Located in the heart of Royal London, St. Ermin’s Hotel is a perfect blend of luxurious comfort and historical intrigue. To walk through its grand entrance is to follow the footsteps of Prince Philip and Winston Churchill, whose regular gatherings in the Caxton Bar are part of London legend.
This welcoming haven, situated near London’s Big Ben and Buckingham Palace, seamlessly blends Edwardian architecture, espionage lore and contemporary luxury for business travelers and families, who seemed to be everyone on my recent trip. No wonder it was voted as the UK’s top hotel in the annual Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards.
St. Ermin’s Hotel is ideal for:
- Visitors intrigued with England’s royal family
- Couples looking for a quiet weekend getaway
- Families interested in an archetypal British experience
SheBuysTravel Tip: Skip the airport stress — Lyft’s On-Time Pickup Promise guarantees your scheduled ride shows up within 10 minutes of your pickup time. If it doesn’t? You’ll get Lyft Cash. You can schedule up to 90 days in advance and even lock in your rate. Use code SBT25 to save 25% off ONE scheduled ride to the airport.
The writer was hosted by St. Ermin’s Hotel.
Royal London at Your Doorstep
Opened as a hotel in 1899, St. Ermin’s enjoys one of the most enviable central London addresses. From its tree-lined courtyard in the midst of the City of Westminster, within 10 minutes, I could easily walk to:
- Buckingham Palace to watch the Changing of the Guard or tour the interior of one of the world’s most famous palaces.
- Westminster Abbey to experience the exquisite cathedral where coronations, weddings and burials of kings, queens, princes and princesses take place.
- Big Ben & the Houses of Parliament to snap a photo of London’s gothic icons.
- St. James’s Park to visit a charming royal park with gardens and a lake.
- Churchill War Rooms to head below ground to see the war rooms where Churchill and his cabinet and generals planned their attacks against Hitler’s armies.
Read our story on Royal London here for more detail about all the attractions within a 20-minute walk of St. Ermin’s Hotel.
SheBuysTravel Tip: Plan ahead to book tours of nearby Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace to avoid long lines and sell-outs.
Let us inspire your travels! Sign up for our newsletter now.
First Stop: A Courtyard and a Legacy
St. Ermin’s greets guests with a courtyard garden — a hidden oasis in Westminster that is steeped in history. Guests are wowed by the spectacular lobby with Rococo and Art Nouveau plasterwork by Victorian theater designer J.P. Briggs.
The hotel’s strategic location near key government buildings such as the Houses of Parliament and 10 Downing Street made it an ideal base for intelligence operations, including:
- During WWI, the hotel served as a hospital for injured soldiers returning from the front, with a small British intelligence detachment gathering vital information from them.
- From 1938, the hotel housed the headquarters of MI6’s Section D, a unit responsible for sabotage and guerrilla warfare preparation.
- The Special Operations Executive occupied an entire floor during WWII, operating covertly under the guise of the “Statistical Research Department.”
- The hotel’s Caxton Bar was a well-known rendezvous point for spies, including:
- Notorious double agents of the Cambridge Five, who audaciously met their Soviet handlers in plain sight.
- Winston Churchill, who was a regular at the Caxton Bar while overseeing the clandestine efforts to “set Europe ablaze.”
SheBuysTravel Tip: If you have “spy kids” joining the family, ask about the free “Budding Bond” spy kits.
Glimpse Inside a Guest Room
St. Ermin’s features 331 guest rooms and suites across five categories, thoughtfully designed to balance heritage with convenience. Importantly for those adjusting to jet lag, rooms away from the street and soundproofing ensure a quiet night’s rest. Rooms feature a Queen Anne revival style and include:
- Plush bedding and ergonomic workspaces
- Free WiFi and smart TVs
- Coffee/tea makers and electric kettles
- Marble bathrooms with premium amenities
- Air-conditioned rooms (not standard in all London hotels)
- Dog-friendly accommodations
- Baby and toddler essentials that can be pre-ordered free of charge
Larger suites add sitting rooms and expansive windows overlooking the courtyard or city streets.
Whiskey, Tea and Fine Dining Await
- Caxton Grill – A refined yet relaxed ground-floor restaurant overlooking the courtyard and serving modern European cuisine awaits at the Caxton Grill. Some ingredients come straight from the rooftop kitchen garden and bee terrace, putting sustainability on center stage. There’s a range of steak options plus seafood and lamb chops.
- Tea Lounge – Few hotels deliver such an elegant setting for London’s most quintessential ritual. In a special Tea Lounge, enjoy freshly baked scones, finger sandwiches, cakes and teas. Plant-based, gluten-free and children’s versions are included.
- Caxton Bar – Legendary as Churchill’s haunt during WWII, the Caxton Bar endures today as a waterhole for fine whiskies, signature cocktails or non-alcoholic drinks. For a quick bite, order British classics such as fish and chips and Bang Bang prawns.
- The Terrace – Easily overlooked because of its location on the second floor, The Terrace is worth an afternoon visit on a sunny day. Sit outside for a drink or have a light meal from the Sushi Bar.
Bees and Sustainability Meet Tradition
Who would suspect that an urban hotel would proudly promote its beehives? Since 2011, the hotel has maintained rooftop hives of gentle Buckfast bees, creating a Bee Terrace with glass viewing areas for guests.
Beyond the city, the hotel also manages a rural out-apiary in the West Country. The focus is on pollination rather than honey production, with honey harvested in spring to ensure the well-being of the colonies. This eco-conscious approach not only enhances the natural balance in the urban setting but also enriches the guest experience by incorporating the bees’ honey into the hotel’s menus and products.
Unwind at 24-Hour Gym
Though small, the air-conditioned gym offers free weights and basic cardio machines such as treadmills and elliptical Stairmasters.
Walking in a Safe Neighborhood
Because Westminster is primarily a business district, at night the streets are quiet when compared to the daytime hustle. Walking back to the hotel from a West End theater at night, I took a shortcut through a very dark St. James’s Park and through Westminster without even the slightest concern for my safety.
Nearby Restaurants
Outside the hotel, the concierge recommends these restaurants:
- Laughing Halibut for fish and chips
- The Sanctuary House for pub fare
- The Cinnamon Club for Indian cuisine
- The House of Ming for Chinese
- The modern Cardinal Place shopping centre near London Victoria station with a dozen restaurants
SheBuysTravel Tip: Across busy Victoria Street is the Strutton Ground Market with food stalls and kiosks that attract many local workers on weekdays. It’s also the closest place to buy drinks and snacks to bring back to the room.
Getting There and Basics
St. Ermin’s Hotel is located in the City of Westminster, less than a mile from Big Ben or Buckingham Palace. The closest London Tube stop is St. James’s Park. From nearby London Victoria Station, take the Gatwick Express to Gatwick Airport.
For travelers to Heathrow Airport, consider taking the London Tube from St. James’s Park to the Paddington stop, go upstairs to London Paddington Station and take the Heathrow Express train to the airport..
Check-in time is 3 pm. Check-out time is 11 am.
2 Caxton St, London
SW1H 0QW, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 20 7222 7888
Reservations: reservations@sterminshotel.co.uk
Marriott Autograph Collection/Bonvoy
Leave a Reply