One Aldwych

The London hotel scene these days is all flash interiors and decadent comforts, a sort of arms race of bold design and lavish luxuries. No hotel can compete in this market without designer-dressed staff, the obligatory Frette linens and whimsically outsize furniture, and a hotel without a happening bar scene is like a day without sunshine (though the inappropriateness of the metaphor with regards to the English climate is duly noted).

At first glance one could mistake One Aldwych for just another entry in the luxe-boutique competition—but that would be like your nephew hearing John Lennon for the first time and thinking it sounds a bit like Oasis. The difference is that One Aldwych has been at it longer than the new kids, and brings to the table some unique and idiosyncratic charms that today’s committee-designed chain boutiques would never have thought of.

The building itself, for one, is a listed 1907 Edwardian landmark, originally home to the Morning Post—try as they might, no converted warehouse or renovated apartment block would quite match it. But only the most perverse architectural fetishist would choose a hotel for its facade; more relevant is the fact that the public spaces are just chic enough without screaming for attention, and the rooms are minimalist without seeming cheap, with large beds and plush furniture making up for their (London-standard) less than palatial size.

Not all style-conscious hotels come complete with 18-meter swimming pools and 24-hour gyms, but this one does, and here as upstairs, the design is superb, with none of the beige industrial carpeting or grotty yellowing tiles that mar lesser hotel fitness centers. Executive Chef Dominic Teague oversees the revamped Indigo Restaurant; nearby, the buzzing Lobby Bar scratches the glam-cocktail itch, while the guests-only Lounge at One offers a lower-key place to relax, with all-day dining and a collection of art and design books selected by the designer Paul Smith.