The Trafalgar St. James, a Hilton-owned hotel targeting London’s younger hipper crowd, has opened on Trafalgar Square.
Located at London’s most central address, the hotel’s multi-million-pound renovation was led by a team of so-called “young London influencers”, including menswear blogger Matthew Zorpas and wealth manager Charlie Tee. The hotel was relaunched with an emphasis on creating a space that was “cool” as well as high end.
The Trafalgar St. James accommodation
While the hotel is owned by Hilton, it stands apart from the group in terms of character and branding, falling within its Curio range of hotels. These hotels generally target younger travelers and aim to bring “authentic experiences” to visitors in key historic cities.
The hotel rooms and suites are decorated in contemporary urban London style; this means they look crisp, clean and modern. Rooms have en-suite bathrooms stocked with Molton Brown toiletries. One of the standout suites is The Barry Suite, which overlooks Nelson’s Column. This is something that you won’t find anywhere else in London.
The hotel has a year-round rooftop bar, which overlooks many of London’s key landmarks including Parliament and the London Eye. The Trafalgar St. James also has a darker club-like bar on the ground floor, which goes by the name of Biblio, which also hosts live music.
The Trafalgar St. James food and drink
The Trafalgar’s resident restaurant, the Dining Rooms, provides breakfast, lunch and dinner, with “flavours that nod to the Mediterranean”. The restaurant is mid-priced, with the average main course falling between £15-20, and standout dishes include salmon in chraimeh sauce and buttermilk panna cotta.
The rooftop bar also provides a food menu, but that and the Biblio downstairs have extensive drinks lists, including a range of whiskies and cocktails.
The Trafalgar St. James reviews
The hotel has been well received by the media and customers alike. According to The Telegraph, the “emphasis is on looking stylish and fun rather than corporate and sober. Guests are here to both work and play.” While The Daily Mail highlights its location, being “within a skip of the National Gallery, Whitehall, The Mall, theatres et al. And I suspect Londoners will start popping in for drinks on the roof.”
Key information
Name: The Trafalgar St. James
Owner/developer: The Hilton
Location: Trafalgar Square, London, SW1A 2TS
Website: www.trafalgarstjames.com
