Rosewood London

An absolutely fantastic experience at Rosewood London. From the moment I arrived, I was impressed by the warm and welcoming atmosphere, the impeccable attention to detail, and the beautiful design, which perfectly combines elegance, character, and comfort. A special mention goes to the staff, who were consistently kind, professional, and attentive. In particular, I would like to thank the lovely blonde lady with green eyes at reception, whose warmth and helpfulness really stood out, as well as Danny from the concierge team, who was exceptionally friendly and always happy to assist. I also loved the overall atmosphere of the hotel and, in particular, Scarfes Bar. It is such a unique and sophisticated space, with a wonderful atmosphere that makes it the perfect place to enjoy an evening. Overall, a truly memorable stay and a wonderful example of outstanding hospitality. Rosewood London is definitely a hotel I will remember fondly and would happily return to. Highly recommended!

My wife and I spent 4 nights here-- out second stay at the property. We first visited in December 2023. We like the convenience of the Rosewood London to the London Underground-- only a very short walk to the Holborn Tube station and about a mile to Covent Garden, the West End, British Museum, and other sites. The front desk staff at the Rosewood is professional, polite, and helpful. After we mentioned that we were celebrating our wedding anniversary and a birthday, we found delivered to our room small cakes and other sweets. Thank you! Shout outs to all the front desk staff including Grace and Filippo (whose names I can recall). We enjoyed the buffet breakfast in the larger dining room, and there we met one of our servers, Eden, who I want to recognize for providing great service. In the smaller, more formal dining room, shout out to Wael (spelling), another friendly and professional server. The bar is worth visiting as well. The bartenders made great drinks. Our sleeping room was large and well-appointed. I wish there was a small fridge in the room to keep ice and drinks cold. My only complaint about the bathroom is that the shower has only a door that does not cover the entire length of the shower area, so water always got on the bath towel just outside the shower. Memo to hotel: please install doors that close off the entire shower area! If we return to London, we'd likely stay at the Rosewood for a third time.

We loved our stay at the Rosewood in London. The hotel gets four stars for a few food-related reasons: the room service was not consistent. The same dish would be prepared differently each time which was disappointing. And the mice. The mice in the Mediterranean restaurant, there were so many running around as if they lived there…well, they did. I had a champagne by the glass…a Billecart-Salmon Rosé which arrived flat, the sommelier explained they have a system that keeps the bubbles for 2 weeks! Two weeks old champagne, no thank you. He comp’d our wine which was nice. Again the Mediterranean restaurant while it has a lovely setting, it is serviced by teenagers which is rather strange. Get adults to serve us drink and food so they know what they’re doing. The young Asian doesn’t even speak English, sorry.

We stayed at Rosewood last weekend, which my partner had arranged as a surprise for me for my 40th birthday. Given Rosewood’s reputation and its positioning as a luxury five-star hotel, we arrived with high expectations. We had also stayed at other Rosewood properties around the world and have enjoyed their exceptional levels of comfort and service. Sadly, this experience fell considerably short of our expectations. We were upgraded to a Grand Executive Room as a benefit of our booking agent, which is a category one above an entry level room which, while comfortable, was ultimately very ordinary. There was nothing particularly distinctive or memorable about it, and it lacked the sense of luxury, detail and refinement I would expect from a five-star property. The service at the hotel was also surprisingly underwhelming. My partner had contacted the hotel in advance to mention that it was a special occasion, yet there was no welcome amenity in the room when we arrived. He had to chase this up himself. There was also no welcome drink on check in or in the room, something we would have expected as part of a genuinely five-star experience. The check in, despite completing pre-check in prior to arrival took far too long and we were standing at the check in desk for 10 minutes like you would do as an airport. There were a number of issues with the room itself. The shower leaked, the air conditioning was noisy, and despite being on the third floor, we could clearly hear the Underground beneath the hotel. While none of these issues individually would necessarily ruin a stay, collectively they are disappointing for a hotel of this standard and the price being paid. The service in the hotel’s restaurants was particularly inconsistent. The male maître d’ in the Holborn Dining Room was rude and made us feel uncomfortable, particularly when we observed how much more warmly other guests were being treated. A very strange manner for someone working in that position. At breakfast, we then had to wait around 20 minutes for tea and coffee. Again, this is not what I would expect from a five-star hotel. We also had a particularly bizarre experience at the Mirror Room. We went in asking to have a bite to eat and ordered a water and tea, only to be told that the only food available was afternoon tea. We therefore asked if the water and tea could be transferred to the restaurant opposite. The staff seemed very put out by this request and told us that it was not possible. The lack of flexibility and willingness to accommodate such a simple request was astonishing for a luxury hotel. Housekeeping was another disappointment. We had been out of the room for most of the day, yet when we returned at around 3:30pm, the room had still not been serviced. We were told that housekeeping operates until 5pm. If that is the hotel’s policy, it should surely be communicated to guests. Having stayed at numerous five-star hotels, I have never experienced housekeeping routinely taking place so late in the day without any prior indication. There was a big fuss in trying to get the matter resolved. The hotel begrudgingly, and upon our request, gave us a glass of wine in the bar whilst we waited for the room to be serviced. Ultimately, what was most disappointing was the complete lack of anything that made the stay feel exceptional. At this level, it is not simply about having a comfortable room. A five-star hotel should provide attentive service, genuine hospitality, attention to detail and a sense that the guest experience matters. It was not until after our stay the manager emailed to follow up, which was pointless given we had left the hotel. They seem more interested in charging service charges for all aspects of the mediocre service, including an additional £10 for buffet breakfast service, despite the breakfast being included in our rate, and a £30 daily room service charge. On top of a 15% restaurant charge where you’re constantly having to get the waiters’ attentions! We had high hopes for Rosewood, but found the experience remarkably ordinary. From the room and facilities to the service and attention to detail, it was simply mediocre. For a hotel with Rosewood’s reputation and price point, I expected considerably more. This did not feel like a five-star stay.

A surprisingly disappointing experience for a hotel positioning itself at this level. We stayed for seven nights in a Grand Executive Room, deliberately choosing one of the larger room categories because we wanted some additional comfort and space. Unfortunately, “Grand Executive” turned out to be considerably grander in name than in reality. The room was surprisingly ordinary. The online imagery had given the impression of beautiful floor-to-ceiling windows; our room had one fairly standard-sized window and an uninspiring outlook. The furnishings and overall design felt unremarkable for a hotel of this category. More puzzling was the use of space: there was an enormous round table occupying a significant part of the room, accompanied by precisely one chair. For two people, this made the table more decorative than functional. There was also no proper comfortable seating area where we could sit together, have room service or simply relax and watch television. For a Grand Executive Room in a five-star luxury hotel, I expected considerably better planning and comfort. The location is also something I would strongly recommend checking carefully before booking. If you specifically need this neighbourhood, it may suit you. For a visitor wanting a convenient base for London, I would personally choose elsewhere. Breakfast and restaurant food were generally of very good quality — probably the strongest aspect of our stay. However, for a seven-night visit, breakfast became remarkably repetitive: essentially the same buffet and the same selection every morning, with very little variation. What really changed my overall impression, though, was the approach to additional charges. A discretionary housekeeping/service charge of around £30 per day was automatically added to the bill. I chose to decline it and instead tipped our housekeeper directly in cash. A discretionary service charge was also added to breakfast — including breakfast involving a buffet — which I also declined. These charges can be removed when requested. Nevertheless, I find the practice of automatically adding substantial discretionary charges at a luxury hotel rather inelegant. I would much rather decide myself whom I wish to tip and how much, particularly when paying five-star room rates in the first place. The most curious part came after our departure. An additional £19 minibar charge appeared on my card for a “Paz Gummy” that had never been taken. The hotel apologised and confirmed that the charge would be removed/refunded. It never was. The £19 itself is obviously irrelevant. The principle is not. And after declining the hotel’s various discretionary charges, having an incorrect minibar charge appear only after departure created, at best, a very unfortunate impression. One does not expect to leave a five-star hotel wondering whether every line on the final bill needs to be audited. Luxury hospitality is ultimately about more than expensive interiors and five-star branding. It is about comfort, attention to detail, transparency and, above all, trust. Unfortunately, this stay fell short on several of those points. There are many outstanding luxury hotels in London. Based on this experience, I would not choose this one again.