GEMMA TIPTONspends a night at Hazlitt's Hotel, in London
IN 1830 THE CELEBRATED English essayist William Hazlitt died in his boarding house, at 6 Frith Street in London. His landlady shoved his body under the bed so she could show the room to prospective tenants while she waited for the undertaker. They have better manners at Hazlitt’s these days – and, presumably, better ways of dealing with guests who fail to check out by noon.
Opened in 1986 and refurbished in 2000, Hazlitt’s hotel now occupies 5, 6 and 7 Frith Street in a beguilingly rambling arrangement of staircases, levels and rooms. It’s all very Georgian, in a cosy rather than an overbearing sort of a way, with original panelling, idiosyncrasies such as dipping floors and a lack of straight walls, lots of antiques, some four-poster beds and a few Victorian touches in the bathrooms – after all, the Georgian idea of plumbing and contemporary ideas of comfort do not sit well together.
Hazlitt’s is rated as a four-star hotel, although it feels much more luxurious than that. When we arrived our bags were carried up to our elegant wood-panelled room, and we were offered a cup of tea. Opting for something stronger – there is a fire-lit sitting room with an honour bar – we went downstairs, sat, sipped and contemplated a foray into the surrounding Soho.
Once hunting fields – the name of the area comes from a hunting cry – Soho is today home to hunting of a different kind, as sex shops, theatres, galleries, chichi bars and fancy restaurants coexist, seemingly very happily.
Lying in bed later, and listening to random cries of night-time revellers, I started to think of all the people who had slept here through the centuries, and the sounds they had heard from beneath their windows. This might seem fanciful, but it’s the kind of thing Hazlitt’s seems to evoke.
All the bedrooms are named for people with a connection to Hazlitt or to the building. So JK Rowling can write in the visitor’s book: “I would love to stay in Lady Frances forever.” Lady Frances Hewitt, another former resident of No 6, devoted herself to prison reform. We stayed in Sir James Bateman, and were entirely happy with it.
The beds are firm, which I like, and there are hardcover books on the bookshelves. I helped myself to the duchess of Windsor’s memoirs but soon found them soporific.
The bathroom (in Sir James Bateman, at least) was fantastic, with a deep roll-top bath set in an alcove and a charmingly old fashioned toilet. Can one be charmed by toilets? It seems at Hazlitt’s you can. Frith Street is narrow, so a good tip is to close the bathroom blinds, unless you want to cheer up the lives of the people working in the offices across the way.
A room I would have loved to have explored is Madam Dafloz, named for a French woman who had lived down the road. Described as "young and lovely" and with a reputation for cleanliness, she had her own entry in Harris's List of Covent Garden Ladies, an 18th-century directory of local prostitutes. Madam Dafloz was occupied on our visit, so we never got to see inside and can't say whether we would have been disappointed or seduced.
We did peek in the suites, one of which is the Duke of Monmouth: apparently, he led an unsuccessful rebellion against James I, and it took eight blows of the axe to behead him. This suite includes an enormous bath in the bedroom, a separate sitting room and a private roof terrace with a retractable roof for enjoying both sunny and rainy days. Bathrooms in the suites are up a little flight of stairs, which is either an irritation or, if you want to preserve the mystery on an intimate weekend away, a blessing.
Hazlitt’s is captivating and quirky, and I love the location. There is no breakfast room, so you order what you want, and it arrives on a tray to your room. We split deliciously fresh, warm flaky pastries between us, plus tea for two, and I began to agree with Rowling, and think I would love to stay in Sir James forever.
Rooms range from doubles to stunning suites, and aren’t cheap. But if you’re looking for a hotel that doesn’t feel like a hotel but has all the amenities of one, and where you feel special and looked after, then this is the place for you.
It’s one of those half-kept secrets that people return to again and again. It’s right in the heart of one of the most fun bits of London, and if you do want to do something memorable, then Hazlitt’s is well worth treating yourself to.
WhereHazlitt's Hotel, 6 Frith Street, London, 00-44-20-74341771, hazlittshotel.com.
WhatFour-star boutique hotel.
Rooms30, including three suites.
Best ratesRooms start at about £200 per room per night, excluding breakfast.
Restaurants and barsRoom-service menu. No restaurant. The Library has an honour bar; sitting rooms.
Child-friendlinessChildren welcome.
AccessCheck when booking for availability of wheelchair-accessible rooms.
AmenitiesFantastic location in central London, complimentary Wi-Fi, meeting room.