The NoMad London is Europe’s first NoMad Hotel. Set in the center of Covent Garden, it makes an immediate impact with its unabashedly dramatic and decadent design and upbeat hedonistic streak. The hotel is located in a 19th-century building that was once Bow Street Magistrates’ Court and Police Station. Loosely imagined as the domain of a very sophisticated art collector, public spaces are adorned with artworks, more than 1,600 pieces and bookended by lush towers of greenery. The common areas are at once glamorous, seductive and inviting. The staff offers a sense of unintrusive attentiveness.
The 91 rooms, including 16 suites have a minimalistic feel and feature lots of art, decorative fireplaces and classic rotary phones. Many of the Suites feature freestanding claw-foot bathtubs with some having views of the Royal Opera House. The Royal Opera Suite is worthy of a standing ovation. The claw-footed bath peeks out from behind a claw-footed screen; in the sitting room is a sofa the color of a peach Bellini; on the desk, a dandelion clock trapped inside a glass paperweight. All setting the tone and vibe of an artsy moody environment of the 1920s. The hotel is family friendly with interconnecting rooms along with amenities such as child-sized robes.
The hotels unique selling points are the bar and its buzzy restaurant, the hotel’s beating heart. This is a property that positively encourages its patrons to eat, drink and be merry. On the lower level of the three-story atrium, NoMad Restaurant is a beautiful dining experience, boasting a modern menu focused on quality ingredients from farm, field and coast. The Library is an inviting spot for breakfast or drinks away from the NoMad’s customary bustle. In the leather-clad Side Hustle, a railway-bar style, one can dine on light bites featuring a Mexican menu of and mezcal cocktails. An intimate subterranean cocktail den, Common Decency, is open on Friday and Saturday evenings.
The hotel does not have a pool or spa. You will find an individual treatment room where you can book a variety of services (the hotel has partnerships with wellness names Ricari Studios and Annee de Mamiel). Ricari Studios features a specific method of massage for face and body. Annee de Mamiel offers the other options of just two facial treatments. It does have a wonderful gym with a variety of cardio equipment and free weights.
Guests gain complimentary admittance to Bow Street Police Museum, connected to the hotel and housing exhibitions about the building’s past life alongside a stretch of former cells. The hotel is adjacent to the Royal Opera House. Theaters radiate around the hotel, many of the West End’s most popular productions play minutes away from here. Soho’s restaurants and bars are an easy stroll away. Covent Garden has many other well-known sights: the London Transport Museum, the Market and Piazza, and little independent shops and restaurants. Staying at NoMad London is a great idea and will not disappoint.
