Rosewood London Review: A Long-Awaited Stay in Holborn
Originally built in 1912–14 as the headquarters of the Pearl Assurance Company, the property was transformed into a luxury hotel and officially welcomed its first guests in October 2013 under the Rosewood Hotels & Resorts brand. Despite having only stayed (I think, unless I’m missing others) at one Rosewood elsewhere (San Miguel de Allende Mexico) the Rosewood London has been somewhere I have wanted to stay for a while, and indeed have been booking clients in before, knowing the usual standard of a Rosewood hotel.
Looking Ahead: The Chancery Rosewood, Mayfair
Rosewood’s second London address in Grosvenor Square
The second Rosewood property in London, The Chancery Rosewood officially opened in September 2025 in London’s Mayfair. It occupies the former U.S. Embassy building on Grosvenor Square following an extensive restoration and redesign. I’m so pleased that I will also be staying there in a couple of week’s time so I can experience both first hand.
Why Book with The Private Traveller in conjunction with Fora Travel?
Rosewood Elite Benefits at Rosewood London
When you book Rosewood London through The Private Traveller, you’ll receive preferred access to the Rosewood Elite programme, offering enhanced recognition and thoughtful extras throughout your stay:
GBP 85 food & beverage or spa credit, per stay
Daily breakfast for up to two guests per bedroom
Complimentary one-category room upgrade (confirmed at booking or upon arrival, subject to availability)
Personalised welcome, including a note and amenity from the hotel’s Managing Director
Pre-registration prior to arrival for a smoother check-in experience
🛎️ When booking with The Private Traveller, I’ll ensure you receive the best available perks for your stay at Rosewood London - whether that’s a refined courtyard-facing room or one of the hotel’s signature suites overlooking High Holborn.
Fast Facts for Rosewood London
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Hotel | Rosewood London |
| Address | 252 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EN, United Kingdom |
| Nearest Airport | London Heathrow (LHR) – approx. 45–60 mins by car |
| Rooms & Suites | 308 rooms and suites set within a restored Edwardian Grade II-listed building |
| Dining |
Holborn Dining Room – modern British brasserie with a celebrated Pie Room Scarfes Bar – classic cocktails with live jazz and illustrated interiors |
| Wellness | Sense Spa with treatment rooms, sauna, steam room, and fitness studio |
| Setting | Grand Edwardian townhouse moments from Covent Garden and the British Museum |
| @rosewoodlondon | |
| Website | rosewoodhotels.com/en/london |
| Visited | January 2026 |
Hotel Accommodation: Rooms & Suites at Rosewood London
From well-appointed entry categories to genuinely special signature suites
With 308 rooms and suites overall, there’s a big choice across the entry and mid-tier categories, including Deluxe, Executive, Grand Premier and Grand Executive rooms. You then move into the suites, with options such as Superior, Deluxe, Premier and Grand Deluxe, before stepping up to the ultra-exclusive Signature Suites at the top end.
Most rooms and suites can also be configured in multi-bedroom combinations, which is ideal for families or longer stays, and several of the speciality suites can even be taken as exclusive private wings - a nice touch if you’re looking for extra space and privacy while still being right in the heart of London.
Room and Suite Types
Whenever I visit a hotel for work or leisure, I always like to check out as much of the property as possible, including seeing different room and suite types, so that I can best advise clients.
I was lucky enough to see both the Pearl Suite, Holborn House, and Garden House on the top (7th) floor which has its own private garden terrace. It‘s hard to choose with so many options, and different categories include different benefits like complementary breakfast, or soft drinks and snacks from your private bar. If you’re in any doubt which to book, that’s where an advisor that has actually stayed there can help.
“A private world of elegance and modern refinement that captures London’s eclecticism”
Pro Tip: Choosing Your Room
The right room makes all the difference
🛎️ When booking with The Private Traveller, I’ll help match you to the perfect wing for your stay—along with VIP perks, upgrades, and bespoke guidance throughout.
Facilities & Service at Rosewood London
Well thought-out, even without a pool
Although there’s no swimming pool here (unlike at the newer Rosewood), there is the Rosewood Sense Spa on the lower ground floor, which I’ll come on to later, and it’s a genuinely good space to retreat to after a busy day in the city. There’s a strong choice of dining options on site (again, more on those below) along with Scarfes Bar, which works just as well for a quick drink as it does for settling in for the evening. The fitness room is also very well appointed and well maintained, making it easy to keep up routines even on a short stay.
What stood out just as much as the physical facilities, though, was the overall level of service throughout the hotel. It felt polished without being overbearing, with staff present and attentive when you needed them, but never intrusive - exactly what you want from a hotel at this level.
Here’s a closer look at the hotel’s standout facilities and services, along with my personal take on each.
My Room 462
My outward facing room (some face inwards over the central courtyard) had a great view towards The Shard and central London, and so beautifully appointed. Colours were neutral and calming, albeit with a geometric carpet for a bit of pizazz. In one part of the original building there were floors through to level 5, in the other part the levels went up to floor 7, the top.
Levels of Comfort
Beautifully designed as well as perfectly executed, there was a super large and super comfortable bed, and super soft pillows. As much as I love soft pillows, they were maybe too soft and after one night’s sleep we had to ask for extra pillows. This was no problem and there was a choice of other pillow types to order.
Bathroom
With a bath and shower, although not a massive bathroom with pretty much all walls being mirrored (some smoked mirrors so you didn’t necessarily get a 360 degree body view), this was a really decent space and like everything in the entire hotel, perfectly presented and beautifully maintained. Votary is a British luxury skincare brand known for its plant-powered and natural oil-based formulas, and all shower gel, shampoo, conditioner and body lotion were by this brand.
The bathroom felt impeccably clean and very well maintained, which is something I always notice straight away, and it very much matched the overall standard of the hotel. While there was only a single sink, there was a generously sized vanity with plenty of surface space, good lighting, and everything you’d realistically need laid out thoughtfully. There’s no separate WC in this room category, but in practical terms it didn’t detract from the stay - the space worked well, felt polished, and was clearly looked after to a very high standard.
Breakfast
If you have breakfast included with either your room type, within the rate, or as a perk; there is a choice of two restaurants. The Holborn Grill has a number of different menu options, all included, or you can choose to have a £32 allocation per person in the A La Carte breakfast restaurant, the Mirror Room.
With staying there a few days we did a mix and both were excellent.. In the Holborn Dining Room the options included different courses and juices with tea coffee etc., and you could mix and match the menu types (Holborn Continental, Wellness, or Traditional English) for a bespoke breakfast no issue. The Mirror Room was slightly quieter, and you just created your own menu from scratch.
Restaurants & Bars at Rosewood London
Classic London, done properly
Rosewood London has a strong line-up of dining and drinking options on site, each with a very different feel, which makes it easy to mix things up over the course of a stay. From relaxed breakfasts and afternoon tea through to lively evening drinks and more casual dining, everything is conveniently right there in the hotel - ideal if you’re in London for work and don’t want to think too hard about where to go, but still want quality and a bit of atmosphere without leaving the building.
Mirror Room
Off the main lobby, during our stay this was only open in the mornings for the a la carte breakfasts, and then later in the day for the Art afternoon teas; not operating in the evenings. I think depending on time of year and occupancy within the hotel, this can also open at times as an additional dining option in the evenings.
Art Afternoon Tea
Inspired by Charles Dickens, while still a traditional afternoon tea, they put a different spin on this with varying themes by differing artists.
Holborn Dining Room (The Gin Bar and adjacent Pie Shop)
The main all day dining restaurant right at the front of the hotel on Holborn itself, this was an excellent venue day or night. There’s a massive gin bar as well as extensive seating choices, and whether breakfast or dinner during our stay, food was excellent as was service.
There is an adjacent Pie Shop, where you can see pies being made by hand, and these do get sold through a window onto the street, as well as being served on the menu. I had a delicious vegetarian Cauliflower pie, with super smooth and creamy mashed potatoes as a side, followed by a very delicious by totally unnecessary sticky toffee pudding and vanilla ice cream; with a Tarquin’s HDR Edition Gin, or two, to accompany.
Scarfes Bar
Full of drawings and caricature sketches by the famous Gerald Scarfe, this is a really welcoming space for the evenings with in-house guests given priority over entry. Non residents are not allowed to book, but guests are, and when we were there a queue usually formed outside. Primarily drinks, and live music every evening, but there was also a small selection of bar snacks. There was a huge selection of my favourite spirit, gin, with the extensive menu organised by Citrus, Floral, Harmonious and Juniper Heavy.
Great atmosphere, great food and drinks, wonderful service - all in all a very good experience right on your doorstep when staying in the hotel.
The Chalet
With us visiting over winter, this space (a separate wooden chalet type building, but connected to the hotel) was used like an Alpine dining restaurant with food and cocktails to make you feel you were in a ski resort - think delicious baked camembert, raclette sandwiches, or a cheese fondue to share. During summer months, I think this gets repurposed into a summer venue with usually a different sponsor in terms of drinks brand - at the moment it was Singleton Single Malt Whisky.
Fitness, Spa & Wellness
Sense Spa at Rosewood London
Although I didn’t have time for an actual treatment in the Spa, hotel guests can use the facilities in both the male and female changing rooms, as well as a circular co-ed relaxation lounge in the middle of the spa. There was a good steam room, sauna, a hot and cold experience shower in the male facilities, as well as a decent sized changing area with lockers (all with slippers, towels, and changing robe), toilets, and two showers.
The only negative thing I would say is that with the heat of both the sauna and steam room, with an overly heated floor too, the changing room was exceptionally hot and actually quite uncomfortable with trying to cool down afterwards, from getting showered and changed.
In terms of treatments, there was a full choice of:
Express treatments
Lost Remedies
Sense Journeys
Essential Facial Skin Care
Sense of Body
Sense Massages
Expectant Mothers
Sense of Beginning
Couples Treatments
Fitness - Private Personal Training
Design Architecture and History
An Edwardian grande dame reimagined for modern London
Originally built in 1914 as the headquarters of the Pearl Assurance Company, Rosewood London occupies one of Holborn’s most imposing Edwardian Baroque buildings. The sense of arrival is immediate: a dramatic carriageway entrance leads into the grand courtyard, setting the tone for what is one of central London’s most cinematic hotel arrivals.
The original architecture has been carefully preserved and reinterpreted — soaring ceilings, heritage stonework and period detailing sit alongside contemporary British design, rich textures and a quietly residential feel. Interiors draw on London’s literary and artistic heritage, with subtle references woven into the rooms, corridors and public spaces, creating an atmosphere that feels both stately and lived-in rather than overtly grand.
It’s the kind of hotel that feels properly rooted in the city - unmistakably London in character, but polished enough to appeal to an international set. Classic, confident, and still one of the capital’s most assured luxury addresses.
What about the Holborn London location?
Effortlessly connected, quietly central
It was so easy to get to Rosewood London. From Heathrow, my normal preference would be to take the Heathrow Express to Paddington, or more laterally if the nearest Tube stop is serviced by the new Elizabeth Line it can sometimes be as quick getting the Tube with more stops as direct. For Holborn station, which is literally a minute or two walk from the hotel, The Piccadilly line was direct, taking about 45 minutes. On departure, we were leaving from London City Airport, and again it was easy to get there with the Central Line to Bank, and then on direct to the airport on the DLR.
Being within minutes of the tube station it was so easy to get around in London, but it’s also a very walkable location for Covent Garden too. Uber too is always freely available for London.
Things to Do London
London in between meetings
This trip was built around business meetings, so I didn’t have a huge amount of time to explore London properly — but there was still time to fit in a couple of well-chosen stops:
Mercato Mayfair – you can only pre-book if you’re a group of six or more, and when we visited it was absolutely heaving. It’s still a great spot for casual bites in a beautiful converted church setting, but it’s worth timing your visit or going in with realistic expectations if you’re just dropping in.
Bridge Theatre – Into The Woods – a fantastic evening out in a very modern theatre setting, which feels refreshingly different from London’s more traditional West End venues. The space itself adds to the experience, especially if you’re used to the classic, ornate theatre interiors.
If you’re planning a London stay, I also share a tailored London guide with clients, covering everything from standout restaurants and bars to spas, experiences and easy-to-book activities.
Highlights of my stay
There were so many highlights of the stay at the but here are just a few of the key points, which I hope you find a useful summary.
Location - just a short walk from/to Holborn Tube Station, or a slightly longer walk to Covent Garden.
Wow reception - loved the combination of the modernity with the traditional building. The glass corridor addition connected Scarfe’s Bar at one end to the Mirror Restaurant
Scarfe’s Bar - priority for in-house guests and a great atmosphere for evening drinks, and even some food.
Bowls of Celebrations candies on every floor - so tempting, but a really nice touch
Choice of breakfast locations - we enjoyed both the Holborn Dining Room and the Mirror Restaurant - so different, but so hard to choose a favourite.
Sense Spa - while I didn’t have a treatment, this time, really good to have the on site sauna, steam room, and relaxation lounge.
Excellent fitness room - so well appointed and very well maintained.
Such a great room - relaxing, comfortable, and a really good balance of traditional with high-tech.
Areas for improvement
While I always prefer to focus on the highlights of any stay, there are occasionally small moments that could have made the overall experience feel even smoother.
I wish I could have stayed longer!
The only real negative I would mention was the extreme heat in the men’s changing room at the spa - a small comfort issue, but noticeable.
Would I Stay Here Again?
Yes, I would definitely stay again and would highly recommend this to clients. Service and facilities were great, and a fantastic selection of dining and bar options.
My final thoughts on Rosewood London
I always love visiting London hotels - trying out new options as well as returning to old favourites. With this having been somewhere I had planned to visit for a while, I’m so pleased I’ve now been, but am also now looking forward to comparing with the Rosewood Chancery, my next stay soon. On that trip, I’m also revisiting The Savoy, another classic favourite. WIth work having been done there since our visit, I’m also looking forward to revisiting to check out the changes.
✨ If Rosewood London is on your shortlist, this is one of those hotels where booking with a travel advisor genuinely adds value. As touched on earlier in this review, the benefit isn’t about paying more — it’s about better recognition, a smoother experience on arrival, and added value built into the stay. Booking Rosewood London with The Private Traveller gives you access to preferred partner benefits through Rosewood Elite, alongside tailored advice on room selection, the best wings to request, and how to get the most out of the hotel based on how you travel.
Share Your Thoughts
Have you stayed at Rosewood London, or is it on your London hotel wishlist? I’d love to hear your thoughts - drop a comment below and let me know your impressions, or where you’d like me to review next. And if this has sparked ideas for your own London stay, I’d be happy to help you plan it, with preferred partner benefits when you book through @theprivatetraveller and Fora Travel.
A long-awaited stay at Rosewood London in January 2026, exploring the hotel’s Edwardian heritage, standout arrival experience, dining at Holborn Dining Room and Scarfes Bar, Sense Spa, and its brilliantly connected Holborn location.