Review: St. Ermin’s Hotel, Westminster, London, UK

There’s something rather secretive about St. Ermin’s Hotel in London. Long before it became a refined refuge for global travellers, this grand Victorian property was the clandestine epicentre of British espionage. It is the very birthplace of Winston Churchill’s Special Operations Executive (SOE) – where codebreakers, double agents, and intelligence officers once huddled over gin cocktails to plan covert operations that changed the course of World War II.

The welcome

Every day throughout the Summer at St. Ermin’s, between the hours of 5.30pm and 6.30pm, the hotel invites you to unwind on the porch and enjoy their signature Wine Hour, alongside live entertainment. We arrived during this time on a Friday so were greeted with the English tradition of morris dancing but on other days, you’ll be treated to anything from a balloonist to a magician.

Reception – where our check-in was as smooth and efficient as last time I visited – lies just beyond a Division Bell which stands ready to summon politicians back to the nearby House of Commons at a moment’s notice.

There are even whispers of a secret underground tunnel that once connected the hotel directly to Parliament.

The room

On this occasion we stayed in a Family Room with two large queen beds. Even for a brief stay before an international flight, rather than for an extended stay in London, the space delivered effortless comfort.

Family rooms at St. Ermin’s are a generous 36–37 m² in size and include an additional daybed, so can sleep up to 5 people. They are designed specifically for two adults, two older kids, and one younger child.

Tea and coffee making facilities (including a Nespresso coffee machine), a small fridge/mini-bar, and complimentary bottled water are all provided, and there’s an in-room safe, iron and full-size ironing board, desk/workspace with accessible power outlets, and 24-hour room service.

The bathroom

The room came with not just one, but two small bathrooms – one at each end of the room, each with high-pressure shower, basin and WC. Marble countertops and sleek chrome finishings provide a luxury finish.

Luxury toiletries are from The White Company and, as part of the hotel’s eco-friendly initiatives, these are supplied in refillable wall-mounted pump dispensers rather than single-use plastic mini bottles to reduce plastic waste.

The facilities

The Caxton Bar at St. Ermin’s is arguably one of the most historic bars in the whole of London. It was here that, during the Cold War, it became a notorious rendezvous point for double agents. Key members of the infamous “Cambridge Five” spy ring were said to have used the hotel to meet covertly with their Soviet handlers. Today, it’s an inviting space for a quiet drink, occasionally used by senior politicians enjoying a temporary escape from the media spotlight.

Beyond it is the Caxton Grill – an elegant, modern European restaurant that combines seasonal British produce with unique house-grown ingredients, and where we had a lovely dinner.

To start, we sampled the St. Ermin’s spiced rum cured salmon served with a dill pollen mayo, salmon crème fraiche and dill mustard apple emulsion, and topped with caviar.

We also enjoyed was a tasty burrata with tomatoes, radish, pistachio and pea pesto, and balsamic pearls.

I opted for the seared Scottish scallops with cauliflower textures, watercress, parsley and toasted garlic pesto with toasted hazelnuts – beautifully succulent and full of flavour.

The catch of the day was a thick loin of pan-seared hake, topped with microgreens, and served with sautéed sultanas and toasted pine nuts to give a lovely agrodolce-style texture and rich, nutty finish.

From the Butcher’s Block section of the menu, we tried the grass-fed Aberdeen Angus 28-day dry-aged tomahawk steak – a thick ribeye cut for two people, served pink with a remarkable melt-in-the-mouth tenderness thanks to the aging process, and with the bone kept in to retain the moisture and enhance the flavour.

Our waitress recommended the truffle mac and cheese from the sides which was delicious, even if it did feel a little indulgent.

The stand-out desserts were the white chocolate basil mousse served with a blackberry crèmeux, white snow and blackberry sorbet, and the sheep’s milk mousse with halwa cream and sweet dukka.

As well as having a rooftop garden that supplies much of the produce for the restaurant, St. Ermin’s even has its own Bee Terrace and ‘bee hotel’ that you can visit on the third floor. Don’t worry, there’s no danger of being stung – there’s a glass screen so you can observe these gentle Buckfast bees safely.

Look out for the produce of their hard work at breakfast which is also served at the Caxton Bar and Grill.

The location

St. Ermin’s Hotel can be found tucked away down a quiet, tree-lined courtyard on Caxton Street in the heart of political Westminster, less than a two-minute walk from St. James’s Park Underground Station (District and Circle lines) and about a 10-minute walk from Victoria Station (National Rail, Gatwick Express and Victoria/District/Circle lines). The location, just steps from New Scotland Yard, the Foreign Office and the Home Office, is famous for its connections to British intelligence and Parliament.

It is also close to iconic landmarks such as Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, and St James’s Park, with Buckingham Palace just a short stroll across the park. It is two miles (a nice warm-up jog) from one of the UK‘s most popular parkruns (second only to Bushy Park where parkrun started), Battersea parkrun. For those of you that don’t know, parkrun is a free, weekly 5k run (or walk) that takes place at locations throughout the UK and in many other countries around the world.

The beauty of doing parkrun whilst staying at St. Ermin’s is that the buffet breakfast remains open until midday, meaning you have plenty of time to attend, return to the hotel, shower and still have time for breakfast.

Other nice touches

Macaroons on arrival, a personalised welcome note and sweet treats whilst we were out are just some examples of how the team at St. Ermin’s go the extra mile to make your stay a special one.

Chocolate bees and a sleep spray were also provided as part of our turndown service.

The cost

Standard rates are typically around £300 to £500+ per night, depending on the season, day of the week, and room category.

For high-end suites during peak periods, or at the time of major London events, expect prices of around £800 to £1,200+ per night.

As an Autograph Collection property, members with Marriott Bonvoy status (Silver, Gold, Platinum, Titanium, or Ambassador Elite) receive tiered benefits such as bonus points, potential room upgrades, late check-out, and welcome amenities.

The best bit

St. Ermin’s rich espionage history and heritage are what make this hotel unique. While many central London luxury hotels offer prime locations or fine amenities, few can match its history as the exact setting where top WWII intelligence operations were orchestrated. Here, between the gilded plasterwork and quiet corners, covert decisions were made that directly shaped the outcome of the war, offering guests a rare chance to step directly into Britain’s secret past.

The final verdict

Beyond the intrigue of its shadow-laden past, St. Ermin’s balances rogue heritage with effortless modern glamour. With expansive family rooms, exceptional Westminster dining, and a quiet courtyard location steps from London’s iconic landmarks, the hotel delivers a refined luxury stay where every corridor holds a story — and every stay feels like uncovering a well-kept secret of your own.

Disclosure: Our stay was sponsored by St. Ermin’s Hotel.

Paul Johnson

Paul Johnson is Editor of A Luxury Travel Blog and has worked in the travel industry for more than 30 years. He is Winner of the Innovations in Travel ‘Best Travel Influencer’ Award from WIRED magazine. In addition to other awards, the blog has also been voted “one of the world’s best travel blogs” and “best for luxury” by The Telegraph.