Rosewood London Review

Earlier this month, we stayed at the Rosewood London during Wimbledon, so every hotel in the city, including this one, was very busy. London has no shortage of amazing properties to choose from, but overall, we were happy with the hotel and would consider returning in the future if the location was right.

Property

The hotel is tucked behind an archway that opens into a quiet courtyard, a nice contrast from the busy street outside. The lobby is beautiful, with copper walls at the entryway, black and white floors. There is also a really amazing marble staircase with artwork filling the hallways.

Since we visited during Wimbledon, there were small nods to the tournament throughout, like tennis balls tucked inside the glass-topped coffee tables in the lobby. It was a nice touch.

There are several dining options on property: the Mirror Room, the Holborn Dining Room, and an outdoor terrace in the courtyard that rotates through pop-ups (it was pizza during our stay). The Holborn Dining Room also runs a pie window called The Pie Room, where you can grab savory pies straight from the sidewalk or have them served at Holburn Dining Room. The hotel is also home to Scarfes Bar, ranked among the top 50 bars in the world. It’s a beautiful space, decorated with drawings by Gerald Scarfe, the cartoonist behind Disney’s Hercules. Even the menu is artwork: drinks are regularly rotated and themed around a “hero” and “villain,” which is a reference to a project Scarfe did with the BBC depicting historical figures like this. The drinks have cartoon versions of the person they’re referencing. Worth checking out even if you’re not staying here, though the line looks long for non-guests. Hotel guests get a separate entrance from the lobby.

One of my favorite features: every six months, the hotel features a different artist from around the world, with their pieces displayed throughout the common spaces and hallways. If something catches your eye, it’s also for sale.

Rooms

We stayed in one of the entry-level room categories, the Grand Executive Room. It was plenty large for two, which isn’t a given in London or Europe, and comfortably fit a roll-away bed we hadn’t actually requested and had removed. The room itself is fairly plain, but perfectly nice. One tip, and a good reason to book with me: make sure to specify if you want a bath/shower combo or a standing shower and I can help get this set for you. Be aware that the tub is quite high so would be challenging for anyone with mobility limitations. I can work with the sales team ahead of time to make sure you get the setup you want. The bathroom is overall small and included only one sink, which was okay for a shorter stay, but not ideal for longer stays.

I also toured a Premier Suite, which felt like the right size if you want more room: separate living room, bedroom, a large bathroom with a separate tub and shower, a half bath, and a big closet.

I got to see two of the large signature suites as well, the Manor House and Lincoln House. Both are beautiful in different ways and designed more like private London homes than hotel suites. The suites are two bedrooms and include butler kitchens but can be booked with up to five additional nearby rooms to make a seven-bedroom wing that can be closed off with a private entrance. They’ll even add security for you if you would like.

Food

We mostly stuck to breakfast on property and were happy with the offerings. You can choose from a set menu (four choices) or order a la carte, which I always appreciate. Our breakfast included coconut chia pudding which sounds a bit weird but was actually really good, avocado toast with eggs or an omelet, fresh fruit, coffee or a latte, and juice or a smoothie.

Service

This is where things were a mixed bag. It may be because of Wimbledon, but I wanted to share our experiences. For us, on a city trip where we were out most of the days, it was fine, but there were some (not huge) issues.

They forgot our pre-arrival room preferences entirely and also left the roll-away bed we didn’t ask for. To their credit, once we flagged it, it was all fixed extremely quickly, within 10 minutes.

For what it is worth, the hotel also seemed to have a more “formal” vibe. We actually noticed the front desk staff making facial expressions when guests were dressed more casually.

The service at breakfast was great. The servers and host were professional, nice, quick, and very helpful. We enjoyed the meal and would return if in the area on our next stay. We thought it would be worth paying for if not included in the perks.

Overall

The hotel is beautiful and the rooms are spacious. The rooms are also very quiet, which is amazing in a busy city. Service could have some minor improvements, but if you’re using it as a home base in a city where you don’t need high-touch service, it’s a solid option. The breakfast was a surprising highlight, which works well for a city hotel before going out for the day.