One Aldwych

One Aldwych is a five-star luxury hotel in London’s Covent Garden. It occupies an Edwardian building called Inveresk House, once the Morning Post newspaper headquarters. The hotel stands on the corner of The Aldwych and Wellington Street, next to the Novello Theatre and across from the London Transport Museum. The building was designed between 1907 and 1910 by Mewès and Davis, the architects behind The Ritz. It replaced the old Gaiety Theatre, demolished in 1903 for road widening. The hotel’s exterior mixes Louis XVI and Louis XV styles, clad in grey Norwegian granite with a slate and copper roof. Inside, the hotel offers 100 rooms and suites described as spacious and stylish, with raw silk curtains, natural tones and modern art. The founder, Gordon Campbell Gray, aimed for a classic rather than boutique feel, though it attracts fashion-conscious visitors. The hotel houses a 400-piece art collection featuring artists like Cecilia Vargas and Emily Young. Indigo restaurant serves modern British cuisine daily, while The Lobby Bar offers afternoon tea themed around Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The grand lobby, once the newspaper’s reception, is noted for its dramatic high ceilings and polished oak windows. Facilities include a 56-foot lap pool without chlorine, a sauna, steam room and therapy treatments. The hotel also has a cinema for weekend film screenings. The Lobby Bar has been ranked among the world’s top five hotel bars, praised for its cocktails. The building itself is a Grade II listed structure, recognised for its early steel-framed construction and historic significance. Its conversion in 1998 preserved the Edwardian facade while updating the interior for modern luxury.