London hotels are so often seen as a base from which to explore; especially when, like this Four Seasons in the heart of the city, you’re incredibly close to one of the most iconic attractions. Yet this is a place that’s well worth investing your time in. Don’t rush; take it slow and make sure you find moments to relax on your trip to England’s capital. I stayed for one night and – you guessed it – it wasn’t enough. Here’s what I found.
© Richard WaiteThe setting – 8/10
Even if you’ve never visited London, you can tell from the hotel’s name that it enjoys a pretty good location. The walk to Tower Hill tube station is just one minute; the Tower of London and Royal Armouries is seven and Tower Bridge on the Thames is just a 10-minute stroll.
Granted, it sits right on the edge of the City of London financial district, which isn’t exactly renowned for its vibrancy, but Borough Market, with all its vim and vigour lies just across the bridge. And you may need it. While the aim here is to relax and find peace in the city, it's almost too quiet – with a slightly reserved atmosphere.
Sleep – 9/10
The exquisite Neoclassical columns of the grand exterior give away the history of Ten Trinity Square before you’ve even set foot inside. The former Port of London Authority was opened by Prime Minister David Lloyd George in 1922. Today, it hosts 89 guest rooms, 11 luxury suites and 35 residences.
The Superior Rooms are the smallest, but these feature a kingsize bed without feeling pokey – a bonus in any city-centre hotel. They increase in size through a range of speciality rooms and suites to the residences, at the larger (and more expensive) end of the scale. The largest of these is the Royal Hotel Residence, which boasts four king beds and can sleep up to nine people.
© Richard WaiteThe chrome tones of the decor do not try to hide that this is a city-centre hotel, but instead lean into the idea – and it’s elegantly executed. As you’d expect from a Four Seasons, everything is beautifully done with clean edges, comfortable furniture and pristine bathrooms. The details are also refined – take the toiletries; the Codage range is perhaps my favourite of any hotel, so I always make sure to make the most of it while I’m there (and maybe sneak a bar of soap home in my bag).
Eat – 9/10
No matter what time of the day or what the occasion, your needs will be catered to here. Fancy a light bite in your room? No problem, in-room dining is on hand and you can order straight from the tablet in your room. Your morning sightseeing eeked way past lunch? Pop into Rotunda Bar & Lounge for an afternoon tea created by Lily Vanilli.
Come evening, you can enjoy a cocktail or nibbles here before heading to one of the two speciality restaurants for dinner. Mei Ume serves up traditional Chinese and Japanese dishes with a modern twist. There are a range of menus to choose from, but highlights from the a la carte one include Applewood-Smoked Roasted Peking Duck and A3 Wagyu Golden Oscietra Caviar Maki uramaki.
Just across the hall sits steakhouse Cooper’s Cut, where the food is focussed on premium cuts and seasonal produce. The a la carte menu has plenty to recommend and offers vegetarian options (although not a huge amount – predictably, one option is cauliflower steak). My companion and I elected to try the set menu (£195pp – ouch) and had a disagreement over which of the many superb dishes was the best – the chargrilled Scottish langoustine with saffron beurre blanc, girolles on toast or the Granny Smith apple tarte tatin.
Breakfast can also be enjoyed here and this time there was no argument – the avocado on East London stout sourdough toast came out the winner. Having said that, there was plenty to recommend from the rest of the menu; freshly-baked pastries, a Full English and a Belgian waffle that was particularly indulgent.
Value – 7/10
Double rooms from £650 including breakfast. Rooms here aren’t cheap. But they do come with access to the spa which includes vitality pools, a steam room, sauna and authentic hammam.
© © Photo Richard Waite _ © ArchOverall score – 8/10
As soon as you set foot through the door, the noise of London drifts away and the peaceful, restorative atmosphere – in part created by this impressive building itself – takes over. Perfect after a day of sightseeing.
The service was an undeniable highlight. Swift, friendly (but not overbearing), precise and jolly. I forgot my toothpaste, but simply picked up the tablet, requested some and a member of staff was at my door in moments; not only with two tubes of toothpaste, but a toothbrush too – just in case.
Booking details
Website: fourseasons.com
Address: 10 Trinity Square, London, EC3N 4AJ
Phone: 020 3297 9200
Accessible: Yes. There are accessible rooms and a lift.
Family-friendly: Yes (see insider tips)
Dog-friendly: There are dog-friendly rooms, but access to some of the public areas is restricted so you will need to rely on the in-room dining.
Penny was a guest of Four Seasons. All hotels and experiences have been independently reviewed by our expert writers, who are usually hosted on a complimentary basis, but this never affects our review process.
