Join more than 165,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with the latest financial news, insights and expert analysis to help you understand what really matters when it comes to your finances.
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Want to add more newsletters?
An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Review: Middle Eight hits all the right notes for a luxury stay in London
Middle Eight is a 5-star luxury hotel whose musical heritage makes it a welcome addition to London’s lively Covent Garden area
You’d almost miss Middle Eight amid the hustle and bustle of Covent Garden, whether you’re visiting the famous Christmas lights at The Piazza or catching a matinee in the West End.
This luxury hotel is located on Great Queen Street, just a stone’s throw from the Royal Opera House. It’s within easy walking distance of the British Museum, Soho’s artisan boutiques and art galleries, and Chinatown’s culinary delights. The site is built upon the foundations of the Kingsway Hall, a revered recording venue for the London Symphony Orchestra and Philharmonic Orchestra. Prior to that, it was a Methodist Church.
With a history that rich, it’s only fitting that the hotel pays a rather luxurious homage to its former resident — ‘middle eight’ refers to the part of a song that contrasts with the verses and choruses. Inside the restored building, the design takes it up a notch, playing to all senses. Olive-oak walls stretch through the public spaces with metallic sycamore leaves, gold and copper touches add warmth to the marble finish, and the ambient lighting gives an opulent feel.
Try 6 free issues of MoneyWeek today
Get unparalleled financial insight, analysis and expert opinion you can profit from.
Sign up for MoneyWeek’s free twice-daily newsletter.
Join more than 165,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with latest financial news, insights and expert analysis to help you understand what really matters when it comes to your finances.
Join more than 165,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with latest financial news, insights and expert analysis to help you understand what really matters when it comes to your finances.
The hotel has 180 rooms spread across five categories, but it’s the suites where the narrative truly stands out. Each of the 12 signature suites are named after songs with a famous middle eight. Mine was called ‘Changes’, honouring British legend and the late David Bowie’s famous song with the same title, from his 1971 album Hunky Dory. Changes was the last song Bowie performed on stage before passing away in 2016. Coincidentally, it was originally recorded not far from the hotel, at Trident Studios.
The space consists of four main living areas: the bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and lounge. The suite has a stylish library wall with a great selection of books, some on the legacy of Ziggy Stardust, another by David Byrne of Talking Heads, and modern art and fashion guides.
The suites come with a free-standing over-sized bath
(Image credit: Middle Eight)
The suite has a skylit bar that lights up the kitchen space, an eye-catching living moss wall with customisable lighting, an electric pebble fireplace, and a freestanding marble bathtub where you can relax and soak in the entire experience. Add to that a handcrafted cocktail from the kit in your private bar. It’s elaborate, yet relaxed.
You can mix your own drinks in your private minibar
(Image credit: Middle Eight, Hotels.com)
Come evening, you’ll find a host of dining and entertainment options. Don’t miss Sycamore Vino Cucina, where executive chef Paul Robinson serves Italian-inspired dishes that pack a punch. The tomato bruschetta is colourful and flavoursome, while the crab linguine with black ink squid and Devonshire crab is a standout. It’s a menu that suits all palates.
Guests can indulge in a decadent and traditional afternoon tea at The Balcony
(Image credit: Middle Eight)
Alternatively, guests can choose to dine upstairs at The Balcony for a leisurely lunch, perhaps even paired with cocktails. There’s also the QT Bar, a New York speakeasy-style basement bar with live jazz and cabaret performances, perfect for late-night adventures. The space hosts cinema screenings, fashion shows and private events.
London’s wide range of luxury hotels fills up the streets, but what sets Middle Eight apart is both its proximity and provisions. For first-timers in the capital, it can be an excellent base to visit landmarks like the London Eye and St. Paul’s Cathedral, or shop on the high street. Frequent visitors who want to relax in a single space will find the hotel’s many dining and entertainment options keep them busy. Either way, it strikes the right chord.
Oojal was a guest of Middle Eight in Covent Garden, London. Rates start at £224 per night. For more information, visit uk.hotels.com.
Sign up for MoneyWeek's newsletters
Join more than 165,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with the latest financial news, insights and expert analysis to help you understand what really matters when it comes to your finances.
Oojal has a background in consumer journalism and is interested in helping people make the most of their money.
Oojal has an MA in international journalism from Cardiff University, and before joining MoneyWeek, she worked for Look After My Bills, a personal finance website, where she covered guides on household bills and money-saving deals.
Her bylines can be found on Newsquest, Voice.Cymru, DIVA and Sony Music, and she has explored subjects ranging from politics and LGBTQIA+ issues to food and entertainment.
Outside of work, Oojal enjoys travelling, going to the movies and learning Spanish with a little green owl.
