and we enjoyed it so much! The Charlie and the chocolate factory theme was so cute- we loved all of the themed pastries down to the Drinks! The staff was kind although our reservation would not pull up in their system. The decor was nice, not overly pretentious but still classy enough. I definitely recommend it! read more

One Aldwych - Hotels Near Me - London, XGL

Stayed here two weekend nights. Highlights- Bar area fun and lively, doorman very useful and friendly, and the gym is top notch. Didn't have a chance to go into the pool but took a look at it...there's also a steam and sauna rooms located in the same area as the pool. Drawbacks- Checking in and out wasn't that smooth. The front desk seems to be a little disorganized, bathroom plumbing is very loud especially when showering, and frontdesk people at the spa are awkward. There needs to be a better system for them identifying guests and non-guests other than signing in. Overall, great location just needs some organizing. read more

One Aldwych - View from room - Hotels Near Me - London, XGL

Such a fun adventure! We did the tea party inspired by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Everything we tried was delicious and beautifully prepared. Highly recommend! read more

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The Charlie and the Chocolate Factory creativity was superb. The service was very attentive. It wasn't my favorite afternoon tea in London but I do highly recommend it. read more

One Aldwych - Hotels Near Me - London, XGL

Amazing service as soon as we walked in tired from a red eye, Jacob and Madeline were such a pleasure to meet. They were so attentive with us, and continued to answer all the questions we had coming from the US to Europe for the first time. Excellent service and quality from these two employees. The selection of food was great quality especially the teas. Beautiful presentation and everything tasted great! An experience to remember. read more

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I made a reservation here before I came on my trip to Europe and it was WONDERFUL!!! Oh my goodness this place exceeded all my expectations the staff was incredibly friendly. The tea was sensational! I had the mango noir! I'm so glad that I came here. And I actually came an hour earlier than my reservation time and they sat my friends and I earlier! The tea sandwiches were fantastic. And then dessert was incredible! They had candy floss and you have to guess the flavor! It's great! You don't want to miss out on this awesome tea time if you have free time in London! You will not be sorry! read more

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This classy hotel provides a unique high tea experience that incorporates a Willy Wonka theme. The waiters really add to the experience and are very friendly. If you have time to immerse yourself in the city, this needs to be top on your list. read more

One Aldwych - Front of menu - Hotels Near Me - London, XGL

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I came here to meet a former colleague for a drink, prior to heading to Covent Garden for a meal. I was really impressed with the Lobby Bar. It was large, light and spacious. The tables were far enough apart that you really could not be overheard, so it was great for a catch up. The service was very attentive, and the staff were pleasant and discrete. We were offered a bowl of olives and nuts with our drinks. I had a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, which at £9 a glass was not a bad price considering our surroundings. In fact it was an ideal place to meet up, as most pubs and bars in the area are usually rammed with crowds, especially just before Christmas. I would definately come here again, as I really enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere, decor, service and surroundings. I would love to try the afternoon tea, as I've heard really good things about it. It's worth noting though, that they also add an additional 12 and 1/2 service charge to your bill. read more

Im going to try keep this short. I'm genuinely disappointed, and compelled to write this review. Charlie and the chocolate factory tea party was no where near exciting magical, no element of surprise. There was no chocolate involved, shocking; considering the name 'chocolate factory'. Booked this afternoon tea as a fun surprise for my sister, there was no music in the restaurant, dead quiet atmosphere. Was expecting music to play from "C& theC F" no staff in costumes, the decor was so poor. They had some blossoms on the wall with few wrapped sweets stuck to it. I genuinely did not feel the element of fun or "Charlie & the Chocolate F" *Sandwichs where delicious,so where the teas. *Scones and the different creamy pineapple spread was delicious. However, * Desserts where shockingly basic, no one ate them, we took a bite if each thing to try but was not enjoying it so no one ate desserts. I assumed they would have had chocolate fountain or even some chocolate dessert. Still baffled how this is called CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, BUT THERE WAS NO CHOCOLATE. SUCH A DISAPPOINTING SURPRISE. I FEEL I COULD PERSONALLY RECREATE THIS AT HOME WITH MORE OF A FUN AND MAGICAL ELEMENT. If your looking for magic and fun element, with delicious sweet treats, this chocolate factory tea party is not worth the money i paid. So sad to write this review. However, the restaurant was over beautiful just like any other basic posh place and the staff where absolutely lovely. read more

As I sit here in the bar sipping a delightful cocktail in the bar that stays open for guests 24 hours, I couldn't help but marvel at this hotel. Well put together rooms, a good fitness center, a great bar and an astounding room service menu. But there are a lot of nice hotels out there. What really impresses me here is the literally unparalleled service. Work late and order room a room service dinner at 2 am. They've got you covered. Knowing your name when you arrive in a car they arranged from Heathrow. Covered. Leaving a bottle of wine in the room to thank you for staying. Covered. One of, probably the, best hotel I've stayed at. I cannot wait to come back. read more

A great place to have a light and informal meeting in regards to business as the location is modern yet comfortable, the staff attentive, the mood is slightly relaxed corporate (never thought I would put those two together), and when you order your coffee and tea you are given a delicious little plate of tasty cookies. Although the ground floor area is lovely for these little meetings, the hotel is a great choice for both tourist and business meetings alike. read more

Elegant and comfortable hotel in a fantastic location! Things I loved about my stay: fresh fruit and flowers in my room daily, bathtub so deep I was afraid I would drown(hey, I'm petite!), friendly & helpful non-pretentious staff, TV in the bathroom... In-room dining: I had room service at least a couple times and the service was always quick, the food was just alright.. nothing to boast about. Lobby bar: Always packed in the evening. Good cocktail list and the couple drinks I tried were yummy. Spa: I had the most expensive manicure in my life here but I don't think my hands have gotten such attention before. The treatment was done in a private dimly lit room with soft calming music. While that was nice, I have to say it got a little awkward as I ran out of things to stare at during my hour long manicure and the sweet manicurist wasn't the most talkative person. I'm really sad I didn't take the time to swim in the beautiful pool(with underwater music!). read more

After waiting for over a month, I finally tried out the Afternoon Tea Inspired by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, at One Aldwych. Making our way down the stairs, we were then shown to our cosy little table at the far end, the back of our menus with a different picture of the different characters from the classic tale - mine had the Teevee Family, whilst he got the more gluttonous Gloop Family. We both ordered the Cocktail Charlie, made with Dalmore whisky mixed with Luxardo Cherry Sangue Morlacco, chocolate bitters, grapefruit juice and cherry syrup. And then topped with champagne - because everything tastes better with champagne... These came served in transparent glass teapots, a bright pink liquid bubbling away with a magical cloud of vapour above it. They also had a selection of award-winning loose leaf teas and infusions from Covent Garden's Tea Palace, from which we both went for the Jewelled Apple - a black tea with wild strawberry leaves, caramel and real apple pieces. The first dish to arrive was a plate of sandwiches and savoury bites. I really liked the smoked salmon sandwich, but my favourite amongst them was most probably the roast beef with grain mustard mayonnaise. The bread was a really dark brown, that it did look like some sort of chocolate cake/bread! His favourite was the leek and stilton quiche tart, which was rich and creamy with a crisp pastry case. I smiled with excitement as the array of sweet treats were laid before us. We started off with the scones whilst they were still nice and warm, followed by the petite cocoa bean financiers (coated in gold glitter dust!). There were also a couple of blueberry brioche that I did find a bit dry. We picked away on our sticks of candy floss, which brought back some sweet childhood memories of eating candy floss at funfairs. Eton mess is always a favourite crowd-pleasing dessert, which was light and sweet. We were quite full towards the end, but just about managed to scoop up the final mouthfuls of creamy vanilla cheesecake, took a few nibbles of the chocolate egg, and washed it all down with the chocolate caramel milk. Overall, it was indeed a sweet and fun afternoon tea experience, and definitely one for the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory fans out there. Check out my blog for the full post with photos x http://dancing-in-high-heels.blogspot.co.uk/ read more

Excellent service, hotel bar and restaurants provided great service and food. The standard room was a little tight but, I expected that for a hotel in this area. The location is also great, plenty to do and see. Would stay here again and again. read more

My wife and I agree that One Aldwych was one of the nicest overall hotels we've stayed in. It is fairly expensive, and the rooms aren't large (we stayed in a slightly larger Executive room, which was a comfortable size and I would say worth the extra money). What we loved was the sense of style - the modern decor, stylish and impressive without being cold; and the public art throughout. The overall design felt like something we would choose if we were talented designers (sleek but low key, hip but not overbearing), even though we are not. The staff was also unfailingly polite and helpful. A testament to good recruiting and good training. Apart from the potential room size vs price issue, which I didn't personally find to be a problem, I cannot imagine anyone being disappointed with staying here. Really a special place, and a quality establishment. We thought it was an experience unto itself, and we will return happily anytime we are in London. read more

I had wanted to try an afternoon tea in London for a very long time. Somebody recommended this place to me and I have to say this is a good compromise between a quality afternoon tea and a still somewhat affordable place. However, please make sure to book your table a few days before your arrival, or even maybe a few weeks as the weekend can be quite packed. What I liked most about it ? The Charlie and the Chocolate factory theme with homemade candy floss. The tea and fresh scones were delicious too. Actually everything was so good. The service is also part of the experience. And you can top it up with a glass of champagne if you feel like it. This is definitely a place I would highly recommend to anyone who wants to get a taste of the afternoon tea experience ! read more

Excellent hotel in a great location, less than a 5 minute walk to the Covent Garden tube stop. I won't bore you with the details, but the hotel looks great, both inside and out. The outside is a well preserved facade, the interior a tasteful and understated modern look. The rooms are modern, without feeling overdone. The hotel has been sound proofed very well, and buses passing by could barely be heard. We slept well. In my reviews, I try and shy away from giving accolades to business that do the basics well. I like to see how staff members react to adversity, or solve issues that come up. Case in point, we arrived at One Aldwych with our 5 year old child, something that we had failed to note when we made our reservation. Our fault. We would need an extra bed in our room, but the room they had us booked in was too small to accommodate a bed. Well the gent at the desk sprang to action, made sure we were comfortable with a drink at the lobby bar, then set things right. In less than 15 minutes, he had switched the room, had an extra bed brought in, and had put out a plate of treats for our child (with a personalized welcome card and a teddy bear I might add....). This was just one of many examples of staff members taking the extra steps to make sure that we were MORE than satisfied. We had our breakfast at the hotel everyday, and it was excellent. I have stayed in plenty of expensive hotels. Some are very nice, but you can tell the staff is merely going through the motions. At One Aldwych, you can tell that the management has empowered the staff to make decisions, and the staff makes them well. The only oddity I found was the plumbing system. In the interest of being 'green', they have installed some sort of vacuum system that uses less water. Admirable indeed. But the toilet sounds a bit like the toilet on an airliner. A bit jarring at 3am. And taking a shower or shaving (constant running water) sets off a series of odd grunting sounds from the plumbing system. No big deal, but....interesting. One Aldwych is a top flight hotel. A well deserved 5 stars. read more

Took my bf here for Charlie and chocolate factory afternoon tea for his birthday Friendly staff Got drinks and savoury sandwiches asap More savoury offered and is free of charge. All were good, tasty but nothing exceptional. Nice to have tart and quiche as well as bread Cocktail Charlie was amazing - fun and tasty Tea selection was also good Sweets came - looked amazing but didn't taste as good as it looked Scones were bland and clammy texture Apple compote good Chocolate financiers were delish Homemade candy floss fun and impressive Was a nice afternoon but wouldn't return read more

Maybe excellent at Tea, exceptionally incompetent as a hotel. At least Fawlty Towers had Basil Fawlty so you could laugh. Save your money and find somewhere else to stay. read more

I just added this one to my Best Hotel Bars in London (http://www.qype.co.uk/lists/469352-Best-Hotel-Bars-in-London) guide. Wow. Gorgeous spot. My first (but certainly not my last) visit to One Aldwych was earlier this week for a bloggers' night out with the creator of Whitley Neill gin. I loved the cocktails and thought the bartenders were brilliant. I'm simply dying to come up with a reason to show this place off to someone who's yet to experience One Aldwych (http://london.blog.qype.com/?p=189) . I'll need to concoct my reason soon as well - the festive season decorations are absolutely lovely. read more

The One Aldwych is a modern hotel, although not as vast or pretentious as others in the capital. The lobby bar is quirky, with its oversized chairs and distinctive sculptures. The flower arrangements are always imaginitive and spectacular. The bar can get busy in early evening, but is a great place to visit at anytime. They have a great cocktail menu, and some very alluring martinis! I especially like the passionfruit one! Overlooking the bar is the Indigo restaurant, which is a great place to take brunch at the weekend, also offering 'hair of the dog' cocktails to help cure any hangovers. The brunch menu offers classics such as eggs benedict, and has a fair selection, and portions are enough to keep you going through the day. The staff are always attentive and friendly. The place is a bit pricey - as one would expect for this calibre of hotel. read more

I was only lucky enough to visit the lobby bar of One Aldwych. It was pretty spectacular in a modern posh sort of way, and if you like open, buzzy areas with fancy cocktails and ladies in nice dresses in highback chairs, then this is your place. High-end vodka and gin (http://timinator.wordpress.com/2008/12/02/whitley-neill-gin-tasting/) , uber-modern decorations (a Xmas tree made from potted roses, anyone?), low tables, and lots of big marble slabs dominate the room. I recognise the top quality of this swish bar, it's just not for me. read more

I first stayed here when it had just opened. You could get a double for £145 a night. It was a perfect escape from London life - plush surrounding, sedate bar, wonderful room service, state-of-the-art gym and pool. I've been back dozens of times over the years. I think the hotel changed hands recently, and with it came a hike in prices. The level of service is still there however. The staff have to be some of the smartest dressed in London. Though obviously catering for well-to-do guests, the service has always been friendly and welcoming. I took my parents there recently. I had a regular room and my parents had a circular suite over looking Waterloo Bridge. Our rooms looked newly decorated, they were so clean. Room service breakfast felt indulgent - all silver covers and sparkling crockery. The full English that is served in Indigo restaurant, overlooking the lobby, is even more indulgent. We saw a movie in the hotels cinema and used the chlorine-free pool with it's underwater music. Whether you are a tourist or a local, the location on One Aldwych can't be bettered. You really feel you are smack bang in the centre of London (even more so if you are in one of their three circular suites). One night, the cocktail waiter asked us to try a new cocktail he was working on and to give our opinions. He then offered us a round of cocktails on the house by way of a thank you. One Aldwych will always be a special place to me and remains one of my favourite London hotels. read more

Last night my partner and I went an early dinner at what I believe to be called the Axis restaurant. We hadn't made a reservation but had no problem getting a table as they were, slightly disturbingly, quiet for a Saturday night. We were celebrating a new job for him so had decided to have an early, but good, meal before going onto Somerset House to see Uncle. (Who were truly brilliant). The restaurant is in the basement meaning you lose touch with the street buzz and move into a quiet, sedate if slightly uninspring environment.The service however was faultless. I felt so flattered by the waitress on my choice of food that I was left with the impression that I had truly wonderful taste. We couldn't decide between Merlot and Malbec, the waiter made a recommendation but also brought us a a sample of both. His recommendation was quite right. A nice touch I thought. The starters were lovely, delicious, full of taste and beautifully presented. Mains were slightly less wonderful and I can never quite get accustomed to paying £3.75 for spinach to accompany my beef. But hey that's what these places expect. We shared an entirely unnecessary pudding, with a lovely pudding wine. It was all very well done, but felt slightly clinical. I'd probably use it as a place to take clients but not somebody I love. read more