The first thing we noticed when entering our ample deluxe room at Page8 Hotel – which sits in St Martin’s Lane overlooking Leicester Square and the National Portrait Gallery – was how calm and serene it felt in contrast to the hustle and bustle of the streets below.

In fact, the moment we stepped through the main entrance, greeted by the smell of fresh coffee, baked delights and the hotel’s warm reception team, we instantly felt cocooned in its five-star bubble. This is somewhere we can relax and unwind, apart from the moments when we choose to embrace the cacophony of London’s contagious energy on the other side of the doors.

Opened in 2019, Page8, which also boasts a site in Hong Kong, prides itself on providing the service of London’s ultimate concierge. In each room, the hotel’s Journal is available via the television giving guests insider tips on where to go, what to do and where to eat in London (of course, we already know where to stay).

The generous rooftop space here is dedicated to the bar and restaurant Kitty Hawk – possibly named after the North Carolina coastal town in which Wilbur Wright and his brother Orville successfully completed the first powered flight – and from its balcony it certainly does feel like you’re flying above the streets below. As the closest Journal-recommended restaurant, we opted to dine here, but we’ll come to that later.

First things first: our boudoir. Dominated by a large and very comfortable bed (we don’t even remember drifting off to sleep, it was that good), this elegant room is as stylish as it is comfortable. Large wardrobes along one wall allow you to conceal your luggage, two windows provide ample light during the day and an expansive bathroom with a large rainfall shower awaits. As with all good hotels, you must opt in for new towels and fresh bedsheets every day, as part of the hotel’s commitment to sustainability. There’s an old-school telephone at every bedside and a pad and pencil should you need to write down your midnight inspirations, plus the Appelles toiletries – the Willow Bark body wash specifically – will leave you smelling so good before you climb into the crisp sheets, you’ll drift off in no time. 

Breakfast is served at the Page Common Coffeehouse coffee bar. This relaxed and contemporary community setting replaces the traditional hotel lobby with comfortable seating, art and travel books (available for guests to borrow) and warm pastries to wash down with moreish coffee – however you like yours.

Dinner at Kitty Hawk is a glamorous punctuation point for the whole evening. As well as its delectable à la carte menu (we tucked into the sesame tuna tataki; Hereford steak tartare; Merguez sausages, piperade, whipped feta and pita; and a mouthwatering sirloin steak with triple-cooked chips on the side – so delicious, so satisfying), there’s also a pre-Theatre menu (it is perfectly placed for the West End theatres – Matilda, anyone?), a weekend brunch menu and, rather unusually, a bottomless Sunday roast menu. With this you can choose from one to three courses with the option of free-flowing Italian wine to accompany your meal, all while enjoying some of the best views in town.

The staff here are exceptionally helpful and friendly and the decor is so cool and contemporary you’ll be taking notes for your own dining room.

If the weather is good, enjoy a post-dinner digestif on the balcony and watch the world go by before retiring to your room. And if you’re anything like us, you’ll have the dreamiest sleep and wake up refreshed, ready to explore the city some more.

Page8 Hotel, 8 St. Martin’s Place, London WC2N 4JH; pagehotels.com