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The buzzword on the lips of every tourist is ‘boutique’ and the hippest city in the world is London – put the two together and you have the Rathbone, one of the West End’s best boutique hotels. When you come to London, you’ll be looking for a hotel that ticks all your boxes – great value, comfort, a city centre location, friendly, knowledgeable staff and all the amenities and facilities that complement your stay. You can find it all – and much more – at the Rathbone.
Your Choice of Boutique Hotels in the West End
In every major city you will find a choice of places to stay – from hostels to serviced apartments and luxury hotels – and London is no different. There’s a host of boutique hotels in the West End for you to choose from but the Rathbone is most definitely a box-ticker.
We’re one of the most popular hotels in Fitzrovia and we always put our guests first. Each room has been beautifully decorated in a contemporary, easy-going style suitable for couples, families and business travellers alike and the key to a relaxed, comfortable stay with us is the combination of exceptional value for money, great customer service and a real home-from-home feel.
Telling you that we are one of the best West End boutique hotels is all well and good but you don’t just have to take our word for it, we were awarded a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor and our aim is to exceed the expectations of our guests. We offer a great range of benefits to make your stay as comfortable as possible:
- Amenities and facilities expected at the best hotels in London
- Free continental breakfast every morning you’re with us
- Spacious, welcoming and beautifully-decorated rooms
- Free wi-fi if you book your stay direct through our website
- Discounts at a host of local health clubs, spas and restaurants
The Rathbone – In the Heart of London
London is a hugely vibrant, exciting, non-stop city, but there are small corners that offer respite, calm and tranquillity – the Rathbone is perfectly located right in the heart of the action, yet tucked away in one of those corners of calm. One of the most popular West End boutique hotels, we’re located on and Rathbone Street, directly alongside Charlotte Street and Charlotte Place – which have often been described as ‘the calm before the storm’.
Step out of the Rathbone and you’ll find a whole range of boutique restaurants, shops, cafés and bars. We’re one of the closest hotels to Tottenham Court Road and one of the top rated Oxford Street hotels. Walk five minutes into the West End and the city is transformed into a bustling metropolis of excitement, world-renowned sights and sounds, museums by the dozen, tours of the city and the best shopping you’ll find anywhere.
Is London the World’s Greatest City?
Of course it is, or at least we think so. Walk down any street in the West End and you’ll hear accents from every part of the world and there is something to do for everyone. You can see the world-famous tourist sights of St Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace and HMS Belfast as well as an astonishing collection of museums and galleries, many of which are free and attractions like the London Dungeon, London Zoo and the Royal Observatory in Greenwich.
Shopping in London is also a major reason why so many people come here. Oxford Street is Europe’s busiest shopping street and for those with deeper pockets, you can find haute couture on Bond Street and South Moulton Street. Around Soho, Covent Garden and Seven Dials you’ll find more independent boutiques, shops, artisan food emporia and quirky out-the-way places that makes London unique.
When you stay at the Rathbone, you’re just minutes’ away from the action. You’ll find the bright lights of the West End a very short walk away but after your days and nights out enjoying all London has to offer, you can always come back to the quiet and tranquillity of the Rathbone – one of the best boutique hotels in the West End.
Modern London – A Short History
London has a rich, fascinating and often dark history that stretches back two millennia and more. After the Romans departed around 400AD, the city was left to ruin but it was essentially ‘reformed’ by Alfred the Great around 890AD. Over the centuries, the city slowly grew into the cultural, economic, scientific, medical and creative centre it is today.
The city has also withstood great sadness. The plague killed 100,000 and the Great Fire of London – which raged at 1,700° – destroyed over 13,000 homes and 80 churches in the medieval wooden city. However, like all great civilisations, London wasn’t down for long.
The British Empire at its height in the 19th century covered half a billion people over a quarter of the globe and at the start of the 20th century, the population of London was close to seven million. It was also a city of opposites. Between 1800 and 1900, wealth was present but there was also extreme poverty. There was large-scale immigration with swathes of Irish, Jewish, Chinese and South Asian populations settling in London and with so little space and so many people, unemployment and crime was rife.
A London-centric government was set up to tackle the issues of the city such as slum clearance, sanitation, transport and infrastructure and the first version of an organised police force was created by Sir Robert Peel which became the Metropolitan Police. Crime rates fell and the introduction of the tube system opened up previously unattainable parts of London, including the outer suburbs which were undergoing mass development.
The first and second world wars took their toll on London but in true bulldog spirit, the city rose again. Into the 1950s and the multi-cultural, ethnically-diverse city we know today started to grow and flourish. London became a creative hub for the arts, theatre and especially music and as New Romantics followed punks followed teddy boys, the city was an exciting place to be.
The Thatcher years will be remembered as both good and bad depending on which side of the political fence you fall on and the 1980s saw sales of Filofaxes, red Porsches and similarly gaudy braces skyrocket.
The 90s and into the modern day witnessed changes in government and recession but throughout all the ups and downs, London remains a welcoming, world-class city that people love to come to.
The Rathbone – Your Ideal West End Boutique Hotel
When you’re looking for a hotel in London, you have lots of places to choose from but we think the Rathbone is a real box-ticker – see for yourself:
- First-class customer service
- Comprehensive choice of amenities and facilities
- 72 air-cooled, stunningly decorated rooms
- Plenty of space to work, sleep and relax
- An excellent room service and bar menu
- Continental or English breakfast
- 24h reception to help you with everything you’ll need
We’re one of the most popular 4 star hotels in London and if you’re searching for a great place to stay, look no further – you’ve found the Rathbone!