Hidden behind a historic 19th-century facade on Ludgate Hill is a quirky Hilton Collection property that debuted in an enviable corner of the center London last summer. Called Lost Property St. Paul’s London, this hotel has garnered much attention due to its proximity to the magnificent cathedral just 100 meters away.
For a good reason, the location is one of the main selling points of this hotel in a The city has no shortage of accommodation. Lost assets also worked in other ways — and, during my stay in November, showed a little room for improvement.
If you’re considering staying at one of Hilton’s newest London properties, here are a few things you need to know.
Sensational location
As guests walk through the front door, they can look directly out at Sir Cristopher Wren’s neoclassical and baroque masterpiece, the Church of St. Paul. The iconic church, with its towering 366-foot lead-lined dome, has earned the hotel part of its moniker.
Guests will be delighted to find the hotel just a few minutes’ walk from the Millennium Bridge, which leads across the River Thames to London’s Bankside district (home to the Tate Modern and Shakespeare’s Globe).
For access to other parts of London, the hotel is within easy reach of Blackfriars and St. Paul’s five-minute walk. It is located right near City Thameslink Station.
Cozy room
London isn’t exactly known for palatial hotel rooms, but my 215-square-foot living room felt cramped nonetheless.
I remember myself (frequently) tripping over my stuff when taking my suitcase out of the closet. I suspect the hotel could have done it without a small seating area at the foot of the bed, consisting of a table, marble printed chairs and a couch. With the minibar tucked into a corner, I felt like there was too much stuff for such a small space — and I couldn’t imagine sharing a room with anyone else.
The white marble bathroom, fully stocked with Penhaligon’s London toiletries, is bright and modern but lacks storage space. In fact, I left my amenity kit on an empty shelf, unsettlingly, right above the toilet.
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The entry-level queen suites are even… cozier… at 193 square feet. These rooms seem to save space when there is no seating area but still look especially difficult to move without having to hold your breath and raise your arms above your head.
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MELANIE LIEBERMAN/THE POINT
Expect eclectic design
Inspired by the idea of things being lost, found and possibly lost again, the hotel presents an eclectic combination of contemporary artwork and distinctive details intended to evoke strange discovery. Colorful Murano glass pendants hang throughout public spaces, an illustration of a dodo bird hangs in the lobby, and the tiled floor outside the elevator reads “To be found, first get lost.” .”
The effect is a sort of dreamy, sometimes disorienting blend of distinctly British flourishing. (Rooms feature red or blue accents and a portrait of Winston Churchill presiding over the reception desk.) There are also more iconic, themed accents.
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MELANIE LIEBERMAN/THE POINT
Food and drinks are great…
After arriving in London, I met a colleague at the Found, the hotel’s main restaurant and bar, for a quick drink and snack. I ordered the ratatouille gratin ($23), which came in a cast-iron casserole with a side of mashed potatoes with wild garlic. Our drinks, when they arrived, were also elegant and flavorful. I opted for a classic gin cocktail, signed and, garnished with orange peel.
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MELANIE LIEBERMAN/THE POINT
…but the service is slow
We waited a long time for our cocktails to arrive and even had to keep an eye on the waiter, which I’ve always been afraid to do. The bar was extremely quiet – in fact, during my stay, the bar and restaurant were always empty, except for the busy breakfast hours.
Fortunately, service improved during the stay, so there was most likely a communication problem or some other problem that first evening.
For dinner on Monday night, I enjoyed a traditional beetroot salad with candied walnuts, pine nuts, and a large portion of chevre ($13). I also had a small soup with cod, mussels and shrimp ($32), which looked and tasted good, save for a strange buttery white bread that was placed next to the dish as a side dish.
Any service issues are also eliminated in the breakfast buffet, which is served beneath a glass chandelier depicting endangered birds. The buffet includes several items on request, such as vegan sausage, oat porridge, hard-boiled eggs and gluten-free bread.
Service is also quick and friendly at Tattler, the hotel’s front-of-house cafe, which serves drinks along with some snacks for lunch and breakfast (like tomato and cheese croissants). It also offers some takeaway items like smoothies and yogurt cups.
That’s stealing
In a city with the best hotel rates on Earth, Lost Property St. Paul’s London stands out as an absolute bargain. My two-night stay in November cost an average of £284 ($354) per night, and prices started from £202 (about $250).
Best of all, travelers can use Hilton Honors points to offset the cost of their stay. The standard room bonus here is available from 70,000 points per night, making it one of the city’s more affordable Curio Collection properties.
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MELANIE LIEBERMAN/THE POINT
alternative attribute
If Property Lost St. Paul’s isn’t right for your next trip to London, Hilton has dozens of hotels in the city to choose from. The Waldorf Hilton in Covent Garden (about a 20-minute walk or quick metro ride from Lost Property) is an honorable mention.
For visitors who want to stay close to the Church of St. Paul, the Hyatt Regency London Blackfriars recently opened in the vicinity. Of course, there’s no shortage of hotels to choose from In London — especially if you’re flexible with the brand, neighborhood, price range and size you really need during your visit.
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