Planes
London Heathrow is a 40-minute drive from the hotel.
Trains
As the name gives away, the hotel is right in the middle of Soho, so several Tube stations are within easy reach – Oxford Circus (on the Central, Bakerloo and Victoria lines) and Tottenham Court Road (on the Central and Northern lines) are your best bets. The overland stations at Charing Cross, Euston, King’s Cross and St Pancras (for the Eurostar) are around a 10-minute taxi journey away.
Automobiles
The super-central setting makes motors unnecessary, but if you do bring one, you can park it on Brewer Street.
Worth getting out of bed for
For lazy days, see what’s on in the hotel’s cinema, be pampered with Temple Spa treatments or work out in the gym. However, you’re in Soho – one of London’s buzziest areas and former bad-boy ‘hood – so exploring is a must. Shop and stop up Wardour Street, where you’ll find diverse wares from designer doughnuts to skimpy lingerie; after dark, duck in and out of its many pubs, bars and clubs – this is the heart of London’s gay scene, so an open mind is a must. Soho Square Gardens draws picnickers in summer, Soho Theatre has a widely varied programme and G-A-Y is legendary for its immensely fun party nights, often attracting famous faces. For a cheeky glimpse into Soho’s saucy past, head to 7 Meard Street, the former home of artist, dandy and provocateur Sebastien Horsley, whose door still bears the sign ‘This is not a brothel’. If you require an especially unique outfit during your stay, Angels fancy-dress store dates back to 1813 and now supplies costumes for Oscar winners. London’s big-hitters (Oxford Street, Regent Street, Tottenham Court Road, Shaftesbury Avenue) are all just a short stroll away, too.
Local restaurants
Soho's meandering streets are packed with gastronomic pit stops. Stop for tea and cakes at Yauatcha on Broadwick Street, or book a table for their delicious dim sum. Dinner at the Ivy on West Street promises showbiz faces among your fellow diners. The real reason to book well in advance, though, is the surprisingly reasonable classic British dishes, among oak panelling and stained glass. The Palomar on Rupert Street has a fabulous Israeli menu with intriguing dishes such as Tunisian lamb tongues. Perch on a stool in the tiled former-fishmonger's interior of Randall & Aubin on Brewer Street for seafood or a grill: J Sheekey on St Martin's Court is another favourite for seafood. Blanchette is a cosy French bistro (take a peek at its saucy wallpaper…), and if you want very fine dining, chic Chinese joint Hakkasan, authentic Italian Bocca Di Lupo and elegant eatery L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon should suit.
Local bars
Hit 100 Wardour Street for Pop Art prints, live music and cool cocktails (their restaurant is also rather splendid). Blind Pig at Social Eating House, has sophisticated old-school trappings: leather banquettes, rich woods, cut-crystal decanters, and a cocktail menu that shakes up the classics. The secretive Experimental Cocktail Club in Chinatown lives up to its name, and Mark's Bar at Hix is a true Brit eccentric. Diversify your drinks at 68 and Boston – the former is an elegant and extremely reasonable wine bar, the latter a svelte, late-night cocktail joint.
