Taking inspiration from the loud-and-proud exuberance of London’s West End, there’s no holding back at Broadwick Soho. It’s an independent hotel to its core – you won’t find interiors like this anywhere else, and service is like clockwork. From the moment you walk through that big pink townhouse door, and step into a lobby of pink pastels and perfectly place furnishings, like something from an elaborate doll’s house, you can sense you’re about to experience something special. And trust us – you are.
What are the rooms like at Broadwick Soho?
Rooms range from ‘Standard’ to ‘Deluxe’ with not a whole load setting them apart besides the square footage. The cheapest deal you’ll find is £450 a night. Every inch is highly decorative – I arrive at my fairytale-worthy bedroom with a childlike wonder. Bedside lamps shed a warm glow over the colourful space; pinks, blues, and greens make up the palette, and a floral rug and muralled wardrobe add to the enchantment of it all. Everything is in-theme, right down to the telly, surrounded by a gilded frame – ideal for watching the many, many free new releases it’s got. Things turn starkly kitsch in the bathroom, adorned with blue leopard print wallpaper, a white marble sink and crystal light fixtures, as well as very nice Ortigia toiletries. If you’re visiting with kids, the hotel can provide baby beds, highchairs, nappy bins, bottle warmers and other useful things, and there’s an on-site babysitting service available on request too.
What is the food like at Broadwick Soho?
Whether you’re dining in-house or heading out for a BNOIS (a Big Night Out in Soho), your first port of call for the evening should be The Nook. The residents-only lounge combines edgy Jazz Age vibes and vintage Italian opulence to create the aura of a darkly seductive members’ club. Be drawn in by the warmth of the fireplace, and settle in to the sound of spinning vinyl, provided by the neighbouring record store.
After a few cocktails at the Nook, it’s time to descend into the Broadwick’s subterranean restaurant Dear Jackie for dinner, which is very much both an extension of the playful hotel and a sought-after hangout in its own right. Unlike the rest of the hotel’s more townhousey feel, the vibe at Dear Jackie swings firmly into date night territory, with dim lighting, deep crimson tones, loud jazz and booths decked out with kitsch florals. The food is Italian, but Italian on steroids, serving up scallops with champagne sauce and fish roe, beef fillet with gorgonzola, silky seabass crudo and a crab-stuffed seafood risotto.
After that, you can whizz your way up to rooftop bar Flute for the final (and most boujee) portion of the night. This is probably the most flamboyant room of all, featuring a gold leaf ceiling, glowing onyx-topped 360-degree bar and leapord print furniture. It’s made for intimate evenings with closed-off, cocoon-style seating areas that are oh-so plush, and a craft cocktail menu that’s ever-changing (with a few staple classics).
Breakfast is served in their Italian-café-style haunt, with casual counter seating and a menu of brioche French toast, buttermilk pancakes and the humble full English. Everything, right down to the toast and preserves, is presented beautifully, and the tea is served alongside a matching teapot, which is a simple pleasure of mine.
What’s the service like at Broadwick Soho?
These guys earn their stripes with every guest experience, creating serious trust between guests and staff. You feel as if the team here are consistently one step ahead of you – you’ll never have to ask for menu recommendations, or catch someone’s attention when the time comes to order or pay, or take your own drink from the lounge to the restaurant when your booking time rolls around. They’re on top of it. So all you need to do is sit back, relax, and let the well-oiled machine do its thing. This is something that Broadwick does really well; you’ll find by the end of your stay that you didn’t really have to think once. In fact, there quite literally seems to be a mind-reading staff member around every corner ready to help with the query you hadn’t even thought of yet. It adds to the spellbinding experience of the whole thing, actually.
What are the pools and facilities like at Broadwick Soho?
Okay, there’s one thing we need to get into here – there’s no pool, no spa and no gym at Broadwick Soho, which means there’s little else to do but eat and drink. But hey, you’re in the Big L, what else were you planning to do? (If you are desperate to hit that cross trainer, just ask the staff, who can set you up with a local gym on the house).
What’s the area like around Broadwick Soho?
A district that needs no introduction: Soho is London’s beating heart, where you’ll find the city in its most wild, authentic form. Relentlessly lively and unapologetically fast-paced, you can go shopping on Oxford Street, see world-class performances in the West End, tuck into Chinatown eats and finish your night out at Ronnie Scott’s. It’s also a breeze to get around the rest of the city, with many, many bus routes passing through and key tube stations on your doorstep.
Why you should book a stay at Broadwick Soho
This is what you get when you combine the energy of the Jazz Age with English eccentricity and a dash of disco. World-renowned interior designer Martin Brudnizki has succeeded in hypnotising everyone who enters this townhouse-inspired dwelling, but you won’t understand the real magic it possesses until you experience it first-hand. It’s a place where any shadow of London’s stress and nastiness is left firmly at the door. For the full experience, check out the ‘What’s On’ section of Broadwick Soho’s website for info on their DJ sets, live music roster and the collabs they often do with local restaurants and boutique shops to highlight all the best bits of Soho.
DETAILS
Address: Broadwick Soho Hotel, 20 Broadwick Street, London W1F 8TH
Price: From around £455 a night
Closest transport: Tottenham Court Road tube station
Book now: Via Booking.com