Ham Yard Hotel

Central, whimsical, fun

1 Ham Yard, London W1D 7DT

44-203-6422000

See Website

At a Glance

Straddling the border between London’s buzzy theater district and fashionable Mayfair, the chic ninety-one-room Ham Yard complex encircles a tree-lined courtyard around the corner from Piccadilly Circus.

Indagare Loves

  • The whimsical style of the spacious rooms and suites
  • 1950’s disco-bowling alley imported from Texas
  • Orangery on the first floor, a lovely location for tea, cocktails and snacks
  • The fully-serviced  one- and two-bedroom apartments

Review

In June 2014, Tim and Kit Kemp, the duo behind chic London-based hotel brand Firmdale, opened their eighth and most ambitious property to date, the Ham Yard Hotel. Between the theater and Mayfair, the Ham Yard complex consists of three buildings encircling a tree-lined courtyard around the corner from Piccadilly Circus. (While the courtyard provides a haven for hotel guests, the crowded scene at Piccadilly Circus can be very overwhelming).

In addition to its ninety-one rooms and suites, the Ham Yard also offers an urban community environment, with twenty-four apartments, thirteen high-end specialty stores and an indoor-outdoor bar and restaurant where locals gather. To this end, its namesake pub, The Lyric Tavern (formerly “The Ham”) sits catty-corner to the hotel and teems with young professionals at happy hour and on weekend evenings.

Upon entering the lobby, guests are catapulted into Kit Kemp’s playful world of color, pattern and texture. With a larger palette to work with, Kit upped the ante with the Ham Yard and the wow-factor is noticeable. Among the lavish public spaces are the first-floor drawing room, library and atrium (sun room), though despite their size, these rooms still maintain an air of conviviality. A unique fourth-floor terrace offers views across the London rooftops and below the ground level sits Firmdale’s fitness center and first-ever spa (including a hypoxic chamber for altitude training). A 188-seat, state-of-the art cinema and 1950s disco-bowling alley are a must-visit for London locals, though priority is given to hotel guests.

As is the case in all the Firmdales, style is never lost in order to maintain comfort, but the Ham Yard could not have a more perfect blend of the two. Headboards donned in wild prints contrast with crisp white linens, which in turn juxtapose an array of fabrics chosen for sofas, chairs, rugs and drapes. Somehow it works in a seamless symphony of interior-design brilliance. Views can either look out to the tree-lined courtyard, or towards the city; to avoid the noise from the Ham Yard bar, request a high floor facing the city.

Who Should Stay

Couples, groups of friends or families interested in a buzzy central location, playful ambiance and modern-stylish rooms.

Written by Indagare

What's Nearby
Indagare employees walking up stiars

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