Strand / Covent Garden

Strand Palace

★★★★★

Strand Palace is the best-located mid-range hotel in London for theatre lovers and first-timers. It has welcomed guests on the Strand since 1909, opposite the Savoy, and its central position between Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square and the river is equal to hotels charging several times as much. In its heyday it was famous for its Art Deco style, and one of its original 1930s entrance foyers is preserved in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, a sign of how admired the design once was. A multi-million-pound renovation completed in 2019 updated all of the rooms while keeping a nod to the Art Deco heritage. Rooms range from compact singles, ideal for solo travellers, through standard and superior doubles, some with views, to larger studios with sofa beds that work for small families. They are modern and comfortable rather than luxurious, and many are on the small side, as is typical of historic central London hotels. The hotel has a strong food and drink offer for its price bracket. Haxells Restaurant and Bar serves modern British dishes, breakfast and pre-theatre menus; the Gin Palace is a cocktail bar with a long gin list; the Palace Tea Parlour serves afternoon tea; and Joe Allen, the celebrated theatreland brasserie, is accessible from the lobby. The Bootlegger offers a further drinking option. With hundreds of rooms, it is a busy, lively hotel, popular with tour groups and theatregoers, and it rarely feels exclusive, but the combination of location, history and price is hard to beat in the West End.

The location is what you are paying for, and it is superb. Covent Garden's piazza and market are about five minutes' walk, the West End's theatres surround you, Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery are around the corner, and Somerset House and Waterloo Bridge, with its famous river views, are close. Charing Cross and Embankment stations are a short walk, and Covent Garden and Temple stations are not much further, so the rest of London is easy to reach. Walking to the London Eye and the South Bank across the river takes about fifteen minutes.

Choosing a room: singles are excellent value for solo travellers, while couples should consider a superior room for more space. Families can look at the studio rooms with sofa beds, though space will be tight for more than three. Rooms facing the Strand can pick up traffic noise, so ask for an inside or higher room if you are a light sleeper. Breakfast is available as an add-on, and pre-theatre dinner packages can make good value on show nights.

Who is it for? First-time visitors who want to walk everywhere, theatre fans, solo travellers, and anyone who would rather spend their budget on shows and restaurants than on a room. It is not a boutique or luxury hotel, and at busy times the lobby can be crowded, but for central London at a mid-range price it is one of the most sensible bookings you can make.