ONE ALDWYCH HOTEL

If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you probably know that I spent a week in London in July and you can read my recap on my trip here. While I was there I had the privilege to stay at One Aldwych. One Aldwych is a luxury boutique hotel will modern flairs that make it stand out amongst other hotels in the area. As soon as you walk in, you are greeted by the doorman into a luxurious lobby bar decorated with huge vases of flowers and incredible large windows that bring in a ton of natural light inside. Needless to say, it was absolutely stunning! 

Because we arrived several hours before check-in, the staff was kind enough to hold our luggage and let us relax in their private lounge, where all hotel guests have access to. When they led us to it, the doorman opened a camouflaged door, revealing a calming space adorned with cozy velvet couches, artwork, and books. Luckily, it came stocked with tea, coffee, and conveniently located outlets which were great for weary travelers such as ourselves. The lounge was similarly decorated to the lobby with velvet couches and chairs, but it had a more cozy feel to it that was perfect for relaxing.

Once we arrived in our room, I was pleasantly surprised at how spacious the room was and how much natural light there was through the two floor-to-ceiling windows. There were other touches that I appreciated as well such as the slippers that were placed on both sides of the bed, two cozy bathrobes, and the intoxicating scent of the Darjeeling soap that was left in the bathroom. The bathroom itself had an amazing bathtub and shower as well as huge vanity mirror that was lit up on both sides, which came in extremely handy when I did my makeup in the morning! I also wanted to mention that the hotel left a card with the weather forecast for the next day and I thought it was a great feature. Even though I check my phone for the weather, it was still a great reminder to know what to wear and what the temperatures would be like. I’ve actually never seen this in any of my previous hotel stays, so I thought it was clever and definitely helpful.

I really wanted to share my amazing dining experience at Eneko Basque Kitchen and Bar, which is located inside the Aldwych. Each dish had its own innovative flair and it is definitely not a typical Spanish restaurant. Chef Eneko Atxa is a critically acclaimed chef, who created this restaurant to be a more relaxed and comfortable restaurant in contrast with his three Michelin star restaurant, Azurmendi. However, both the presentation and taste of the food at Eneko definitely warrants a visit if you are ever in London! 

As soon as we walked through the door, the service was impeccable from start to finish. First, we were greeted by the waitstaff and they gave us insightful advice into the menu and picked out the perfect wine to go with our meal. The highlights of our meal included the Traditional Talo, Beetroot Tartare, and the Grilled Whole Sole. My personal favorite was the Basque Menestra, a vegetable stew with a slow cooked egg in the center served with a piece of buttered toast. When you mix the egg into the stew, the taste was unbelievably delicious and flavorful!

Even though we were full from our meal, there was no way we were going to say no to dessert. We decided on the Torrija, a sponge cake served with a caramel crumble ice cream that melted in our mouths upon first bite. We also had the Gatzatua and Rosemary, which was unlike any other dessert I’ve ever had. It was a rosemary and chocolate cremoso on one side and when the server poured warm sheep’s milk on the other side, the texture of the dessert changed from a liquid to a cream. It was one of the coolest food transitions I’ve ever seen and it was quite a unique experience. From beginning to end, the meal and service exceeded all expectations and I will definitely visit Eneko again the next time I am in London!

The next morning, we took advantage of the complimentary breakfast included in our stay and had breakfast in bed after an amazing night’s sleep in our comfortable king-sized bed. This was one of my favorite parts of my stay at One Aldwych because I’m a breakfast type of gal and there’s no better feeling than having breakfast in bed in another city with an amazing view!  There is an extensive breakfast menu by the bedside, and once you fill out the options for both guests, you can leave the menu on the doorknob any time before 2:00 am and your breakfast will be delivered at the time requested. Our breakfast arrived promptly and the warm food was hot and fresh, ready to be eaten. Once we finished our delicious breakfast, all we needed to do was ring the room service and they came right away to clear everything out of our room.

One Aldwych Hotel definitely created a wonderful experience for me in London. I only wish I took advantage of their Health Club which included a pool and sauna as well as a 24-hour gym.  The service was impeccable whether it be the hotel or restaurant staff and they were accommodating of our every need. Our stay was absolutely amazing and I was sorry to leave, but I will definitely return the next time I’m in London. I would definitely recommend staying here if you are looking to go to London in the future and I guarantee you will not be disappointed!