Review: Hotel Café Royal
Review: Hotel Café Royal

Review: Hotel Café Royal

With grand decor and impressive architecture...

Blissful peace in spectacular grandeur

Our night spent above Piccadilly Circus was one of the quietest and most relaxed we’ve experienced. The breathtaking Hotel Café Royal combines elegance and sophistication with luxury and class. With grand decor and impressive architecture, we couldn’t wait to spend a night taking in all that it had to offer.

Review: Hotel Café Royal

Located centrally on Regent Street, overlooking the bustling hub of Piccadilly Circus, Hotel Café Royal is ideally located for shopping, sightseeing and that famous London nightlife.

The Welcome

A warm welcome met us, genuine and heartfelt, and by name – the perfect greeting and a taste of what was to come. Our young daughter, accompanying us once again, had brought a friend, Kayla, a much-loved doll who was also greeted and warmly welcomed by the immaculately dressed doorman who engaged in conversation with her for quite some time.

Review: Hotel Café Royal

A formal entrance and luxurious lobby beckoned us inside, with beautiful seating areas and sparkling Jimmy Choos in cases displayed like works of art. A smooth check in ensued, with staff rushing out to give our daughter a little dressing gown and teddy bear before we had a little look around.

Review: Hotel Café Royal

Afternoon tea was in full swing, and with the hotel having won the title of ‘Best Traditional Afternoon Tea in the UK’ this year, the glittering gilded Oscar Wilde bar was buzzing as guests enjoyed their delectable delights.

Review: Hotel Café Royal

After a little mooch around Piccadilly, our room was ready and we headed back to settle in. A wonderful surprise, we were treated to butler service and shown around our suite.

Review: Hotel Café Royal

Our Suite

The decor is stunning, contemporary, fresh and modern – so inviting – and we couldn’t wait to see the suite.

Review: Hotel Café Royal

We stayed in the Regent Suite, overlooking Piccadilly Circus itself. With lovely parquet flooring, huge mini bar, a kitchenette and guest bathroom, this is a fabulously well-appointed suite.

Review: Hotel Café Royal

Then we were shown the bathroom, which is a marvel in itself! Hewn from a single piece of Italian marble, the room just breathes elegance and luxury. With his and hers basins, a huge scooped marble bath and a gorgeous gold rainfall shower, this bathroom is a top feature of the suite. But there was more! The glass in the bathroom door was the same used in the tower of Big Ben. It was stunning, with brass edging set off the space perfectly.

Review: Hotel Café Royal

This is a most historic suite. The hotel, although opened in the 1860s, has been lovingly cared for and renovated over the years. It has seen many famous faces through its doors – Winston Churchill, Brigitte Bardot and Princess Diana all frequented ‘The Café’, and Oscar Wilde and Mohammed Ali actually stayed in our suite. A picture of the famous boxer adorned our grand marble fireplace, a reminder of the legends who had visited this historic hotel before us.

Review: Hotel Café Royal

More surprises waited for us, with a gorgeous bottle of champagne, cherries and chocolate, beautifully hand crafted with seeds and nuts by a chocolatier, along with a lovely card from the Manager, welcoming us to the hotel.

Review: Hotel Café Royal

The lounge was spacious and comfortable, with a super stylish Bang & Olufsen television and a plush sofa. Our daughter was offered a complimentary movie, and the butler bustled off to bring her some warm popcorn to enjoy the film. Such a lovely touch, and a fabulous way to make a young guest feel welcome.

Our lounge windows overlooked the crawling Piccadilly Circus. Looking down on all the busy people below gave me a sense of calm – being removed from the hustle and bustle – and I could have stood all day, just watching! You can see everything, but there’s no traffic noise at all, it’s just so peaceful.

Review: Hotel Café Royal

On to the bedroom, which completely took my breath away. The walls were fresh and white, styled like large blocks, with a grey soft leather headboard and luxurious bed. Silk sheets awaited us and the simple modern charm exuded luxury.

Review: Hotel Café Royal

It is such a treat to have a butler, and we love chatting with them about all the things they see and hear. Nothing is too much trouble for these discreet masters of service, once they were even asked to make a special trip to France for a rare bottle of rum… We didn’t have quite the same requests!

Akasha Spa

The Akasha spa has nine treatment rooms and is one of the most exclusive in London. Combining innovative Western practices with ancient Eastern traditions, the spa would be a fabulous place to unwind with your girls the day before your wedding. They also offer hydro treatments and Hammam, but we made do with a quick dip in the pool.

Review: Hotel Café Royal

A wedding at Hotel Café Royal

The wedding facilities here are grand and spectacular. No detail is overlooked, and they can cater for a simple celebration or the most lavish of affairs.

The Pompadour Ballroom is the largest space, with Corinthian columns, mirrored panels with gilded frames and a ceiling decorated with frescos. This is an opulent space, accommodating up to 160 for a ceremony and 120 for the wedding breakfast.

Review: Hotel Café Royal

Queensberry has large floor to ceiling windows, filling the space with natural light, and with views over Piccadilly Circus. Up to 150 guests can be accommodated for a ceremony, with 80 for the wedding breakfast.

Review: Hotel Café Royal

Dinner

Dinner was served in Ten Room, their gorgeous dining room. Expertly restored, the space marries original details with contemporary style. And the menu follows suit. Combining traditional fare with modern flavours, we thoroughly enjoyed scallops, prawn linguine and steak, finishing with a wicked coconut rum mousse with pina colada sorbet. The service was smooth and the ambience beautifully elegant. This would be the perfect place to enjoy a pre-wedding meal or a mini-moon.

Review: Hotel Café RoyalReview: Hotel Café Royal Review: Hotel Café Royal Review: Hotel Café Royal

Turn-down and a blissful sleep

Turn down service was exquisite. With curtains drawn, lavender spray to aid sleep and an Oscar Wilde poem on our pillow, we were ready to rest. As was little Kayla, our daughter’s doll, who had been provided with a little cot of her own, along with miniature toiletries. The staff had remembered her name and been so thoughtful, going the extra mile to make their smallest guest feel welcome.

And so we enjoyed a blissful night’s sleep – you truly wouldn’t believe you were above Piccadilly Circus – and left the following morning just revelling in the incredible experience at the Hotel Café Royal.

Don’t just take our word for it…!

“From the moment we enter the Hotel to the moment we check-out we feel the warm and always extremely nice presence of the staff, without over doing their job”

“The staff are very, very good, attentive, friendly and helpful.”

“A most excellent experience.”

“The service is excellent and the staff so friendly”

Trip Advisor

Hotel Café Royal

68 Regent Street, London, W1B 4DY
+442074063333