Hatchards Booksellers

Pack your toothbrush and forward your mail — any bookworm is immediately going to want to move in here.
I, too, thought the buzz was too good to be true. But even I was blown away. The selection was top-​notch. The prices were competitive. And the displays promised to remind you of all the books you ever loved… and introduce you to your new favorite read.
A must-​visit for any book lover in London — just don’t go too close to closing time or you’ll need to camp outside and come back the next day!

This is the quintessential British bookstore with very nice classic interiors and selection of books (many are British focused). The fact that this establishment has been in business since 1797 adds to the charm. Going up the stairs, I lost track how many floors this has but there are a lot so you can definitely spend a few hours here if you wanted to.

My favourite bookshop. The atmosphere here is without a doubt something special with all those 19 century style couches and the wood panelling, it’s really lovely.
But what I like here is not only the atmosphere but also the friendly staff. The will never bother you if you want to sit down and start reading a book and are always very helpful and ready to find even the rarest or newest book.
I’ve also noticed recently that they’ve published a new edition of English classic books and the covers looked really great.

Great Book Store
They have lots and lots of books.
The books are well-​organized.
The books are well-​priced.
Many of the books are autographed.
It’s quiet.
The staff is helpful.

Hatchards is one of my favourite bookshops in London. I particularly like their complete sections on British history and biographies as well as their travel section which is always inspiring. A good place to spend a few hours browsing away and before you know it, time has flown past.

Spent the afternoon here with a fellow book loving friend. It’s fun to just browse or check out the rare books they have! Spend at least an hour here to get the full experience!

A bookworm’s paradise! I could spend hours and hours here on all the different floors in this store and spend all the money I don’t have. A great selection of books and a lot of signed copies of more recent publications if you’re interested in that sort of thing.

I’m a massive bookworm, so this place is pure heaven for me. If I’m on Piccadilly, Hatchards/​Fortnum and Laduree are must-go’s.
I love how books are literally packed on every corner of the store — they’ve even had to put board games and trinkets on the staircase due to lack of space. They’ve also got a great selection of autographed books, and I always get emails about book signings which is a plus in my books. Honestly, I could easily spend hours in here and lose sight of time — the experience of browsing and having books recommended is worth paying more money for the same book that I could get off Amazon for a fraction of the price.
I was a bit gutted to find out that Hatchards is owned by Waterstones down the street. My glee at thinking that I’d found a convenient and favourite independent bookseller in London was destroyed. Oh well, you can’t run away from big businesses anymore nowadays it seems!

Hatchards is one of my first stops whenever I visit London. I particularly like their extraordinarily complete sections on British history (especially the «wall» dedicated to Winston Churchill-​related books) and biographies as well as their travel section which is always inspiring. They also specialize in carrying a huge number of autographed books. I have several signed books on the Mitford sisters that I bought at Hatchards many years ago and treasure. Last of all, be sure to pick up a copy of their complimentary book recommendation pamphlet up which I believe comes out every quarter.

wonderful place. you can find a lot of stuff here you wouldn’t get elsewhere. in the case of my sis-​in-​law who visited a few wks ago, she found a bunch of regency romance novels that are hard to come by in the US. there is a great section of mysteries by english authors as well.

A great place to come!
Amazing interior which puts you in the mood!

Fabulous bookshop

Great bookshop, great location, knowledgeable staff. Second only to Foyles bookstore.

Hatchards has been selling books since 1797 and its experienced gravitas is reflected in the dark wood panelling and its position on Piccadilly close to Fortnum & Mason and Lladro, 2 other names synonymous with excellence.
They have excellent displays, lots of signed copies as well as signing events — see their website for a list of upcoming events.
There are quite a few floors and you can easily spend a few hours browsing away and before you know it, time has flown past.
Yes, you can buy the books cheaper at Amazon but you may well miss some gems which have been carefully selected by Hatchards for their displays.

I LOVE Hatchards. It’s the store itself with it’s own charm, nooks and crannys and floor to ceiling books; it’s the staff who are knowledgable, personable, smile and chat to you; it’s the selection of books including the first editions and signed copies. It’s just everything! It’s where all other bookstores should send their teams to learn how to do it properly!!!

Hatchards is a wonderful institution: as well as being the oldest surviving bookshop in the UK, it still has the feel of somewhere special: the interior is slightly cramped and on several levels, with an old-​fashioned feel, but in a nice way.
A little of the 1797 spirit seems to live on. Even the chairs for customers are Georgian reproductions — no leather-​covered sofas here!
On a more practical level, it is a great place to browse, particularly if you have interests in things like history, the arts or fiction. They may not have as extensive a stock as Borders on Oxford Street, or the Waterstone’s down the road, but their stock is carefully selected: where else could you find the complete set of Pevsner’s Buildings of England?
Their staff are also old-​fashioned in a very positive way: highly knowledgeable, helpful, and courteous. Overall, this is strongly recommended.
Warning: browsing here may become an addiction

This shop has been here on Piccadilly for years and years and in many ways feels straight out of a period drama. You can tell the sort of people who shop here on a very regular basis by their choice of display books, predominantly historical biography and books about Britain catering for conservative out-​of-​towners and Sloanes who work on Jermyn Street just behind. However, it is a large space over several floors, with a very good overall stock, lots of signed editions and tempting displays in the shop. One thing that did really bug me last time I went though, was one of the assistants booming away about any old thing to any old person, completely destoying the usual hushed atmosphere of the shop and making it really hard to concentrate on deciding what to buy.

Hatchards is a proper old school book shop and one of the best book shops in London. When you walk in, it feels like you’ve entered a space 70 years back in time. The shop has a life to it, when you browse the stacks you can almost feel the pulse of the books and you almost expect them to come to life. This is not a bookshop for the out of shape because the kids section is about 4 floors up and I don’t recall seeing an elevator. But trust me the trek is worth it. If you are not in the best of shape then I recommend tackling one floor at a time. Each floor has its own stories to tell and just looking around is fantastic. I love the architecture of the building and the space is ideal for a little escapism, so it’s perfect that it houses a book shop!!!

This is my favorite bookshop if not in the world, then definitely in London. As an unashamed book lover, I could literally spend days in Hatchards. There is a great selection of books of all kinds, including unusual selections, great editions of classics, and hard to find ones.
Generally I just pop in for 5 minutes only to be dragged out by the arm by which ever long suffering/​completely unamused unwitting person I have dragged in with me!
I think Hatchards should be on everyones list of places to go to if visiting London, and if you’ve never beenwhat are you waiting for, get yourself down to Piccadilly!

Ce magasin est bien plus qu’une librairie, c’est un monument d’anthologie. L’endroit a garde tout son charme vieille angleterre et l’on s’attendrait presque a voir surgir un chapeau haut de forme et une canne au detour d’un des escaliers.
Ils ont beaucoup de choix et une selection impressionnante sur la plupart des sujets, comme l’histoire, les arts, le tourisme, les langues, les pays et bien sur la litterature telle qu’on la connait avec les classiques habituels mais aussi les nouveaux romans et meme de la science-​fiction.
Il serait trop long d’expliqier ce qui fait de cet endroit un must-​see mais je le recommande comme a né pas rater.

Hatchards Booksellers stands to date as the oldest surviving bookstore in London. First established in 1797, Hatchards stands on Piccadilly opposite the Royal Academy of Arts and between Green Park and Piccadilly Underground.
Once an independently owned bookstore that saw customers such as Queen Charlotte, Oscar Wilde and Lord Byron, Hatchards is now owned by UK’s leading bookseller Waterstones. Although they don’t publicise this fact, because of their joint ownership customers are able to use their Waterstone’s card for purchases made at Hatchards. The Waterstone’s card allows its holder to collect points upon purchases which cumulatively can be redeemed for future purchases at either store. The Waterstone’s card is available free at any Waterstones bookstore and can be used at any of the store’s many locations.
Whether you are after that hard to find book or a signed addition by your favourite author, Hatchards is the ultimate treat for bookworms, historians and visitors to London alike. Customers are treated to multiple levels of the latest and hard to find books ranging from art, architecture, biography, children’s books, cookery, gardening, hardback fiction, history, literature, performing arts, natural history, non-​fiction and reference.
I strongly urge all to stop by if not for the books themselves, then for the historical atmosphere that surrounds Hatchards Booksellers.