Covent Garden Staycation at The Nadler:
(invited press review)Suddenly the future has arrived! Folding phones and self-driving cars are everywhere (nearly) so how will the hotel sector respond to this brave new world?
I’ve been invited to review The Nadler, Covent Garden, a brand new urban boutique hotel that sits on the corner of Bedford Street and the Strand, to try and find out. I’m also reviewing Tartuffe at the National Theatre on the same night providing me with the perfect excuse to stay in the West End. The Covent Garden property is the fifth boutique property in the Nadler Hotels group and is close to both Charing Cross and Covent Garden stations – and most importantly for me just a five-minute stroll over the river to the South Bank.
The Nadler Covent Garden is housed in a newly restored Edwardian building and has 57 bedrooms over six floors (there is a lift!) with many having a balcony or a private terrace. How chic! When I arrived mid-afternoon I was met by some very friendly staff who made checking in a breeze. If you’re not familiar with the area they act as ‘Local Ambassadors’ providing information and suggestions about where to eat and shops and nightlife in the area. The hotel has also set up a host of special offers at nearby Covent Garden restaurants.
The bedrooms at The Nadler Covent Garden are decked out in elegant grey and white tones with bespoke furnishings hand-made in West London and coloured accents from natural fibre cushions from the Isle of Bute. They have that freshness that only a brand new place has. My room overlooked the Strand and I was a bit concerned about the noise. However, with triple glazing, there was no disturbance whatsoever. The rooms have everything you might need for an urban staycation. I loved the Paul Smith designed table lamp and there was also a flat screen TV, hairdryer and an iron and ironing board. The pocket-sprung bed was big and very comfy and had power and USB sockets on both sides. 
The bathroom was very high-quality with flecked grey marble walls and stainless steel fittings. The rainfall shower was one of the most powerful I have experienced with plenty of hot water available – perfect after a long hard night at the theatre – and with a double sink, there’s no reason for couples to bicker over who is going to clean their teeth first. Toiletries are by Bee Kind, an offshoot of Gilchrist & Soames, so you can feel virtuous about the environment as well as smelling good.
The Nadler Covent Garden has no on-site catering but as well as the special offers at nearby restaurants each room has a rather nifty mini-kitchen with a microwave, fridge, sink with BRITA filter water tap, kettle, Fairtrade teas, and Nespresso coffee machine with free capsules. They also promote the idea that you can use internet based food delivery services such as Deliveroo. I had never ordered food online before so post-theatre I decided to test this out. I ordered a pizza from Princi in Soho’s Wardour St through the app and within 20 minutes there was a knock on my hotel door and one of the staff was standing there with my piping hot pizza. Perfect!
I really can’t fault The Nadler, Covent Garden. It provides everything you might need for an urban staycation in an amazing location with rooms that are comfortably stylish, and I loved the idea of ordering food in when it suited me from my favourite West End restaurants. If you need to stay in the West End of London for work or pleasure it makes a great option.
51 Bedford Street,
London, WC2R 0PZ
Disclosure: I was a guest of The Nadler, Covent Garden but all content is editorially given.
For alternative hotels, albeit in Kensington so not quite so centrally located, we also recommend The Ampersand Hotel which is close to the Kensington Museums and Hotel Indigo which has the benefit of a Theo Randall Restaurant on site. Victory House in Leicester Square is a similar offering which opened a year or so ago now.
I think this must be the way hotels need to move – losing the 19th century opulence that many city centre hotels try to cling to yet still providing the level of comfort and service that city visitors expect.