Last Updated on October 16, 2023
Luxury hotel hits all the right notes
Situated on the edge of Covent Garden, Middle Eight is a luxurious 5-star hotel with a musical heritage. Middle Eight is a musical term and references a former building on this site, the famous classical recording venue Kingsway Hall. Not many hotels have their own in-house club but fittingly Middle Eight hosts a DJ as well as thrice a week concert nights at its subterranean QT bar. Visit over a weekend and you can experience dinner, bed and breakfast plus a show – a visit that hits all the right notes. The hotel is wonderfully situated for tourists or staycationers. A few minutes’ walk in one direction brings one to the John Soames Museum, in another to the Royal Opera House and the heart of Covent Garden. A 10-minute walk down to The Strand enables one to cross over to the Southbank for galleries, theatre, restaurants and riverside walks. It is very close to Holborn underground station so easily accessible on public transport. It makes an excellent stayover for those in town for a show.
As one might expect from a 5-star hotel, Middle Eight exudes luxury and has a contemporary and relaxed ambience enhanced through the use of natural materials – wood, marble and concrete. On entering the spacious double-height lobby, one is met with a magnificent wall panel made from huge pieces of tree root. The stunning wooden décor is continued at the unique check-in desk which is absolutely beautiful. The use of natural materials provides intriguing texture as well as a thematic design throughout this beautiful hotel from the pattern on the carpets, to the ceiling of the large bar area which is hung with 2500 copper maple leaves.
The name of the in-house restaurant, Sycamore Vina Cucina continues the references to wood. Textured surfaces are in evidence wherever one looks from the brushed concrete walls on the staircases which are beautifully paired with gold bannisters and stairwells – to the wallpaper in the corridors. It is tempting to run one’s hands over every surface. The staircases up to the mezzanine and down to the basement QT bar are styled with gold lighting and made me wonder whether they are inspired by the Zeppelin song Stairway to Heaven.
Guests are pampered from the moment of arrival at Middle Eight. Shown to an area with comfy seating below a dramatically decorated, undulating wall embedded with a row of mesmerising pebble fireplaces, we were offered a choice of prosecco, juice or water. Check-in took place as guests sipped their drinks while staff members circulated with iPads. Quite a change from queuing up with one’s luggage at a Reception desk.
Invited to review the hotel overnight, we were delighted to be shown to one of the suites on the first floor. The hotel’s 12 suites are the epitome of luxury some with indoor terraces and all with an indoor wall garden. The suites are each named after a piece of music – ours was Changes – and a bespoke playlist is provided for each. While listening to Bowie I looked about and thought that I would not change a thing. It was all simply fabulous from the freestanding bathtub in a marble-tiled bathroom to the circular wall garden in the kitchen/bar. The only downside of such a beautiful suite was that it engendered dissatisfaction with my own home. Why do my kitchen, bedroom and bathroom not resemble this set of rooms? I guess that is the beauty of hotels which are, after all, a space in which to visit a fantasy world.
The bedroom was filled with an enormous bed which was wonderfully comfortable with copious pillows and gorgeous linen. It had a modern four-poster bed frame which added detail to the room. A large wall hung TV, interesting lighting and thoughtful bedside reading added personal touches. The lighting panels were almost too sophisticated for me but enabled guests to arrange the lighting of the rooms in a seemingly endless range of options. The bathroom was open plan to the bedroom but had a sliding panel for those who might prefer to separate the rooms. Twin basins, a rainfall shower, gorgeous products by Anatomē, stylish taps and fixtures all made for an inviting experience and I lost no time running a hot bath and soaking up the luxurious atmosphere. Afterwards, I relaxed in the most snuggly bathrobe I have ever encountered in a hotel – so wonderful that I asked at Reception if they sold them. Sadly, they do not.
The kitchen/bar area was very stylish in dark wood with gold trim and an accent wall housing a huge round wall garden which brought the outside in. A large flat-roofed skylight let in oodles of sunshine and when night fell, there was an option of lighting that changed colour. The complimentary minibar was stocked with still and sparkling water, a craft beer, a bottle of rosé, soft drinks and fresh milk. There were also refillable bottles of purified tap water which guests are invited to use. It is a collaboration with Join The Pipe, the bottles are made from sugarcane and BPA free plastic which is committed to reducing plastic waste and providing access to safe drinking water around the world. On the countertop was a tiny cloche with fresh pastries and a Nespresso machine.
Good quality tea from Tea Palace was all I needed to make my afternoon complete as I sat in the TV area which is open plan to the kitchen and houses another large flatscreen. An electric pebble fireplace added warmth and ambience it being a very cold day. I sipped my tea from a beautiful Villeroy and Boch cup and saucer which was accompanied by a gold teaspoon. These gold accents are evident throughout the décor from modish lamps to the bathroom taps to the chainmail curtains in the hotel’s bar. They bring a note of stylish elegance and opulence. No detail is too small for a bit of fun – the notepaper for guests’ use is styled as sheet music paper which took me right back to my childhood music theory exams. An entrance area to the suite is lined with bookshelves with an array of relevant books such as Bowie biographies and titles on London, fashion, music, art, food and literature. One would need a week in the suite to even scratch the surface of the books on offer. There is a choice of wooden board games should one feel in need of extra entertainment.
The hours flew by until 7 pm when our complimentary signature cocktails were to be delivered. I had wondered whether they might be made in the room as there was a beautiful mixologist set displayed in the kitchen. As it was a waiter arrived with our drinks on a tray and left them for us on the kitchen island at which were positioned three designer barstools. When the cocktails arrived I was reading Stanley Tucci’s book, Taste, in which he discusses his love of cocktails. I reckon Tucci would be very happy with Middle Eight’s signature cocktail – rhubarb gin, elderflower, grapefruit and prosecco.
Very chilled, we went down to dinner at the ground floor restaurant, Sycamore Vino Cucina, an Italian themed eatery behind the hotel bar which was humming on a Saturday night. The restaurant has an open plan kitchen and marble-topped tables with banquettes and comfy chairs in shades of blue and pops of mustard. The manager, David, took care of us with grace and both he and his staff contributed to making our dinner a special experience. The restaurant’s menu has a range of Italian favourites including a selection of Neapolitan pizzas. The impressive wine list leans towards Italian wines with a selection at all price points. We settled on a 2017 Montepulciano D’abruzzo, Gianni Masciarelli which was smooth, spicy and smoky. We chose from a sizeable range of antipasti and primi dishes and 6 secondi, with a good choice throughout for vegetarians and pescatarians. We began with granchio cannelloni and pappardelle al ragu. The fresh pasta was al dente, the sauces flavoursome and the portions suitably sized. The cannelloni was filled with crab, ricotta and courgette which was excellent and certainly a dish to return for.
Tagliata di Manzo pleased my meat-eating husband who enjoyed his steak that was beautifully medium rare and well seasoned, served as is traditional with rocket, balsamic and Parmesan shavings. I enjoyed a dish of Cacciucco which is a Tuscan seafood stew. It had a base of sweet, jammy tomato sauce on top of which perched fillets of white fish, and a handful each of mussel, clam and prawns. We were in no need of dessert after this hearty meal yet selected a tiramisu which came with a crispy coconut tuile and a ricotta and pistachio cheesecake with a scoop of cappuccino ice cream perched on a coffee ganache which was a sweet crumb. This was a pretty slice, with a subtle lemon flavour with the pistachio cream artfully piped on top.
Being a woman of a certain age, a post-prandial cup of chamomile and my book would have been the perfect nightcap, but more is in store for those staying at Middle Eight on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night. The basement QT bar hosts The Green Room, a show fronted by Leo Green, a charismatic saxophonist who once played with Van Morrison. The set, with three vocalists and a backing quartet, was high octane and the young audience were on their feet dancing and singing along with delight. QT has a small menu and an impressive set of cocktails and drinks and is clearly a very popular venue for a great night out. For those staying at Middle Eight, there is so much to do at the hotel that there is no need to leave after check-in and we did not. In addition to the bar and lounge area, there is also The Balcony, a bookshelf lined mezzanine area where guests can enjoy a traditional afternoon tea or sit quietly to read or work.
Breakfast is served in the Sycamore or can be ordered from room service. Guests can choose between a countertop buffet including a set of pastries, granola, bircher muesli and fruit or order from a list of egg-based options. The pastries and granola are homemade. I tasted a crispy croissant which was very good. The granola looked lovely topped with fruit. I selected eggs, Benedict, with smoked salmon served on a slice of focaccia which was a nice Italian touch. At breakfast, I noticed a couple of guests dressed in sports gear and assumed they had already made use of the gym facilities offered in the basement fitness suite.
After breakfast, I had an opportunity to have a look at some of the other rooms options at Middle Eight. The colour scheme of turquoise and a silvery gold runs throughout – in one room the turquoise surprises as the colour of the stylish basin, in another, it is used on an accent wall or the ceiling. The fabrics on the chairs and sofas are fabulous, the designer’s hand is noticeable in the smallest details. There are accessible rooms as well as those with desks for guests who need to work while staying at Middle Eight. The suites are very popular for special occasions – proposals and celebrations – and the hotel offers a bespoke decorating service if required.
A hotel may be beautifully styled but it is the staff who make it feel like a welcoming and relaxed place to stay. At Middle Eight, the elegantly dressed front of house staff could not be more welcoming and eager to help with questions. They are very well trained, and have a perfect balance of being polite and friendly, always on hand to help but not intrusive.
Middle Eight is a sophisticated, luxurious yet accessible hotel in the heart of London. It is perfectly placed for visitors to the city who wish to be centrally situated for musicals, opera, theatre, restaurants and sight-seeing. It has everything a guest could need from the staff to the facilities. On weekends guests can dance the night away with in-house entertainment or relax in one of several lounge areas which are all plush and inviting. I left reluctantly but with a spring in my step, humming the chorus to Bowie’s Changes.
Middle Eight Hotel
66 Great Queen Street
Covent Garden
London WC2B 5BX
