St Martins Lane

St Martins Lane is a design hotel on St Martin's Lane, in the West End theatre district on the Covent Garden side of Trafalgar Square. Opened in 1999 and now part of the Morgans Originals collection, its calling card is an interior by Philippe Starck, whose playful and theatrical style runs through the rooms, suites and public spaces.

Morgans Originals brings together a small group of hotels that trace their lineage to the boutique hotel movement, and St Martins Lane remains one of the best-known Starck commissions in London. The hotel runs a Green Team for its sustainability programme and holds Green Key certification, and its location puts the Coliseum, the National Portrait Gallery and the Covent Garden piazza within a few minutes on foot.

Philippe Starck design hotel in Covent Garden

Rooms and suites are spacious by West End standards, with cityscape views and rainfall showers among the standard features, and guests who book a suite direct receive VIP extras. The Starck look is bold rather than neutral, mixing humour with drama, and the interiors are as much the reason to stay as the address. Meeting and event spaces and a gallery area extend the offer beyond overnight stays.

What to expect on a visit

Food and drink centre on EllaMia, a day-to-night café with a wrap-around terrace that runs a summer collaboration with Champagne Pommery, open daily from 12pm to 9pm during the season, alongside Restaurant 45 for classics and The Den for cocktails. A speakeasy bar adds to the evening offer, and a contemporary afternoon tea is served in the lounge. All are open to non-residents, making the hotel an easy stop for a coffee, a spritz or a pre-theatre drink. See more hotels in Covent Garden, or compare with One Aldwych at the other end of the Strand.