The Soho Hotel

The Soho Hotel opened in 2004 as Soho’s first luxury hotel, built from scratch on the site of a former multi-storey car park, and the loft-style warehouse windows Kit Kemp specified in every room are a direct reference to the building’s industrial past. It remains the most complete expression of Firmdale’s London vision: 96 individually designed rooms, a restaurant and bar, two private cinemas, a spa and gym, and a fifth floor of suites opening onto private terraces with city views. Almost nothing about it feels like it was put there by committee.

The experience

The Soho Hotel works as well for a two-night stay as for a long weekend, and the public spaces are a significant part of why. The drawing rooms with their honesty bars and fireplaces are genuinely comfortable places to spend an evening without leaving the building. The Film Club programme: screenings in one of the two private cinemas paired with dinner at Refuel — is a reason to book in itself, with a mix of new releases, award-season contenders and classic cinema. Wednesday evenings bring live music to the bar. Service is consistently cited in reviews as attentive without being performative, which at this price point is not guaranteed.

The rooms

All 96 rooms are individually designed, with warehouse-style loft windows providing unusually good light for a central London hotel. Expect dramatic headboards, Kit Kemp’s signature mix of pattern and texture, RIKRAK bath products (her own bespoke line) and deep soaking baths in most categories. The fifth-floor penthouses and Soho Suite open onto private terraces with panoramic views and are the rooms to book for a significant occasion. Room sizes are generous by Soho standards, and the quality of the beds draws consistent praise. 24-hour room service is available throughout.

Food and drink

Refuel serves brasserie classics from breakfast through dinner at an oak and pewter bar, with pre- and post-theatre set menus that make it practical for West End evenings. The wine list has a dedicated English section. Afternoon tea is served in the drawing room. Wednesday evenings bring live music to the bar. The restaurant draws a neighbourhood crowd alongside hotel guests, which is usually the best indicator of whether a hotel restaurant is worth eating in.

The neighbourhood

Richmond Mews is one of Soho’s quieter addresses despite being surrounded by the neighbourhood’s energy on all sides. Soho Square is a one-minute walk. Leicester Square Underground is five minutes and gives access to the Northern and Piccadilly lines; Tottenham Court Road is seven minutes and adds the Central line and Elizabeth line. Covent Garden is ten minutes east. Carnaby Street and the shopping of the West End are five minutes in the other direction.