Over the years, London has done a fabulous job of finding new uses for its many, many historically fascinating buildings. The Bankside Power Station is now the Tate Modern. Churchill’s Old War Office is a hotel and apartments. County Hall houses restaurants, an aquarium and That Shrek Thing.
Another of those retrofits is the Great Scotland Yard Hotel, a Grade II-listed building which dates back to the 1820s and was once the Ministry of Defence’s old library. Sitting at an address best known for also housing the original headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, the building has been a hotel for a while – though was spruced up a few years ago with a £75 million revamp.
Admittedly, the words ‘Scotland Yard’ do not exactly scream ‘mega-luxe five-star hotel stay’, but… maybe they could? This 151-room Hyatt is as deeply, thoroughly refined as hotels in this city get.
Each step of a stay at Great Scotland Yard is virtually faultless. The neat rooms are full of light, with floor-to-ceiling windows and balconies looking out over the turrets, towers and courtyards of the Palace of Whitehall. Full of modestly luxurious conveniences (like Chromecast TVs and fancy Japanese Toto loos), the rooms are also of a satisfyingly comfortable size: neither small and cluttered nor massive and awkwardly empty.
Beyond the rooms, Great Scotland Yard is far from a copy-paste Hyatt. Playing into the history of the building and address, the doors are slathered in a deep and polished police blue. The foyer is decked out with police-y touches like an exhibition of historical bobby uniforms and equipment and a wall of works produced by incarcerated artists. Cocktail bar The 40 Elephants features a spectacular chandelier inspired by the daring robberies of the Forty Elephants all-female crime syndicate. There’s bags of character here – far more than might be expected of what is, on paper, yet another outpost of a global hotel chain.
And that isn’t all. Restaurant Ekstedt at The Yard sees Michelin-starred chef Niklas Ekstedt fire up ‘old Nordic’ style dishes (and hosts breakfast in the morning). The Parlour boasts an Italian-twisted and generous afternoon tea. The Síbín Speakeasy, ‘hidden’ behind a bookshelf, has a broad spirits selection and live jazz on Thursdays and Fridays. Get banged up at Great Scotland Yard and there’s more than enough to keep you busy.
Neighbourhood
Great Scotland Yard (the road) connects Northumberland Avenue and Whitehall, meaning the hotel is exceptionally close to Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross and the Houses of Parliament, and a short walk to Covent Garden. Considering the centrality (and busyness) of its location, Great Scotland Yard Hotel is calm and quiet.
Nearby
- ICA. One of London’s most legendary arts spaces, inside you’ll find exhibitions, film screenings, live music, a bar and a phenomenal bookshop.
- Walkers of Whitehall. Some Great Scotland Yard Hotel rooms back onto the court area of this pub, which is a favourite with civil servants.
- Whitehall Gardens. One of London’s lesser-appreciated green spaces, this cocoon of calm is wedged between the Thames and Whitehall, and boasts manicured flower beds, lush shrubbery and plenty of benches.
Time Out tip
Get the staff to talk you through all the knick-knacks on the walls. After all, what’s the point in being somewhere so loaded with history if you don’t find out all about it?