One Aldwych: where London's creative spirit takes centre stage

The exterior of One Aldwych, a striking building on The Strand in central London

One Aldwych has partnered with some of London's best curators to give guests an insider's take on the city's cultural delights

(Image credit: One Aldwych)

By Julia O'Driscoll, The Week UK

published 25 July 2024

One of the world's leading cultural capitals, London's neighbourhoods are brimming with history and creativity. But tapping into the city's vast wealth of legendary tales and artistic networks isn't always easy, even for seasoned residents. More often than not, a little insider knowledge can go a long way.

A proudly independent hotel, One Aldwych has been a gateway to the best that London has to offer for more than 25 years. And now this distinguished establishment has gone one step further in helping its guests to crack open the bountiful trove of the city's rich treasures by partnering with some of its most talented and knowledgeable curators.

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Standing proud just off the Strand, this striking Edwardian building's location is unrivalled. The imposing premises were designed by Mewès & Davis (the architects behind London's The Ritz Hotel) in 1905 to house The Morning Post newspaper; how lucky those reporters were to work in such a spot. That said, the paper's printers would probably have preferred the contemporary remodelling of their workroom, the former printing presses having now been supplanted by an 18-metre swimming pool.

You'll be struck by One Aldwych's full wow-factor as you enter through the imposing double-height Lobby Bar, which is flooded with natural light thanks to lofty arched windows. Original art nouveau elements have been thoughtfully reflected in its contemporary renovations, with the black and white marble floor, curved timber panelling and swish seating all setting the scene. The elegant atmosphere is continued in the library opposite, which has a slightly softer feel – perfect for meetings, a stint of inbox clearing or a few hours curled up with an excellent book.

Always with a curator's eye, there is an immense attention to detail since British designer Robert Angell's reimagining of the hotel's 86 rooms and 16 suites was brought to life five years ago. From the pastel hues and soft furnishings, to the lotions and luxurious touches in the bathrooms, every element of this five-star hotel's not-so-humble abodes has been carefully considered to optimise comfort, style and ease. The interiors are no doubt pleasing, but we also struggled to tear ourselves away from our room's view across the Southbank's idiosyncratic skyline.

It's probably best to let the hotel's team and their coterie of curators take control of your itinerary; with ins at many establishments you might want to visit in London, they won't be short of recommendations. We were treated to the full Curators programme during our stay and, packed as it turned out to be with buckets of expert knowledge, surprising details and enlightening conversations, it surpassed all expectations.

How better to live out the history of London's pop culture scene than with a walking tour through Soho's famed streets? We were expertly navigated by Victoria Broackes, director of the London Design Biennale, and Geoffrey Marsh, who together co-curated the Victoria & Albert's most visited exhibition in the illustrious museum's history: "David Bowie Is". The pair's knowledge of the icon and the wider context of the city's music scene in the 1960s and 70s is surely unrivalled; if I'd asked about any particular building, or even room, on Denmark Street at random, I've little doubt they'd have been able to tell me which rock stars had performed, stayed or worked there. Broackes also leads a "West End and Theatreland" tour, as well as "The City in 1600", focusing on William Shakespeare's London. All can be tailored to guests' interests.

Our programme continued with a theatrical flourish, performed by the Donmar Warehouse's fundraising lead Silvia Melchior, whose impressive career has taken her everywhere from the Royal Opera House to the Southbank Centre and Handel House Museum. We wound our way through Covent Garden to the Donmar, a wonderful 250-seat not-for-profit theatre near Seven Dials, for the penultimate performance of Benedict Andrews' five-star take on Anton Chekhov's "The Cherry Orchard". The star-studded production was superb, and exemplified just how important spaces like the Donmar are in London's increasingly costly theatre scene. Part of Melchior's role is to ensure the company has the funds to keep tickets affordable and high-quality theatre accessible for audiences.

After clocking up a significant step count with the help of the hotel's curators, get some well deserved rest and relaxation in One Aldwych's spa. There's the aforementioned (and chlorine-free) pool, complete with an underwater soundtrack, as well as a steam room, sauna, treatment rooms and high-tech gym. Or simply unwind in your room before making your way down to the hotel's restaurants for an evening of feasting.

The hotel's signature restaurant, Indigo, is a warm and sophisticated space, a feeling reflected in its very pleasing menu. Slide into a banquette and opt for a loose waistband, because the seven-course tasting menu is the way to go. Head chef Dominic Teague makes the most of seasonal produce and flavours, partnering with independent British producers to demonstrate that sustainable cooking doesn't mean compromising on finesse. And if that wasn't already impressive, every dish is dairy- and gluten-free too.

This was my dining companion's first experience of a tasting menu, and Indigo has certainly set expectations high for future ones. A seared Orkney scallop with fennel, confit chicken thigh and basil was beautifully fresh and hit all the right notes, which was followed by a delicately balanced lemon sole bouillabaisse, with fish caught fresh that day. The cutlet course was sumptuous, pipped only by the Cornish bitter chocolate tart with a scoop of peanut ice cream for us. There's a curated wine pairing too, or delve into the restaurant's extensive wine list to find a bottle of something special to savour.

The blueberry enzoni, inspired by Philip Diggle's "Michel Foucault", was a top choice for me, packing a fruity punch to match the artist's punk-inspired piece. The quince and Earl Grey martini and morello cherry mai tai were also popular choices. I'll have to wait for a return visit to summon the strength for the horseradish martini, inspired by the bar's artistic centrepiece, André Wallace's "The Boatman".

It took no time at all to make ourselves at home at One Aldwych, where the team are truly a breath of attentive, friendly and welcoming air. Service throughout our stay was superb, and every request readily met – but it was the warm nature with which staff were willing to take a little extra time to chat, to share a personal recommendation, or simply to find out a bit more about what we'd been up to with our day that really made our stay feel really special.

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Julia O'Driscoll is the engagement editor. She covers UK and world news, as well as writing lifestyle and travel features. She regularly appears on “The Week Unwrapped” podcast, and hosted The Week's short-form documentary podcast, “The Overview”. Julia was previously the content and social media editor at sustainability consultancy Eco-Age, where she interviewed prominent voices in sustainable fashion and climate movements. She has a master's in liberal arts from Bristol University, and spent a year studying at Charles University in Prague.