NoMad London

NoMad London opened in the former Bow Street Magistrates’ Court — the building where Oscar Wilde was tried and Casanova once held — and the conversion is as considered as the address deserves. New York studio Roman and Williams designed the interiors, drawing on the building’s Victorian legal history and its Covent Garden setting: hardwood floors, Art Deco bathrooms, a library lounge, and bars hidden behind doors that feel genuinely discovered. The 91 rooms are individually designed. The whole thing works as a hotel in a way that courtroom-to-boutique conversions do not always manage.

The experience

The public spaces at NoMad London are among the best in any hotel in the city. Side Hustle, the ground-floor tequila and mezcal bar with Mexican-influenced small plates, was named the best international hotel bar in the world in 2025 — a recognition that reflects the quality of the cocktail programme rather than just the setting. The Library, a quieter space modelled on the original NoMad New York bar, is worth finding. Twenty8 NoMad, the rebranded atrium restaurant under the soaring glass ceiling, was named Time Out’s best restaurant in Covent Garden in 2026. A basic gym is available; there is no pool or spa, though the building more than compensates with its bar and restaurant offering.

The rooms

All 91 rooms are individually designed, drawing on the contrast between the building’s Victorian institutional heritage and NoMad’s New York sensibility. Expect hardwood floors, Art Deco bathrooms, premium bedding, minibars, streaming services and well-curated in-room amenities. Some rooms have baths in the bedroom rather than the bathroom — a design choice that divides opinion and is worth checking before booking. Upper-floor rooms offer views over Bow Street and the Royal Opera House. Rooms are well appointed but on the compact side for the price; guests who want the grandeur of the building should book a suite.

Food and drink

Twenty8 NoMad, in the hotel’s soaring glass-roofed atrium, serves a New York and French brasserie menu — dry-aged steaks from the wood-burning hearth, a raw bar and seafood tower, oversized bistro classics and an entire martini menu. Executive Chef Ashley Abodeely also carries forward the signature NoMad Chicken with black truffles and foie gras. Side Hustle, the tequila and mezcal bar, operates from ground level and is worth visiting independently of any meal.

The neighbourhood

Bow Street is at the operational centre of Covent Garden, directly opposite the Royal Opera House and seconds from the piazza. Covent Garden Underground is a three-minute walk on the Piccadilly line. The London Transport Museum, Somerset House and the Courtauld Gallery are all within ten minutes on foot. Charing Cross and the Embankment are a fifteen-minute walk south. The West End’s main theatres are within comfortable distance in every direction.