Sofitel London St James

Afternoon tea wasn’t all that, limited sandwich selection, the waitress was very confused and slow, my friend had to ask her 4 times for water as she kept forgetting to get the order. Spa facilities are ok (therefore I give 3stars). The facial was very boring, just rubbing and rubbing, there was no extraction, no steam, the facial product was stinging me at first until I told the beautician that I had sensitive skin then she changed it to sensitive skin (which she should have asked me before) all and all I wouldn’t like to come back for facial nor tea.

This was the last of 5 Sofitels that I went to on a big trip helping my parents move back to France and this was definitely an awesome experience to end on.
The room was impeccable, the staff at the reception and around the hotel were delightful, polite, private and courteous. The breakfast was prodigious and plentiful and delicious!
While I am not a huge London addict by any means, if I find myself there again, I look very much forward to the experience.
This Sofitel has history, class, sophistication that doesn’t make you feel embarrassed.
Keep up the great work!

Dingy little, dirty old rooms and a low class staff. The location is good, but if you want an actual 5 star hotel I would suggest choosing somewhere else.

Wonderful stay. The location is superb. The service was excellent. The room was nice and large and clean with a great shower. The breakfast buffet was wonderful. Overall we were very happy and will be back.
You must also try the afternoon tea with the pastries.

Super quiet, comfortable rooms. You feel like you’re the only one staying in the hotel. Hermes toiletries will make you feel like the head of state. Staff is very polite and friendly. Top notch. The hotel is in a great central location.
High tea is fantastic and definitely worth a try. The Rose Room is like having tea with your favorite Grammy, but the selection of tea is great as are the French pastries. The live harp music is a very nice touch.
The only downside is the the lobby and hallways are very heavily perfumed. The smell of lilies and roses will about knock you out. Fortunately, the rooms are odor-​free.

The hotel is very nice it’s clean and beautiful. Unfortunately, our room was burglarized. The money and jewelry was stolen from our room. When we contacted security they told us that they will open an investigation, which only God know if they actually did, since we discovered that our things were stolen upon checking out of the hotel to go to Paris.
The management and security are the worst, they never even reached out to update us on their so called investigation. I had to email them and call them myself to get any updates, only to find out that the head of security was on vacation and no one knew anything about our case. Long story short… when I finally got ahold of the head of security she told me that after interviews of their staff they didn’t find the person who stole our things… Wow. Shocking. Thy were actually expecting that person to admit to stealing the money and jewelry??? Incredible. I told them to give me the report of their investigation so I could present it to my insurance company and they told me that they couldn’t. They could only present it to London PD for their own investigation. Absolutely ridiculous! I had MY things missing from MY room in THEIR hotel and I am not allowed to see the report!!! Seriously?
Idiots!
They didn’t even offer us any sort of remedy. We will never stay there again and I’d advise for you to do the same. Clearly the type of staff that works there is absolutely negligent and dishonest. Stay away!!!

My husband and I have stayed in this hotel five or six times. In the past it was always very good which is why we returned to this property. HOWEVER: this July we arrived for a 7 night stay. We were taken to a room that smelled like you had your head in a bucket of Lysol. I immediately had physical symptoms such as: rapid heart beat, running eyes, extreme nausea. The desk person who escorted us to the room began to open windows. My husband told her the room stank of chemicals and was uninhabitable. She brought up more staff, and for the next few hours we were hauled around the Sofitel St. James, from room to room. We were shown approximately 4 rooms. Perhaps 5 rooms. They all stank of chemical cleaning solutions that this hotel is obviously using NOW. By 3:30 pm, exhausted from this ordeal, we returned to the front desk and said we would not be staying at this hotel. Everyone at the desk knew exactly what was going on. They called in a manager named Peter Martin. He listened to our problem and said the following: ’ I am charging you for one nights stay including fees and taxes.’ I replied that we had purchased trip cancellation insurance. He just ignored this information and stuck with his threat. His one night stay with fees and taxes is a large sum of money. I told him that I’m a journalist and will write this up on all social media if he attempts to steal money from us for a room that we NEVER OCCUPIED. We left the Sofitel and went to another hotel where the room didn’t smell, and we got the same rate as Sofitel. The new hotel, by the way, was a much larger room (no odor) and much more elegant. BUT, we now continue to receive a charge from Sofitel (via Expedia) since July. I have filed continuous reports to my credit card, they do a ‘follow up’ and then a few weeks later the charge reappears on my credit card bill. Each time they re-​bill me, they send me ‘faxes from the Sofitel’ that contain different accounts of what occurred that afternoon. The Sofitel has changed their story so many times and each time it’s a LIE. Yes. Lie. I have been told we ‘occupied rooms and made them un-​saleable’. We never used a single room other than to sit in a chair for a moment so that I wouldn’t faint. We didn’t sleep in a bed. How could we? This is the hotel from hell. I also blame Expedia for all this thievery, because they were contacted by me via phone, numerous times, and know full well the situation. Sofitel and Expedia are the bed-​mates in that hotel. Not me and my husband. I will NEVER pay this charge.

Very bad experience! We stayed 3 nights and didn’t like that housekeeping kept coming into our room while we were out. The second day we left the do not disturb light on and housekeeping still came in and did their thing. However they were still in the room when we got back at 7pm to shower and get dressed for a dinner reservation we made from weeks before our trip. We were so mad and went downstairs. The girl at the reception was less than helpful and shuffled us to EMILY who started to give us bs! She questioned us about if we are sure we left the do not disturb or not. They treat and talk to the guests like we are stupid and don’t know the difference. Yes we know! We are the one traveling! Sure enough we get back to the room to find a note saying we tried to come in but the sign do not disturb was lite so we came in anyways! WTF? What kind of policy is this? We don’t like people coming in and out of our room while we have our things out. Our passports, cash, etc. Nevertheless we had to cancel our dinner reservations we had made from the us and went to a whatever overpriced tourist trap near the hotel that probably gives the hotel a kick back! Not very happy with the hotel and especially the management. After complaining to EMILY she said there is nothing she can do especially since we booked our hotel thru
as if we didn’t pay thru the nose.

If you value Service, this hotel get 5 ½ stars. My room was modern yet classic. Impressed.

We love this hotel one of the best hotels to stay in London. Their service was excellent and their location is just perfect, they’re in the middle of everything!!!

Sofitel St James is a beautiful hotel with great customer service. They really go out of their way to help you feel at home and welcomed. Some times customer service helps certain hotels elevate although they lack in other areas. This was not the case with Sofitel: The hotel is beautiful, our room was also spacious with a great bathroom, and the location is very close to the Westminster Bridge and the Buckingham Palace. You may not have to take a taxi throughout your trip because everything you want is located about 10 – 20 minute walk from the hotel. We also had tea at the Rose Lounge. That was a great and relaxing experience. We had the seasonal Darjeeling tea. The room-​service was also good. We will definitely come back.

Awesomely close to Piccadilly Circus, with tons of amazing shopping. Hotel is clean and the service is excellent.
Breakfast is fantastic especially if you get served by the best waiter in town KRASIMIR he is the jewel of the restaurant. Towards the end of my stay we were helped by another lovely waitress, Marime. She was so kind and attentive!

You couldn’t ask for a better location. Very close to Piccadilly Circus, lots of shopping, and great sights. The service was excellent and the staff was warm and welcoming. The room was ample and comfortable. Would certainly do again.

Below is the review I posted on TripAdvisor when I returned about two weeks ago; had to share it here as well if it can help other travellers, particularly since I loved my stay at Sofitel London St. James…
Just returned from a 6 night stay at Sofitel London St. James. After finding this hotel on tripadvisior, researching, and reading the positive reviews, I am extremely satisfied that I stayed at the Sofitel London St. James, especially for my first visit to London. The location is ideal for sight seeing as many attractions were within walking distance.
From the moment I arrived, I was impressed by the beauty of hotel and the service I received from the staff. Laura at the front desk provided superb service; my welcome and early check-​in was ideal, particularly after a long flight from Toronto and travelling solo. Throughout my stay, the staff always made me feel welcome and the conceirge was always friendly and helpful.
My Luxury king room on the second floor was perfect with a nice view. Women, if you are travelling from Toronto, be sure to bring an international voltage converter if you bring hair tools like hot rollers. Other than that, my room was spacious, comfortable and beautiful.
I used the gym several times during my stay and also their award winning So SPA. Suzette was extremely helpful in booking my massage and during my spa visit where I brought a guest. We both had the 60-​minute In-​Deep Relaxing Massage, used the steam room, and had champagne in the lounge. I suggest requesting my massage therapist, Yuki — one of the best massages I have ever had…
Thank you Sofitel London St. James! You have truly helped made my first visit to London a wonderful experience.

To begin, this is a review of the afternoon tea at the Rose Lounge of Sofitel — not of the hotel stay itself.
This was my first afternoon tea in a long while, and it did not disappoint. First, they had a small but a good selection of tea. I had the Mediterranean Rose, and it was the perfect way to ease myself into a Saturday in the hustle and bustle of central London. Second, they offered a solid selection of pastries and sweets to accompany tea. The four of us couldn’t finish all that was served, and the raspberry macaroon was the best macaroon I had ever had. Third, the venue was small but cozy and posh with great service. I’d highly recommend this place if you’re meeting up with a close friend for an engaging chat. Finally, price was relatively acceptable: the tea+pastries course cost 30 pounds and had we added cocktails at the end, it would have been 35. Of course, this is not a small fee, but for a once-​in-​a-​while experience at a posh hotel, I think it was worthwhile.

Sofitel is really amazing. The
rooms are not so expensive, very elegant and classy. And the bathrooms are full
of nice products. With lovely décor and nice atmosphere. It really feels more
like home. The foods are very delicious and unique. And the staffs are very
friendly and attentive.

Ce luxueux Palace a la bonne idée d’être situé en plein centre de Londres, à deux pas de tous les bons coins shoppings et des endroits qui bougent la nuit ^^ Le cadre du Bar Lounge est des plus agréable, les cocktails sont surprenants (ma préférence va au «Poisson d’Avril») et le service, souvent français, impeccable et de bon conseil. Parfait pour un WEnd en amoureux ;)

Das allerbeste Hotel, das wir bisher in London hatten!!! Nur zu empfehlen, wer ein Hotel in zentraler Lage in London sucht!

Great hotel, got s a beautiful room, not much a view:
Pros:
* Great shower pressure
*Gorgeous bathroom
* breakfast is delicious
*great location — near Piccadily Circus tube station (and close to a Spar to pick up water or snacks)
* stuff super friendly
Cons:
* Expensive, but how can you blame them for such a nice hotel
I would LOVE to go back here had a great vacation there!

Nous connaissons plutôt bien les Sofitels. Celui-​ci est l’un des meilleurs.
L’accueil est excellent sans être pesant. Le service est de qualité tout en restant discret et naturel. Les chambres né sont pas très grandes, mais d’un confort parfait.
Un petit regret pour le matelas qui était confortable certes, mais où on né peut pas vivre sa nuit sans réveiller l’autre
Salle de bain très jolie, mais je né suis pas fan du côté vieil anglais des pommeau de douche Les goûts et les couleurs !
Petit déjeuner buffet excellent, très riche en terme de choix, des fruits frais tous les matins aux goûts incroyables !
Un hôtel de luxe comme on les aime quoi !

It was my first business trip to London — meaning I would not have a chance to stay such a nice hotel on my own. Comparing other hotels I stayed — Holiday Inn and Hilton — this is the nicest one of all, which is understandable considering it’s price tag.
Coming from US, the first thing you notice is how you are treated as «ladies and gentleman» in a true meaning at this hotel. Whatever I ask for, even a tiny thing like such as scissors to cut a price tag of a brand new shirt, staple for my work docs, outlet adaptor to use US cell phone charger, their response was «absolutely» without second thought. It applies to every single staff I have spoken with.
I especially liked a tea room with pinky, rosy, comfy chairs and tea tables used for a little waiting/​meeting area, which made my meeting with clients very pleasant and comfortable.
I will try their good deal spa this weekend — including steam sauna and a la carte massage for GBP 80 for 1, 150 for 2 persons.
Miya

Herrliches Hotel in zentraler Lage. Besonders habe ich den diskreten exzellenten Service genossen, sowie immer wieder auf Französisch angesprochen zu werden. Zimmer, Ausstattung und Speisen perfekt. Ja, das Bett auch. Einziger Wermutstropfen: Winterlich kalt draußen wird die Lobby etwas ungemütlich. Nächstes Mal London, dann auf jeden Fall wieder dieses Hotel.

Picadilly, Soho, Trafalgar Square, Westminster; perfekte Lage. Wunderbar restauriertes Luxushotel im historischen Gebaude. Der Service ist herausragend. Die Zimmer nicht übermäßg groß, aber bestens ausgestattet mit modernen Unterhaltungsequipment und tolles Bett. Wenn man sich mit der Bedienung der (nicht seperaten) Dusche und den Lichtschaltern angefreundet hat, ist alles Bestens. Die Preise sind ok für ein Hotel dieser Klasse.

I love this hotel. Located in the old Cox and Kings bank building this hotel combines the best of historic architecture with all the modern amenities that a business traveler is looking for.
This Sofitel is conveniently located in London’s West End, near to St. James Park, Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace as well as all the shopping on Oxford and Regent streets. The award winning restaurant Brasserie Roux (another review for another day) is located right off the lobby and the St. James Bar with is cushy sofas and chairs is the perfect place for that night cap with friends. There is also the «Rose Lounge» which, while very feminine, is a great place to have your afternoon tea, or relax with a glass of wine after work.
Rooms are not inexpensive (about $ 367 US a night) but they are good sized by European standards and the bathrooms are stocked with nice products. I also liked the small desk area in the room which was perfect for pulling together last minute business details. And those beds! Don’t even get me started. I loved sliding between those silky sheets and pulling up that duvet every night I was there!
The concierge desk is top notch– able to get tickets and reservations for just about anything that you desire. And willing to take that extra time to make sure you know where you are going when you head out. And they are the first ones to greet you when you return to the hotel and to ask about whatever adventure they sent you on.
I love London. But London and a great hotel is just the icing on the cake!

vrai caractère, intime et bien placé
bel hotel avec un service concièrge très efficace. Les prestations sont haut de gamme mais conserve un côté humain et chaleureux. La restauration est de bonne facture avec un excellent petit déjeuner.Le personnel est majoritairement francophone ce qui donne une petite touché personnalisée supplémentaire agréable. Les chambres sont un peu petites mais très confortables. Prix justifié.

I stayed here last weekend during my first trip ever to London.
For sightseeing, this location was good because most were 3 or 4 tube stations away. Located off of Picadilly Circus station (less than 5 minutes walking), I felt that it was located in a convenient area for young people. Picadilly area has many shops open late with lights (and even few casinos), and you can truly get that party feel during the night hours. Of course, if you are a bit older, perhaps you would opt out for more quiet area.
My room was in the corner, so it was quiet. At the time of this writing, they are currently doing some remodeling inside the hotel and therefore gym is unaccessible. However, the hotel offers complimentary pass to nearby gyms for guests to compensate for this inconvenience.
I can’t really compare on price and value because this was my first trip out to London, but I felt that I got my money’s worth from my stay :-)