Heading to London and looking for a truly unique, luxurious experience? Take a peek into my getaway at the Sofitel London St James!

Before we dive into this post, let’s just get one thing out in the open: I am not a 5-star hotel kind of girl. Not that I wouldn’t love to be, I just don’t often get the chance!

Whenever I stay at a really nice hotel (which has only happened a few times in my life), I always feel like I don’t belong. Like I’m pretending to be someone else in order to fit in. I’m just not that fancy, y’all.

But when I checked in at the Sofitel London St James, I immediately felt welcomed and taken care of. Even though I still felt a bit like Kevin McCallister in Home Alone 2, the staff was so attentive and friendly that I knew I’d enjoy my short time there!

 

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About The Sofitel London St James

The Sofitel London St James is nestled into the end of London’s Regent Street on Waterloo Place, just a couple of blocks from Trafalgar Square, overlooking Pall Mall. The hotel is a classic old bank building from the 1920’s, surrounded by similarly historic architecture and a true old London feel. The Sofitel St James calls itself a hotel where timeless French elegance embraces bold British tradition, and that perfect combination is certainly evident throughout your stay.

With over 180 rooms, 18 suites and 6 different room styles to choose from, ranging from Classic to a Royal Suite, this five-star hotel is a cut above the rest in both elegance and design. Whichever room you choose, you will be treated with the same attentiveness and high level of service. The entire team really does seem to genuinely care about each hotel guest!

The 5-Star Experience

I checked in late in the evening after traveling down from Edinburgh that day, and immediately felt well taken care of by everyone from the doorman to the front desk staff. I knew I only had one night in London to embrace the 5-star life, so I stayed up far later than I should have, soaking up our gorgeous room (and bathroom – which was also super classic and beautiful – is it weird that I’m mentioning the bathroom?) and loved every second of it.

They were attentive and kind, from the beginning to the end of our stay, and were incredibly accommodating and friendly throughout! My three favorite things about staying at the Sofitel St James were definitely the exceptional service, cozy (yet spacious!) beautiful room, and waking up the next morning to an amazing room service spread. This really never happens, you guys. I told you – I’m not a fancy girl! But I do appreciate the finer things in life, like hot waffles showing up to my door upon waking.

The Location

The Sofitel London St James is perfectly situated between Piccadilly Circus, St James’s Park, and The Mall, which leads to Buckingham Palace. So you’re basically royalty if you stay here. At least that’s what it feels like. I digress!

If you leave the hotel and walk north, you’ll hit Piccadilly Circus, busy Regent Street and a million and one designer and high street stores. Shopaholics beware.

Walking to the south, you’re mere steps away from beautiful St James’s Park and The Mall, which provide a lovely place to escape the hustle and bustle of busy modern-day London. If a visit to Buckingham Palace is on your itinerary, it’s a gorgeous stroll down the Mall to the Palace. Highly recommend!

Trafalgar Square is also just a couple blocks away from the hotel, and a fantastic place to people watch and plan out your day in London!

If you’re more in the mood to take in some shows, the West End (or Theatreland as it is sometimes known) is right around the corner from the Sofitel St James, making it easy to catch a play.

For those looking to wander through some art galleries, The National Gallery and The National Portrait Gallery are also right around the corner from the hotel.

So many options!

The Rose Tea Room

If you want to experience to epitome of a fancy lady afternoon, stop in to the hotel’s stunning Rose Tea Room for a spot of afternoon tea, complete with a live harpist. (Yes, you read that right.) Classic velvet chairs and couches provide plenty of comfortable seating and space to sit and relax after a busy day out.

The perfect place to feel both fancy and comfortable, the Rose Tea Room is a must-visit during your stay at the Sofitel St James!

Want to stay active while traveling?

The Sofitel St James has a full gym on the premises called SoFIT, complete with weight training and cardio fitness equipment. There is a lush vertical garden right outside the gym windows and they even have an AlphaSphere chair that can help alleviate jetlag. Fancy!

Sofitel St James’ convenient location means you’re situated right by multiple beautiful nearby parks and local attractions, making it the perfect spot for a run! The concierge can recommend the best running routes. They can even arrange for personal trainers upon request!

Looking to wind down and relax?

The Sofitel St James has got you covered! With their beautiful SoSPA (recently nominated for the 2018 World Luxury Spa Awards and voted best spa in London on TripAdvisor for two years running!), you can enjoy everything from facials to manicures to massages and more in their amazing three-floor facility.

Using only the best products by prestigious French brands, Carita and Cinq Mondes, SoSPA works with their clients to ensure they can achieve the results they desire. With a holistic approach, the SoSPA team enjoys enhancing every client’s experience with personalized attention and treatments.

Let’s talk about the breakfast of dreams!

Okay, I know that was a lot of photos of waffles and fruit and coffee in beautiful natural lighting. I get it. But y’all, room service is my BFF. There are few things in the world I love more than hearing a knock on my hotel room door and opening it up to a plate of hot waffles. It doesn’t take much to make me happy.

Since I was already living out my luxurious, 5-star hotel dreams, I decided I should probably experience the glorious room service options at the Sofitel St James. You know, for research purposes.

And boy, did they deliver. While the pancakes and waffles weren’t the most amazing ones I’ve ever had in my life (I’ve had some crazily delicious ones, the bar is set high), they were still really good. Because anything served to you in bed automatically tastes better. That’s science.

The amazing fresh fruit offerings, hot drinks and pastry selection were all perfectly lovely as well and made waking up ten times better.

The Room

I only wish I could have stayed at the Sofitel St James to live out my fancy girl dreams for another couple of nights – or, you know, forever.

The big, floofy, comfy beds were a sight for sore eyes at the end of a long travel day, let me tell you. Diving into an abundance of pillows and crisp, cool sheets was the best feeling ever.

Our room was well-appointed with just about everything you could possibly need: plenty of outlets, first-rate amenities, beautiful tall windows to let in lots of natural light, luxurious design throughout, and brand new smart TVs. We got upgraded to a luxury suite with Hermès body care products which seriously made me feel like I was Beyoncé for the night. Almost.

French dining at The Balcon

One of the best parts of the Sofitel St James is its bright, airy French bistro, The Balcon. As you can see above, it is impeccably designed, with beautiful floor-to-ceiling windows looking out onto the bustling London streets.

Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner from Monday to Sunday, The Balcon offers a unique spin on classic French cooking that is combined with Chef Matt Greenwood’s love of fresh, local produce and desire to serve only the best.

You can make reservations here.

St James Bar, an Instagrammer’s heaven

As if The Balcon wasn’t enough, the Sofitel St James also boasts a gorgeous bar called, appropriately enough, the St James. Tell me you don’t want to move right in. Just me?

With a wide variety of special cocktails and spirits, the St James offers the perfect respite from busy central London for guests and locals alike. Its unique, classic design provides an oasis in a classy yet welcoming environment.

You can view a recent sample menu here.

Hours: 8 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. (Monday to Saturday), 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (Saturday)

Ready to end your search for the best luxury hotel in London?

• Hotel: Sofitel London St James
• Location: Perfectly situated between Piccadilly Circus, St James’s Park, and The Mall, which leads to Buckingham Palace!
• Things I Love: The sophisticated yet welcoming vibe, the gorgeous Rose Tea Room, friendly and attentive staff, full on-site French bistro, The Balcon, and the beautiful St James Bar. All Instagram-worthy. Also, the location can’t be beat!
• Would I Go Back? For a special occasion weekend or luxurious overnight getaway, two thumbs up and yes! Will I be able to stay there during my normal trips to London? Probably not. But I can dream!
• Pricing: Within the expected range for a 5-star hotel in central London. Not cheap, but neither are the service or surroundings. Check current pricing using the links below.
• Book: Find the best available price & book a room on HotelsCombined or book directly!

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Disclaimer: A big thanks to the Sofitel London St James for hosting me as their guest in exchange for an unbiased review. As always, all opinions and room service glamour shots are 100% my own.

Please be advised that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase using one of them, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend brands that I love!