Review: Great Scotland Yard Hotel, London

4 hours ago

This famous Westminster address is a hub of history and art.

This post may contain affiliate links. Learn more

The former home of the London Met Police, the Great Scotland Yard Hotel is now one of Westminster’s most luxurious hotels. Rebecca Cox checks in to review it.

Great Scotland Yard Hotel, Westminster

This part of town is steeped in history, and if the walls of The Great Scotland Yard Hotel could talk, they’d have some serious tales to tell. The iconic 1820s Grade II listed building was the original headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, and in its time has witnessed the investigation of Jack the Ripper, and inspired literary giants like Charles Dickens, who shadowed detectives on site here, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who used it as the base for his tales. The site also served as the Ministry of Defence’s library and as a recruitment office during both World Wars. There are stories hidden in the halls, though on arrival we find no hint of the colourful past in its pristine printed carpets, deco-adorned doors and super-soft plush beds (a lot more accommodating than one would expect from a former Police HQ).

Before heading to our room, we spent some time in the lobby immersing ourselves in the history of the building with a little help from the ‘Service’ flagship art show, part of the hotel’s £2million art collection. Selected by Nicole Green, the work tells the story of Great Scotland Yard through 30 portraits of diverse characters including gangsters, criminals, judges and politicians, all who have a part in the story of this London landmark. Further into the hotel, there is an impressive and moving display from the Koestler Arts prison arts charity, with mixed media works produced by prisoners on the theme of ‘Inside’, from inside prison grounds.

Great Scotland Yard Hotel Sherlock Suite

Upstairs there are 151 rooms and seven suites, and next door is the hotel’s detached five-storey private residence, The Townhouse, which sits on the site that was once home to HRH The King of Scotland. The rooms feature plush furnishings and muted design details as well as criminally comfortable beds. Suites come with complimentary minibars and the stylish marble bathrooms come complete with Japanese toilets and shower rooms big enough for dancing in, along with luxe Jo Loves toiletries.

EAT & DRINK

In contrast to this historic judicial address, the hotel’s bars are inspired by the city’s underworld. Speakeasy bar Sibin hides behind a false bookcase, perfect for an intimate evening drink, while the incredibly chic 40 Elephants Bar is the hub of the hotel, named for one of London’s most notorious female gangs which operated from the Elephant & Castle district, targeting luxury fashion and jewellery shops seeking clothes, furs and garments. What better place to don your glad-rags and go for a well-mixed pre-dinner drink?

The 40 Elephants Bar

The highlight of our stay, however, was found at Ekstedt at The Yard, where Michelin-starred chef Niklas Ekstedt brings a taste of Nordic cuisine to the capital. The five-course ’Journey To Scandinavia’ tasting menu blends Nordic traditions with British ingredients, where everything centres around the kitchen’s open fire, on which each dish is cooked. We’re invited into the kitchen to see our starters cooked and enjoy them with the chef alongside a glass of fizz, a friendly start to the evening that sets the tone for the warm hospitality ahead. Menu highlights include the Flambadou oyster, the Birch fired trout and, surprisingly, the cep mushroom soufflé, a delicate savoury pudding served alongside a light ice cream and blueberries that we haven’t stopped thinking about since. It’s an interesting, challenging menu full of unexpected flavours and tasty delights, and at under £100 a head it’s one of the capital’s more reasonably-priced fine dining tasting menus; there’s plenty on the plates worth discussing with a date.

THE FINAL WORD

While the lean-in to the theme won’t be to everyone’s taste, if you can handle a little personality there’s style in abundance at this Cops & Robbers-themed address. Visit for a well-mixed drink in The 40 Elephants or a fancy dinner at Ekstedt at The Yard, or check in and do some time if you’re in need of a(r)rest and rehabilitation.