Strand Palace Hotel London Review: 'A Slick, Stylish Machine'

And the first thing to say about Strand Palace is that it could not be better located, sat as it is a short walk from myriad London landmarks such as Trafalgar and Leicester Squares, Buckingham Palace and countless theatres. 

But Strand Palace offers much more than a convenient place to drop your bags before heading out for a night on the town. This is a slick, stylish, well-oiled machine of a hotel.

And this is crucial for a good experience when you are staying in the epicentre of one of the busiest cities in the world.

Once my wife and I had stepped into the hotel and away from the hustle and bustle outside, it was an efficient operation to get us checked into our room, a deluxe king that overlooked the Strand. 

An example of a deluxe king room at Strand Palace (Image: Strand Palace Hotel)

A quick look out of the window and we were very much aware that we were still in the heart of central London.

But pull the curtain and take a moment to relax on the comfortable bed and the stress of navigating the busy streets down below soon vanishes.

This relaxation process is also helped by the complimentary mini bar. 

Where to eat

Strand Palace is home to two restaurants – Joe Allen, which is aimed at pre and post theatregoers, and Haxells Restaurant and Bar, which is where we dined in the evening.

There is also a Gin Palace which offers more than 50 types of gin, as well as an extensive cocktail menu.

Haxells is located just beyond the foyer on the ground floor and has a relaxed atmosphere, with chilled house music playing in the background and a mixture of tables, booths and banquettes. We felt sufficiently secluded tucked away in our own booth.

Haxells Restaurant and Bar (Image: Strand Palace)

The waiting staff were attentive and happy to help. You didn’t get the feeling that they were rushed off their feet, which added to the laid-back feel of the place. 

The menu continues the relaxed vibe, with sandwiches, burgers and steaks, as well as small plates and sharers to choose from.

To start we enjoyed the Caesar salad with fried anchovies and added chicken, and the smoked salmon, which came with horseradish crème fraiche and roasted beetroot.

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And for the main we had French trimmed lamb cutlets and an 8oz ribeye steak, which both came with fries, followed by lemon tart and apple tart tatin.

One thing I can say with absolute certainty is you will not leave this restaurant hungry, as the portion sizes were very generous.

But it certainly wasn’t quantity over quality, as you could tell the food was made using fresh ingredients. That was certainly the case with the highlight of the meal, the tarte tatin, which was bursting with flavour.   

French trimmed lamb cutlets at Haxells Restaurant and Bar (Image: Simon Murfitt, Newsquest)

After a lazy lie in, we were back in the restaurant in the morning for the buffet breakfast, which is a much busier, but equally efficient affair.

And there was no hanging around waiting in the foyer before leaving, as the hotel offers express check out.

We could head off back into the London hustle and bustle, both well-fed and well-rested.