One Aldwych

Most of London

will have noticed the gigantic oars of the Boatman sculpture

as they walk past the triangular building on the north side of Waterloo bridge

. Some of them may know that this is not the centre piece of a gallery but a feature that dominates a bar. But not everyone will know that this is also the ground floor of One Aldwych, a sleek luxury hotel whose reception desk lurks rather demurely around the corner and out of sight.

The facilities



Built in 1907 for The Morning Post, the grand high-ceilinged open bar

and lobby area in One Aldwych was once the advertisement hall for the newspaper. The rest of this luxury hotel, from the rooms to the sports centre, are all similarly spacious

. It was transformed into a modern luxury hotel by Gordon Campbell Gray in 1998 and like his other properties the main theme is understatement. Nothing glitzy or flash but plenty of little touches

to make you feel welcome. Fruit and fresh flowers everyday add a personal note.

The turn-down service

shuns chocolates on your pillow and instead you are given bottles of mineral water and tomorrow's weather forecast. Nothing about this luxury hotel is cluttered or cosy. The Do Not Disturb sign has been replaced with a switch in your room, internet connection

in every room is wireless

, and there is even a built in box outside your room for your morning paper to be kept. It's easy to see why One Aldwych caters primarily to business clientele

.

One Aldwych has a fitness centre

with treatment rooms and the 18 metre pool

has underwater music

. This luxury hotel also boasts two restaurants

- Axis and Indigo - as well as an espresso bar

. Within easy walking distance of Covent Garden

and Kingsway, the bar often fills up with the pre-theatre crowds.

The rooms



Some of the 105 rooms

at the front of One Aldwych have good views of Waterloo Bridge

. The studio suites are large circular rooms and the Dome suite has its own private dining room

. All bathrooms have a small televisions

and the beds are enormous.

Vanessa Kaoukji