From Noël Coward’s Private Lives, partially set at a hotel in Deauville, to Terence Rattigan’s Separate Tables, playing out in a run-down residential hotel in Bournemouth, the proof is in the playscripts: hotels provide an ideal setting for drama to unfurl.
There’s an innate theatricality to these havens of hospitality: consider the Fosse-esque flick of your server’s wrist as they gracefully place your eggs benedict on the table at breakfast; and the exaggerated staircases which, shy of demanding a chorus-line procession to appear on their steps, beckon guests to descend à la Dolly Levi. Now, a new crop of hotels are taking their cues from the city’s dramatic landscape and adding a splash of pizzazz to proceedings. So, scene set, here’s an ensemble cast of London hotels…
BEAVERBROOK TOWN HOUSE
For aspiring thespians
The press baron, wartime MP and socialite, Lord Beaverbrook relished attending West End shows with his artistic coterie. Reimagining his colourful life in London, each of the Beaverbrook Town House’s 14 suites have been named after a famous London theatre – the Garrick, the Royal Opera House, the Old Vic, the Savoy, and so on….
Bedecked with playbills and framed pictures of stars of the day, each theatrical boudoir (designed by Nicola Harding) is kitted out with half-tester and four-poster beds, bedside tables in jewel-box hues, and sumptuous, theatre-style curtains. Spread across two Grade-II-listed Georgian townhouses, inspiration for the hotel’s interiors spans playhouses to cultural attractions, with reference paid to Art Deco as well as Japanese art. No doubt, Sir Laurence Olivier (one of Lord Beaverbrook’s illustrious friends) would have felt quite at home here.
Most theatrical flourish Taking a leaf out of Eugene O’Neill’s playbook, the Fuji Grill’s omakase menu is an epic 20 courses. Head here for lengthy post-theatre debriefs… you’ve got ample time.
Closest to The Royal Court Theatre on Sloane Square. Championing new writing, the Royal Court is a leading force in world theatre. The Jerwood Theatre Upstairs used to be a nightclub, but today the Royal Court’s Bar & Kitchen is the place to be seen and convene with aspiring writers and creatives. Pick up a playscript from the Samuel French Bookshop on your way out.
HAM YARD HOTEL
For Broadway broads
There’s a long-established interchange between the Great White Way and the West End. Both world-famous destinations for entertainment, New York and London have many similarities; Firmdale hotels being one such parallel. With Great Windmill Street as your (temporary) home address, you’ll be right in the heart of the action at the Ham Yard hotel – the Piccadilly Theatre is next door on Denman Street, while the hotel’s restaurant affords a view of the stage doors of both the Gielgud and the Lyric.
There are pre-show menus – two courses at £35 per person, or three courses at £40 per person, both including a glass of Champagne – available until 6.30pm everyday (Sundays until 4pm). Looking for a dinner conversation prompt? The Opéra de Paris costume artworks hanging on the dining room’s walls are a good starting point.
Most theatrical flourish The design language at Ham Yard is rather hyperbolic. Eclectic and wonderfully colourful, its dizzying design beguiles guests on arrival. Take a bow Kit Kemp.
Closest to Shaftesbury Avenue is right behind you, making the Gielgud Theatre, the Lyric and Palace Theatre some of your closest playhouses.
HENRIETTA HOTEL
For a play-ful stay
Charming Covent Garden has enjoyed a Renaissance of sorts of late and Henrietta Hotel, which opened here in 2017, has played a key role in the area’s zhuzhing up. Inspired by the streets of Covent Garden, the hotel’s 40 bedrooms are small but considered, designed by French interior designer, Dorothée Meilichzon.
Off-kilter and a little zany, spaces are playful and easy-going. Despite its central location, Henrietta Hotel manages to: a) avoid becoming a tourist trap and b) somehow remain fairly priced. In the heart of Theatreland – it’s a matter of yards from the Savoy Theatre – the hotel is at its best come evening. Owned by the Experimental Group, which manages the Experimental Cocktail Bar in Chinatown, the drinks at the hotel’s ground-floor bar warrant a round of applause.
Most theatrical flourish The restaurant, Da Henrietta by Italian Supper Club, is quite the showstopper – note the Tyrrhenian menu and harlequin-style tiling. A pre-theatre menu is available from 5-6pm daily; make sure you book – it gets busy.
Closest to Skirting Covent Garden and the Strand, from the Lyceum to Wyndham’s, in this part of town boards are always being trodden.
ARTIST RESIDENCE LONDON
For creative types
Shows like Hamilton and Wicked bring crowds in their throngs to this part of the city, but finding somewhere lovely to stay nearby requires, well, a little creative thinking. The exception: Artist Residence London, a 10-bedroom hotel in prim Pimlico. Entry is through the restaurant, Cambridge Street Kitchen.
Expect chic interiors with boho-feel vintage furniture and exposed brickwork, complemented by period features. Set across three floors, bedrooms range from small and medium rooms to the spacious Loft and suites; those with artistic leanings will feel right at home here. Thinking of going on tour? You can find other Artist Residences in Brighton, Penzance, Bristol, and Oxfordshire.
Most theatrical flourish Ideal for a post-show tipple, the bar, Clarendon Cocktail Cellar, is a gorgeous speakeasy-style space in the hotel’s cellar and merits a visit whether you’re staying at the hotel or not.
Closest to It’s a 15-minute walk to both Victoria Palace Theatre, where Hamilton is currently showing, and the Apollo Theatre, where another big-ticket musical, Wicked, has played for 15+ years. The Other Palace, a dynamic playhouse recently acquired by Bill Kenwright, is also within walking distance and worth a look. Vivien Leigh fans: take a 10-minute wander to the actress’s former home at 54 Eaton Square.
For a more intimate kind of theatre, read our incomplete guide to the world’s best date-night bars