Sofitel London St James

The Phantom of the Opera afternoon tea was a wonderful experience for myself and my husband in The Rose Lounge. The food was delicious, fresh and served with drama! The staff were excellent, taking care of us and all our needs.

Let’s be honest, our stay started badly: no early check-in (arrival at 1pm), no welcome drink (while I’m Accor Gold member), no upgrade (instead, offered 1000 reward points). The “Luxury Room” we got was facing a small, cluttered inner courtyard. Look at the picture. The first night was awful: we couldn’t sleep until 12:30 am because of the bathroom ventilation never stopping, the sound of running water, and mainly because of a private party going on in the bar just below our room. At 12:30 am, I sent a polite message to mention that I couldn’t sleep. At 1 am, I received a reply confirming that the event had just finished. I was afraid that this would happen again for the next 3 nights (week-end period)! The next morning, I got another message with, this time, sincere apologies and an offer for another room. It was a beautiful Junior Suite, newly renovated, with two large windows and a view over the square (look at the 2 other pictures). Everything was handled very well by the Reception Manager, who was professional (and probably the only person genuinely kind). This upgrade truly saved our stay. Without it, I would have left thinking that hospitality standards in London are far below what we experience at other Accor hotels, especially in Asia. We had dinner at the bistro and ordered also room service. The food was fair, but prices increased quickly with the service charge and the expected tip on top. We also had breakfast once and luckily only once, because it was the most expensive breakfast we’ve ever had. We had already paid £70 for the mini buffet booked through the Accor app, but we were also charged for the à-la-carte dishes. Total: around £150 for two!!! I made a big mistake not checking the breakfast bill when leaving the restaurant, and another one not checking the final invoice before leaving the hotel (which I normally always do). After contacting the hotel to confirm the breakfast charge on the invoice sent by e-mail, I only received the same invoice again, without any explanation. I would recommend avoiding breakfast altogether: it’s totally overpriced and not worth the experience compared with many 5-star hotels. To end on a positive note: the hotel is well located on a quiet square, but just 3–4 minutes from Piccadilly Circus station, close to shops, restaurants, and many attractions. We took a black cab to London City Airport; it took about one hour and cost £65. We would perhaps return to Sofitel one day for another stay in London, but next time I’ll for sure skip breakfast at the restaurant!

Always feels like such a treat! This was our 2nd stay. The staff are all so lovely and do their all to ensure you have the best stay. Juan in the bar was particularly great as were his cocktails! My stay was made so much better when checking in and my DOB was noticed. It had been two days since my birthday and I was offered a glass of champagne and got a wonderful surprise of cake and a card in my room. The beds are sooo comfortable! Rooms perfectly clean and the lobby has the nicest smell! Only downside was the breakfast tea in the room. I’m very fussy about my tea. I will definitely be returning for a third stay!

My wife and I have previously stayed at the Sofitel in Amsterdam (2X) and Brussels (1X) and had excellent experiences every time. When we were planning a stay in London our first choice was Sofitel, and as with the other properties, the visit was top notch. From check in to check out the staff at all levels is friendly, helpful and welcoming, without a trace of five star snootiness. We needed to make a change to our room and it was painless and handled seamlessly. All of the dining room breakfast people are terrific and help to get the day started. Finally, special shout outs to all the front desk folks; Anna, Klea, Agustina, Violetta, Georgina, Jasmine, and manager Marine, who are all so friendly. Merci bien, à bientot!

We have stayed at the Sofitel St James many times during our visits to London, and for us it remains one of the finest Sofitel properties we know. In fact, it is among our top three luxury hotels worldwide. I won’t dwell on the hard product — those tangible aspects that should be self-evident in any true luxury hotel. Without them, such a hotel would have no right to call itself luxury in the first place. Instead, I want to talk about the soft side — the human factors. These have always been on a very high level at this hotel, but there used to be a few areas with room for improvement. During our most recent stay, every one of those points was addressed — and our expectations were exceeded in every respect. Everything felt perfectly in harmony; every staff member was extremely professional, attentive and genuinely guest-oriented. I honestly cannot think of a single negative point to mention. The service quality is exceptional, and the team — the most important asset of any luxury hotel — makes you feel truly welcome and valued from the very first moment. As the owner of a company myself, I know how much energy and dedication it takes to achieve that. As you might guess, we absolutely loved the St James Bar. It was such a pleasure to meet the same team members as last year — and even more delightful that they recognised us again. We are already looking forward to our next stay.