The Fitzrovia Belle Hotel

We only meant to stop in for Sunday roast around noon, but ended up staying seven hours. The roast was great, and there was a nice kids’ menu too. Staff were so friendly and looked after us really well. We’d stumbled across the pub by chance, and I’m glad we did. It’s a perfect spot for a big group, and watching the India/Pakistan cricket match over lunch and a few rounds of drinks made for a fun afternoon.

The big plus was being able to walk to the theatre district. We stayed one night while visiting London for the theatre. The staff were lovely and explained everything on arrival, and even offered us a free drink, though we didn’t end up having it. The room was clean and adequate, the bed comfortable, and the bathroom large and clean, but much colder than the room. Sleep was the problem. We were above the northern line, and the night trains made the whole building vibrate. There was also shouting outside at 3am, though I know that isn’t the hotel’s fault and it is on a London high street. A private function that was meant to finish at 12:30am continued until 2am and disturbed us too, though that obviously won’t happen every time. I’d recommend staying, just be aware of the night train noise.

The bar’s ceiling is covered in imitation foliage, which sounds naff but actually looks really effective. Sports TV was on in one section, but not so loud that lunch was uncomfortable. I had a burger and chips, both lovely, and the menu had plenty to choose from. The staff were polite and friendly. It’s at the top end of Tottenham Court road, a good place to eat or have a drink before heading into the mayhem of the theatre district. I don’t know what the rooms are like, but the West End is well placed if a ten minute walk to the theatre district suits you.

The pub itself is perfectly fine, but the service was painfully slow. It felt like the front bar didn’t exist. Getting the bar person’s attention was so difficult that two different people asked whether they could order from the front bar. If you have a front bar, please pay attention to the people sitting there. With pints over £7 in this area, I’d at least expect the staff to pretend they care. Very unlikely to come back.