One Aldwych, London, United Kingdom
One Aldwych 5 Stars
"A trendy conversion of former media headquarters, this design hotel is well-located in Theatreland for West End night-life.”
The Press Say
"High-style surroundings, celebrity spottings (particularly during London Fashion Week) and a gorgeous indoor pool, along with one of the best hotel gyms in London, are the hallmarks of One Aldwych" New York Times 06Hotel Overview
Review of One Aldwych, by Nadia Latif
Beloved for its impeccable staff and excellent restaurant, One Aldwych enjoys a prime position overlooking Waterloo Bridge. This is a luxury hotel that bridges the gap between the West End and the City, a fact reflected in both its decor and its clientele.
Enter the main bar and lobby, and the striking pieces of artwork that litter One Aldwych jump out. There are around five hundred of these sculptures and paintings dotted around the communal areas and bedrooms; the main entrance gives a pretty good indication of what to expect. From the massive crossed oars that tower over the seating area to the labrador made entirely out of Beano covers, originality is key here.
The bar itself is a serious social hotspot. Evening cocktails transform the quiet lobby area into a buzzy social space. The same goes for restaurant Axis, a firm favourite with London gourmands, who devour the chic, seasonal cuisine. Indigo, with its relaxed air and comforting modern European menu, is very popular with guests wanting a more informal dining experience.
The health spa and fitness centre are a real plus. The gym is huge, and never too busy. A team of personal trainers are on hand throughout the day too. There's a full-sized swimming pool in the basement, which is as quiet as the gym. The spa itself uses sumptuous Natura-Bisse products, in keeping with this luxury hotels ecologically-sound principles.
The 105 bedrooms and suites share the same understated, contemporary decor as the communal areas. Original artworks adorn the walls of every room. The beds are huge and pillowy soft, draped in luscious Frette linens. All mod cons are present and correct, including flatscreen televisions, DVD players, fibre-optic reading lights and complimentary WIFI. The bathrooms are equally luxurious, but with an eco-friendly edge - the toilets use 80% less water, and the bath products are all-natural REN.
Facilities
Hotel Policies
Rooms
105Awards
"Gold List" Conde Nast Traveler 06Who stays here?
Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland.
Come for...
- An 18-m basement pool with underwater music
- Rooms with views of Waterloo Bridge
- Popcorn and classic films in the screening room
Not Suitable for...
- Chic, boutique weekends: this is a 100-plus roomed luxury hotel
Children
One Aldwych is family-friendly hotel that meets any special requests for children. They have a babysitting service, and the hotel restaurant offers a special kids' menu. The hotel provides cots for chidren in the deluxe rooms, and there are interconnecting rooms, as well as two-and-three bed suites for families.
Eating in
The hotel's restaurant, Axis, serves up-to-the-minute European cuisine. Indigo is more informal, serving Modern European. The downstairs Lobby Bar is a must for evening cocktails.
Reviews
Review of One Aldwych, by Vanessa Kaoukji
Most of London will have noticed the gigantic oars of the Boatman sculpture as they walk past the triangular building on the north side of Waterloo Bridge. Some of them may know that this is not the centrepiece of a gallery but a feature that dominates a bar. But not everyone will know that this is also the ground floor of One Aldwych, a sleek luxury hotel whose reception desk lurks rather demurely around the corner and out of sight.
Built in 1907 for The Morning Post, the grand high-ceilinged open bar and lobby area was once the advertisement hall for the newspaper. The rest, from the rooms to the sports centre, are all similarly spacious. It was transformed into a modern hotel by Gordon Campbell Gray in 1998 and like his other properties the main theme is understatement. Nothing glitzy or flash but plenty of little touches to make you feel welcome. Fruit and fresh flowers everyday add a personal note.
The turn-down service shuns chocolates on your pillow and instead you receive bottles of mineral water and tomorrow's weather forecast. Nothing about this place is cluttered or cosy. The 'do not disturb' sign has been replaced with a switch in your room, Internet connection in every room is wireless, and there is even a built in box outside your room for your morning paper to be kept. It's easy to see why One Aldwych caters primarily to business clientele .
There's has a fitness centre with treatment rooms and the 18-metre pool has underwater music. The hotel also boasts two restaurants, Axis and Indigo, as well as an espresso bar. Within easy walking distance of Covent Garden and Kingsway, the bar often fills up with the pre-theatre crowds.
Some of the 105 rooms at the front of One Aldwych have good views of Waterloo Bridge. The studio suites are large circular rooms and the Dome suite has its own private dining room. All bathrooms have a small televisions and the beds are enormous.