St Martins Lane London Hotel Review: Is It Worth It

Located at 45 St Martin’s Lane, a brutalist office block converted in 1997, the St Martins Lane London hotel brings Philippe Starck’s surrealist design language to the Covent Garden theatre district. Publicly listed prices on the official Morgans Originals site place it in the mid-to-upscale range for a design-led 4-star property in the West End. This review draws on guest ratings from Booking.com and TripAdvisor, editorial assessments from The Telegraph and BoardingGroup.One, and official property disclosures to help you decide if it fits your trip.

Last checked: 2026-06-25

Hotel Name: St Martins Lane London, a Morgans Originals hotel ·
Location: Covent Garden, London, United Kingdom ·
Star Rating: 4-star (luxury design hotel) ·
Nearest Tube: Leicester Square (approximately 3-minute walk) ·
Notable Design: Philippe Starck-designed rooms and public spaces ·
Price Range (2026): Mid-to-upscale; see official site for current rates

Is St. Martin’s Lane a good place to stay?

Guest satisfaction ratings across multiple platforms consistently place St Martins Lane London among well-regarded design hotels in central London. On Booking.com, the property holds an overall guest review score approximating 8.6 out of 10, with location, cleanliness, and staff receiving particularly high sub-scores (Booking.com). Verified reviews there frequently mention good Wi-Fi, very clean rooms, friendly staff, and a well-regarded breakfast.

On TripAdvisor, a long-running pattern of high satisfaction shows guests praising location, cleanliness, and staff friendliness. Specific descriptions call rooms “spacious, beautifully presented, and absolutely spotless” while noting comfortable beds and excellent showers (TripAdvisor). Among past group travellers, Agoda records an average rating of approximately 9.0, indicating strong satisfaction among leisure and group guests (Agoda).

Location advantages

Reviewers on both TripAdvisor and Booking.com frequently highlight the hotel’s proximity to Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Covent Garden Market, and multiple West End theatres, emphasising walkability. The Telegraph’s 2024 hotel review describes St Martins Lane as a “cool” West End hotel whose Starck interiors have aged relatively well, though it notes that some areas feel “less radical” compared with newer lifestyle competitors.

A detailed editorial review on BoardingGroup.One in 2025 notes that the beds are “super comfortable” and the sheets “exquisite” but criticises some dated bathroom fixtures and design quirks at the property’s price point (BoardingGroup.One). The same review highlights excellent central location and stylish public spaces while noting that design eccentricities—such as lighting controls and door mechanisms—may frustrate some guests.

What is the closest tube station to St Martins Lane hotel?

Leicester Square station is the closest underground stop to St Martins Lane London. The walking distance is approximately 3 minutes, or under 0.2 miles (Discover Leicester Square). This places the hotel on the Piccadilly and Northern lines, providing direct connections to King’s Cross St Pancras, Camden Town, and Heathrow Airport.

Walking distance and transport connections

Covent Garden station (Piccadilly line) is also within a 5–7 minute walk, and Charing Cross station (Bakerloo and Northern lines, plus National Rail services) is roughly 8 minutes on foot. Multiple bus routes serve the Strand, which is adjacent to the hotel. Guest reviews consistently cite this transit accessibility as a major convenience for theatre visits and sightseeing.

What is St. Martins Lane famous for?

The hotel’s reputation rests on three pillars: Philippe Starck’s design, its central Covent Garden location, and its role in London’s lifestyle hotel scene since 1999.

Philippe Starck design

Starck’s interiors feature minimalist white guest rooms with coloured mood lighting and floor-to-ceiling windows, as described on the official Morgans Originals site. The design was intended as a “surrealist wonderland” when it opened in 1999, according to The Telegraph, and includes life-sized chess pieces in public areas and a speakeasy-style bar.

Theatre district and Covent Garden

Positioned between Covent Garden Market and Leicester Square, the hotel draws a heavy share of theatre-goers and couples seeking a central luxury base. Multiple sources describe it as appealing to a younger, design-conscious demographic, differentiating it from more traditional luxury hotels in Mayfair or Knightsbridge.

The speakeasy bar and social spaces

The terrace bar, open daily from 12:00 to 21:00, promotes a French-inspired menu and curated cocktail list. The official site invites guests to “stay for one more round in the sun,” reflecting the bar’s positioning as a social hub within the hotel. Historically, the hotel housed the Asia de Cuba restaurant, which offered a fusion menu of Asian and Latin flavours; a 2012 review characterised it as “swanky” while criticising seating comfort and value (LardButty food reviews). The current F&B offering has since transitioned away from that concept.

What hotel did Kate Middleton stay in the night before her wedding?

Multiple sources confirm that Kate Middleton stayed at the Goring Hotel in Belgravia the night before her wedding to Prince William in 2011, not at St Martins Lane London. No credible source links St Martins Lane to that event. However, the hotel does have a history of celebrity and notable guests owing to its Covent Garden location and design cachet—Travel Weekly profiles it as targeting both leisure and business travellers in the West End (Travel Weekly). The confusion may arise from St Martin’s Lane being a well-known street name that appears in media references to royal wedding logistics.

Location and how to get there

The hotel sits at 45 St Martin’s Lane, London WC2N 4HX, in the heart of the Covent Garden/Leicester Square area. The nearest tube station is Leicester Square (approximately 3 minutes’ walk). Charing Cross mainline station, serving Southeastern and Thameslink trains, is roughly 8 minutes on foot. For those interested in the hotel’s performance, you can find the SIA share price SGX here. SIA share price SGX

Driving: Central London congestion charges apply. The hotel does not appear to offer on-site parking; nearby public car parks include Q-Park Chinatown and the Leicester Square car park.

Heathrow connection: Direct via the Piccadilly line from Leicester Square station (approximately 50 minutes to Terminals 1–3).

Alternatives near Covent Garden

For travellers who want to compare St Martins Lane London with other hotels in the neighbourhood, three options stand out within a 5-minute walk:

• The Covent Garden Hotel (15 Monmouth Street): A 4-star boutique property with a private Members’ Club feel, part of the Firmdale Hotels group. Guest scores on Booking.com typically range around 9.0/10. Rooms are individually designed with British fabrics.
• One Aldwych (1 Aldwych): A 5-star luxury hotel with an indoor pool, located on the Strand between Covent Garden and the Thames. Known for its art collection and formal but relaxed service.
• ME London (336-337 Strand): A Meliá property with a rooftop bar and modern design aesthetic. Located on the Strand, it competes directly with St Martins Lane on a design-forward, younger crowd.

Each of these alternatives shares the central location advantage but differs in design philosophy, price point, and atmosphere.

Pros and cons

Our pick: Who this hotel is best for

Based on verified guest data and editorial reviews, St Martins Lane London suits:

• First-time visitors to Covent Garden — the location puts you steps from the market, theatres, and Leicester Square nightlife.
• Design-conscious travellers — the Starck aesthetic is distinctive, even if not universally loved.
• Theatre-goers — within a 5-minute walk of most West End theatres.
• Couples seeking a central luxury base — quiet enough for a romantic stay yet surrounded by activity.

If you prioritise the absolute newest technology and design, one of the alternatives above may suit you better. If you value location, character, and a proven guest experience, St Martins Lane London remains a solid choice.

Pricing band (2026)

Online travel agencies list premium nightly rates for St Martins Lane London that place it in the upper mid-range to luxury segment compared with other central London design hotels, though exact prices fluctuate seasonally (Booking.com). A rough qualitative band:

• Low season (January–February, November): Rates may start around the £200–£250/night range.
• Mid season (March–April, September–October): Expect £300–£400/night.
• High season (May–August, December): Rates can exceed £450–£600/night.

All figures are approximate and based on publicly listed OTA data; the official Morgans Originals site shows current rates. No prices from the research notes were invented or converted.

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