Hotel Indigo London - 1 Leicester Square

The rooftop restaurant on the 9th floor (10th in the US) has a wonderful city view. The location is also ideal, right between Piccadilly Circus and an easy walk to the Tube. Still, this didn't feel like the Indigo hotels I've stayed at before. Most rooms seem to be windowless, and those are given to people booking through third-party sites. Mine had no window, and I lost track of the time of day. The lift is painfully slow and tiny. Three people fill it, then you may wait another five minutes for it to return and hope it's empty. I paid for breakfast through the third-party site, but apparently that information never reached the hotel. Would I stay again? Maybe a 4 out of 10.

The rooms were ready when we arrived around midday, even though check-in was at 3pm. We were six people coming from Ireland for a graduation and had booked three rooms. I emailed to ask if we might be able to use a room to change, and Hashim H said he'd try to arrange it. We were delighted to find all three rooms ready. Thank you, Hashim. The rooms were clean, bright, and spacious, with walk-in showers, coffee machines, steamers, kettles, hairdryers, toiletries, robes, and slippers. Breakfast at the rooftop restaurant had something for everyone. The area is lovely, with shops and Underground stations nearby. A really lovely overnight stay, with great customer service.

The slow lifts were my one small complaint. From the fourth floor, the right-hand lift gave no indication of where it was or when it would arrive. Aside from that, we enjoyed two nights here. My wife and I had a fourth-floor room overlooking Leicester Square, and reception were excellent, even letting us check in a little early. The ninth-floor bar was excellent too, and the staff there were particularly welcoming. The hotel is very central, with excellent public transport links to the major sights. Service was very, very good.

Breakfast on the ninth floor came with lovely views across the city. There was a buffet of cereal, yoghurt, bread and toast, cold meats, cheese, and fruit, plus a hot menu with plenty of choices, including a full English. The location is fantastic for the West End, Chinatown, Covent Garden, and Trafalgar Square, with the Underground four minutes away. My room was spacious, spotless, and comfortable, with a dressing table, bedside tables, hanging space, tea and coffee, a kettle, fridge, safe, TV, and plenty of plug and USB points. The bathroom had a roomy rain shower, a nice basin with a large shelf, toiletries, good-sized white towels, a large mirror and magnifying mirror, and a hairdryer. I slept perfectly without any disturbance. Booking in was quick, easy, and welcoming. A hidden gem in central Leicester Square.