St Ermin's Hotel

Hotel review

Once a mansion block, today St Ermin’s Hotel is a central London hotel with a perfect location for seeing the sights. The Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace, The National Gallery and Trafalgar Square are all within walking distance and if you want to go further afield St James' Park underground station is just around the corner. Despite major renovations, St Ermin’s retains its original charm – from the hotel’s attractive Victorian plasterwork to the theatrical balconies in the entrance hall and ballroom. Bedrooms and suites are extremely comfortable and suitable for families, while coffee machines, products from The White Company and free Wi-Fi come as standard. The hotel has a long association with British espionage – once frequented by the Secret Intelligence Service and MI5, as well as the Cambridge Five – and this is echoed throughout the hotel to this day, from an original SOE silk code scarf which hangs on the wall to the spy packs younger guests receive to put their code-cracking skills to the test. The hotel is also home to over 350,000 bees, which guests can view from behind glass, and which provide the kitchens with honey.

Helena Hamlyn Review published: 31/10/2018