Hotel Review: Hotel Indigo London – 1 Leicester Square, West End in London

It may be located in one of the busiest parts of London, but once you step through the glamorous golden doors of Hotel Indigo – 1 Leicester Square, the scene is set for a luxurious break away.

The 95-bedroom gem in the heart of the square is close to everything, midway between Leicester Sqaure and Piccadilly Circus undergrounds. There are numerous shops, bars, clubs, theatres, restaurants and attractions close by so you won’t be bored for things to do.

Hotel

The West End’s theatrical heritage inspires every thoughtful detail in this boutique hotel, it is peppered with art deco flourishes, including embowed glass doors, a monochrome tiled floor, rich blue velvet and gold banquettes, and vintage cinema seats, which is no surprise given its location.

With impressive views over Leicester Square and (in select rooms) a mini balcony, if you’re lucky and have a good view you may be able to catch a premiere or two!

The hotel was designed by Michaelis Boyd – the local architecture firm behind many of the Soho House properties. The hotel’s nine storeys are crowned with The Rooftop, a 1920s Shanghai-inspired space with brass accents and walnut wood details that boasts a wraparound balcony and panoramic views of the city’s landmarks.

Theatrical rooms

All 95 rooms come with queen sized beds and luxury bed linen

Most of the rooms overlook Leicester Square, they are split across three categories: Scriptwriter, Backstage Rooms and Auditorium rooms.

All rooms come with queen sized beds and luxury bed linen, but the best feature of our room was its spectacular view, I was able to give Leo an imaginary tour around London right from our window.

The spa inspired bathroom came complete with walk in rainfall shower and toiletries by The White Company, a perfect way to freshen up after exploring the city.

Food and drink

During your stay you must check out the rooftop restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows and a wrap-around balcony which has views out over London. Enjoy the twinkling lights of the city at night as you sip on a carefully crafted cocktail whilst browsing its night-time menu.

Unfortunately, as we had Leo on this occasion, we were not able to dine here during the our stay, but it gave us the opportunity to see more of London, so we popped over to Chelsea and dined at the well-known eatery Bluebird.

The renowned Chelsea hotspot, has many strings to its bow, with areas that are all separate from each other – but all very much connected. By day there’s a lively café with an ever-popular courtyard, as well as a bar and lounge, and trendy restaurant on the first floor.

In 1923 the building started its life as a car garage, housing Bluebird Racing Cars amongst 300 others, hence its name. Now a days it is famed for its ‘Made in Chelsea’ appearances and SW3 visitors. You can read my review on this restaurant here.

The rooftop restaurant boasts panoramic views of London’s famous landmarks

We did, however, get to see the rooftop views in all their glory the next morning during breakfast, overlooking views of the London Eye, Nelson’s Column, Houses of Parliament and The Shard – not a bad line up!

LSQ rooftop offer a great selection of hot and continental food and fresh teas and coffees. Scrambled egg, with avocado on toasted sough dough set me right up for the day ahead.

Parking rewards

On this occasion we were travelling with our six-month-old son Leo, so we decided to drive into the city. Just a few minutes from the hotel is Q- Park Chinatown.

An added bonus of parking here is Q-Park Rewards, which allows people to get cashback on parking and retail spend. (See link at bottom). It couldn’t have been easier and allowed us to pack more things, which was handy with the extra luggage we now have to bring for Leo!

I rarely drive in London let alone park but knowing Q-Park was in such a great location completely took my anxiety of travelling by car away. I would definitely park here again.

The verdict

The hotel has a top location at the heart of Leicester Square, close to bars, theatres, shops and restaurants

Majestic yet intimate – discover a boutique hotel that combines authentic local experiences with modern design and a friendly service.

The staff were extremely knowledgeable with regards to thing to do and can help with booking tickets to attractions. Close to everything you might want to see and do in the big smoke, Hotel Indigo offers the perfect base with a backdrop of London’s city centre.