SD › London › Hotels › Ham Yard Review
Updated: May 23, 2022
By Santorini Dave
Essentials
• Location: Ham Yard.
• Hotel website: firmdalehotels.com
• Hotel phone: +44 (0)20 3642 2000
• Check prices for Ham Yard
Ham Yard features extraordinary art throughout the property, colorful and luxurious rooms, and an excellent roof terrace in a prime London location.
Ham Yard – A fusion of art, nature, color, texture, and fun in the West End.
Ham Yard hotel is another smash-hit from the Firmdale stable, which owns many of the best hotels in London. Its location is truly superb: Piccadilly Circus, with Carnaby Street, Soho, and Regent Street just moments away, yet nestled in a secluded courtyard that gives the hotel an off-the-beaten-track feel. Owners Tim and Kit Kemp have transformed what would otherwise be an uninspired modern building into a celebration of light and space; it provided a blank canvas for Kit to fill with her trademark clashing-but-in-a-good-way colors, patterns, quirky and oversized objects, and extraordinary artworks. As if that weren’t enough to tempt you to stay, there’s also a heavenly roof terrace and a vintage 1950s bowling alley – how many hotels can boast that?
See Also
- Best Hotels in London
- Best Family Hotels in London
- Best Boutique Hotels in London
- Where to Stay in London
Ham Yard – Location
- Address: 1 Ham Yard.
- Nearest Metro/Subway: Piccadilly Circus (0.1 mile).
- Area: Prime location in London’s West End, a short stroll away from Piccadilly Circus, Regent Street, Carnaby Street, Soho, Leicester Square, The Mall (for Buckingham Palace), Hyde Park, and Trafalgar Square.
- How to Get There: From Gatwick Airport, the high-speed Gatwick Express and slower trains run to London Victoria train station, where you can connect to the London Underground. Other trains connect Gatwick to St Pancras train station, across the street from King’s Cross station, a major London Underground hub. From Heathrow Airport, the Heathrow Express runs to Paddington train station, with onwards London Underground connections. Heathrow is also served directly by the Piccadilly underground line. Consult the Transport for London website and Citymapper app for the best way to reach the hotel.
- Private Transfer: We use and recommend Welcome Pickups car service. Booking through a private car service will cost only a bit more than a taxi – about £55 from Heathrow and £90 from Gatwick – but can be worth it to avoid the long taxi queue and for the convenience of paying ahead.
- Handy to: Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace.
Ham Yard – The Basics
- Ages: Ham Yard Hotel is a versatile and popular accommodation option for travelers on a city break, those looking for a romantic getaway, and families with children.
- View: London skyline views from the terrace and some rooms on the upper floors.
- Private Pools/Jacuzzis: No private pools/jacuzzis.
- Laundry: In-room laundry service.
- Parking: Valet parking available; £60 per day.
- Extras: Turn-down service, complimentary use of iPad/MacBook/laptop, Ham Yard Theatre, chauffeur service, and private dining rooms. All suites (excluding Junior suites) offer a bottle of champagne on arrival.
- When to Book: Book a couple of months in advance, particularly for the May to September high season and Easter and Christmas breaks.
- How to Book: Booking.com will have the best rates.
- Phone: +44 (0)20 3642 2000
- Email: hamyard@firmdale.com
- Website: firmdalehotels.com
Ham Yard – Amenities
- Pool: No pool.
- Spa: Full range of spa services available either in the Soholistic Spa or in-room.
- Fitness Center: Fully equipped gym, personal trainers available, open 24/7.
- Laundry: In-room laundry service.
- For Disabled Guests: The building is fully accessible with several rooms geared towards guests with limited mobility.
- For Families: Interconnecting rooms, babysitting services, screening room, popcorn, board games, and milk and cookies at bedtime. Children’s bathrobes, toiletries, high chairs, books, and DVDs.
- Activities: Curator-led walking tour of the hotel’s staggering art collection and some local galleries, The Croc bowling alley on-site, and shopping at boutique shops in Ham Yard Village.
Ham Yard – Food and Drink
- Restaurant: Ham Yard Restaurant is located on the hotel’s ground floor and offers breakfast, lunch, dinner (a la carte and set menu), afternoon tea, and weekend brunch menus. Guests can sit in the restaurant, bar, The Orangery, and outdoor on Ham Yard itself. The menu features European food with quality British seasonal ingredients, a children’s menu, and a dedicated vegan menu. Open 7 am-11:30 pm daily (10:30 pm Sundays and public holidays). $$-$$$
- Lounge/Bar: Ham Yard Bar is next to the restaurant, with an excellent cocktail menu that draws ingredients from the Kitchen Garden on the Roof Terrace. Same opening hours as restaurant.
- Breakfast: Not complimentary. Served 7-10 am Monday-Friday, weekend breakfast/brunch from 8 am-2 pm. Items range between £5-20.
- Room Service: Available 24 hours.
Ham Yard – Rooms
- Room Types: Superior Room • Luxury Room • Deluxe Room • Luxury Junior Suite • Deluxe Junior Suite • One Bedroom Suite • Luxury Two-Bedroom Suite • Deluxe Two-Bedroom Suite • The Terrace Suite • List of all Rooms
- Smoking Rooms: The Ham Yard Hotel is 100% smoke-free.
- Best Room: The vast Terrace Suite has 2 ensuite bedrooms separated by a spacious living/dining area with a kitchen and extra WC. Doors open from every room in the suite to the Roof Terrace, with views of the London skyline.
- For Families: Interconnecting room options, sofa beds in suites, extra beds and cots.
Ham Yard – Local Transport
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The Transport for London website, Citymapper app, and Google Maps will give you the most comprehensive ways to get around London, including walking, taxis, rideshares, and public bicycle information.
- Walking: Within 30 minutes you can walk to most of the Central London attractions, including Piccadilly Circus (0.1 mile), Regent Street (0.2 mile), Carnaby Street (0.2 mile), Soho (0.2 mile), Leicester Square (0.3 mile), for Buckingham Palace (1 mile), Hyde Park (1 mile), and Trafalgar Square (0.4 mile).
- Subway and Bus: An easy walk to several tube stations: Piccadilly Circus (0.1 mile), Leicester Square (0.4 mile), Green Park (0.6 mile); tube and mainland services from Charing Cross (0.7 mile).
- Taxis, Uber: London’s famous Black Cabs can be hailed from the street or ordered via the Gett app. Uber is also ubiquitous throughout the city – you’ll rarely have more than a 5-minute wait for a cab, although costs can rack up in traffic – you may wish you’d walked.
Ham Yard – What’s Nearby?
Recommended Nearby Tours
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There are tours on almost every aspect of London, from Harry Potter to The Beatles to the monarchy. Hotel staff are extremely knowledgeable about what’s available and can assist with booking.
- Secret London Walking Tour – Fun London Tours offer a lot of options that are fun for locals and tourists alike as they explore aspects of London that not many know about. Starts at Trafalgar Square (0.4 mile).
- London By Night Tour – See London, rather than a traffic jam, at nighttime. The company comes highly recommended and offers dozens of other tours. Starts at Green Park (0.6 mile).
- Drink London Tour – Drink your way through many of London’s most historic pubs from St Paul’s to Holborn (2 miles).
Best Nearby Restaurants
- Bocca di Lupo – Choose small or large portions of the seasonal menu that features dishes from every region of Italy. (60m).
- Kiln – Fusion Thai cooked to order in front of you in hotpots at the bar. Expect a line, but the wait is worth it. (0.1 mile).
- The Palomar – ‘Modern Jerusalem’ fare in an intimate soho restaurant with skylights and an open kitchen. (0.1 mile).
- Xu – Next to The Palomar, this elegantly broody Taiwanese den offers beautiful food, tea ceremonies, and mahjong. (0.1 mile).
- Mildreds – Ever-popular groundbreaking vegetarian restaurant (now with branches elsewhere in the city) that even the most carnivorous will love. No bookings. (0.2 mile).
- Temper – Sustainable meat smoked and barbequed in the middle of an underground restaurant. (0.2 mile).
- Social Eating House – Exquisite food from the same team as the Berners Tavern, but in a celebrated informal environment. The Blind Pig bar upstairs has a prohibition theme and serves excellent cocktails. (0.2 mile).
- Hoppers – Mouth-watering Sri-Lankan food that has people queuing as soon as the doors open. (0.3 mile).
- Ember Yard – Mouth-watering wood-fired Mediterranean sharing plates from the Salt Yard group. (0.4 mile).
- Berners Tavern – Fine dining from Jason Atherton in a breathtaking dining room stuffed with art. (0.4 mile).
Best Nearby Bars and Breweries
- The French House – This Gallic bar-restaurant is a true Soho institution. Go to discover its full history and lengthy famous guest-list. (0.2 mile).
- Experimental Cocktail Club – Find the speakeasy-style door in the heart of Chinatown and you’ll be rewarded with great cocktails in a secretive hideaway. (0.2 mile).
- Ceviche – Full flavor at this Peruvian bar-restaurant with excellent Pisco cocktails and food that does Lima proud. (0.3 mile).
- The Dog and Duck – Tiny pub with dining room famous for serving George Orwell and Madonna. Packed with locals every night. (0.3 mile).
- Swift – Elegant 2-story bar focusing on excellent cocktails and a staggering collection of over 250 whiskeys. (0.3 mile).
- Bar Termini – Brilliantly simple menu (and prices) showcasing the things this friendly Italian bar cares most about: coffee, cocktails, and negroni. (0.3 mile).
- Brewdog – A bar from the Scottish brewery taking over the world with DIY co-op ‘punk’ ethos and fantastic beers. (0.3 mile).
- Liquorette – Kitsch bar, plastered with 1970s posters, serving good pizzas and choice alcohol with the option for cocktails to go: try their signature ‘Cha-Chunker’. (0.5 mile).
Best Nearby Cafes
- Princi – Order from the enormous open bar for exquisite Milanese bread, pastries, pizza and sandwiches. Wash it down with a cocktail or coffee. Open 8 am-midnight (Sunday, 8:30am-10pm). (0.2 mile).
- Bar Italia – Opened in 1949 as a hub for the Italian community in London, 70 years on, this family-run cafe (with restaurant next door) is a 24-hour hub for the whole of London. (0.2 mile).
- Kaffeine – Often called the best coffee in London, this Antipodean cafe will not disappoint – excellent food too. Eastcastle Street outlet is 0.5 mile away.
Nearby Shopping & Cool Shops
- Piccadilly – The road that runs between Picadilly Circus and Hyde Park Corner also boasts some great shopping, including Europe’s largest bookstore, Waterstones Piccadilly and Fortnum & Mason, an extremely upmarket department store with doormen and an impressive mechanical clock. (0.2 mile).
- Berwick Street – The street to come to if you’re into fabric and haberdashery stores, vinyl (Reckless Records, Sister Ray), and graphic novels (Gosh! Comics). There’s also an incredible lunchtime street food market Monday-Saturday. (0.1 mile).
- Old Compton Street – Soho has long been known for its nightlife, especially for the gay community, but Old Compton Street is worth a stroll in the daytime for specialist produce stores, namely i Camisa & Sons, Gerry’s Wine and Spirits, and the Algerian Coffee Stores. (0.1 mile).
- Carnaby Street – This street, just before Oxford Circus Tube station, made London the height of fashion in the Swinging Sixties and still buzzes with shoppers and many restaurants. (0.3 mile).
- Oxford Street – London’s ultimate shopping street offers over a mile’s worth of high street brands and department stores. (0.4 mile).
- Liberty London – This iconic department store, world-famous for its iconic floral and paisley prints, sits at the northernmost end of Carnaby street. (0.4 mile).
- Hamleys – For those with children, be sure not to miss Hamleys on Regent Street – the biggest toy store in the world. (0.4 mile).
- Covent Garden – Once referring only to London’s main produce market, Covent Garden now refers to everything bounded by Shaftesbury Avenue in the north, Charing Cross road to the west, High Holborn in the east, and The Strand in the south; an ever-growing warren mixture of artisans, independent boutiques, designer labels, and high-street brands. Highlights include the Royal Opera House, Stanfords for maps and travel-related paraphernalia, Neal’s Yard Dairy for cheese-lovers, and Petersham Nurseries for a graceful lunch spot. (0.6 mile).
- Bond Street (0.4 mile) and Regent Street (0.4 mile), which both lead off Oxford Street to the south, and St Christopher’s Place (1 mile) just to the north of Selfridges, are the areas to hit nearby for luxury brands.
- Selfridges – With its designer brands and incredible food hall, this is the one shop not to miss on Oxford Street. (1.1 mile).
Nearby Attractions
- Leicester Square – A pleasant plaza that celebrates entertainment, from the statue of Shakespeare in the center to the street performers and the enormous cinemas that hold the UK premieres of the biggest new releases. (0.2 mile).
- Theatreland – London’s ‘West End’ is as renowned as Broadway for the best, biggest, newest, and longest-running theater productions with dozens of historic theaters spanning from Tottenham Court Road down to the river, with a concentrated cluster on Shaftesbury Avenue. (0.3 mile)
- Trafalgar Square – London’s premiere square with some of its most important landmarks. Admiralty Arch in the southwest corner leads to The Mall and Buckingham Palace and, of course, Nelson’s Column celebrates the admiral responsible for Britain’s win against Napoleon. Don’t miss the National Gallery at the top of the steps, or its adjoining sister, the National Portrait Gallery for some of the country’s most precious gems. (0.4 mile).
- Buckingham Palace – Stroll down the wide avenue, The Mall, from Trafalgar Square and walk in the footsteps of the British monarchy. Admiralty Arch (start of The Mall) is 0.5 mile away.
- British Museum – Considered one of the best museums in the world with millions of treasures from all regions and eras. (0.8 mile).
- Westminster – From Trafalgar Square, it’s an easy stroll down Whitehall (via the Prime Minister’s residence at 10 Downing Street) to Parliament, with its famous clock tower, and Westminster Abbey, where monarchs are crowned and many of the most celebrated Brits are buried. (1 mile).
Nearby Markets or Grocery Stores
- Whole Foods Market – Health food and fresh produce megastore just off Piccadilly Circus. (0.1 mile).
- Japan Centre – Japanese food hall just off Leicester Square selling pan-Asian products. (0.2 mile).
- Tesco Metro – A 7/11 basic mini mart in Soho. (0.4 mile).
Ham Yard – The Hotel
When it joined the group of Firmdale hotels, the historic Ham Yard was given a contemporary makeover, with a huge Tony Cragg sculpture near the front entrance. The hotel also places art front and center – even offering a tour of their collection.
The vast modern spaces are filled with a mix of textures and colours. Pictured here is the lobby with views through to the restaurant.
The Ham Yard Restaurant offers a changing menu of seasonal dishes featuring British produce. Reservations recommended for lunch and dinner.
The Orangery is the perfect spot for the wonderful afternoon tea menu, open to non-guests as well and served between noon and 5 pm. Gluten-free and other dietary requirements catered to. Book your time slot online.
The Ham Yard Bar serves classic and original cocktails, as well as carefully selected wines, and there’s a small plate menu to compliment the drinks.
The Library, which features an honesty bar, offers guests a place to cozy up with a book from the carefully-selected and wide-ranging collection of literature and books on art and design.
The Drawing Room provides guests with another common area to take drinks or afternoon tea.
One of the generously-sized Deluxe Rooms, whose King bed can be twinned.
Even the smallest ‘Superior’ and ‘Luxury’ rooms have comfy chairs and workspaces, but in the Deluxe Room, guests have a living area that really feels separate and provides ample relaxation space.
Striped wallpaper and bold artwork featuring different shades of green, a 2-tone sofa, and photo print fabric on a chair: somehow, Kit Kemp’s attention to detail pulls these together every time, especially here in one of the Luxury Junior Suites.
The One-Bedroom Suites, with their vast living areas, are among the more generously-sized rooms in London in their price category.
The Terrace Suite boasts 2 ensuite bedrooms, a fully-equipped kitchen and dining area, powder room, and 4 double doors that lead out to the terrace itself.
With the sun shining on the roof terrace, you would not know you were in London.
The hotel’s roof garden provides fresh vegetables and herbs (although it’s mainly for the chef’s inspiration), and keeps bees.
Down in the basement, the 190-seat theater holds private screenings, while the adjoining Dive Bar serves a wide range of cocktails, wines, and spirits.
Few hotels in London can lay claim to their very own private basement bowling alley.
The Soholistic Spa offers an extensive array of pampering and beauty treatments.
The hotel has an urban village feel to it, centered as it is around a quiet patio that’s a pocket of tranquility in otherwise bustling Soho.
Piccadilly Circus is one of London’s real landmarks thanks to the huge billboards. There are several entrances to Piccadilly tube station.
Just east of Piccadilly Circus is Leicester Square. The cinemas here often host movie premieres and the verdant well-kept plaza, set around a statue of Shakespeare, makes a pleasant resting place.
Just south of Leicester Square is Trafalgar Square and Nelson’s Column – a monument to Admiral Horatio Nelson who perished in the Battle of Trafalgar.
This elegant, becolumned building is the National Gallery. It’s the UK’s best collection of art from the mid-13th century to the 1900s.
From Trafalgar Square, head southwest through Admiralty Arch to get a glimpse of Buckingham Palace up The Mall.
Not far from the hotel is the very chic Berners Tavern. Don’t be fooled by the name; this is no pub but fine dining from Jason Atherton. Another of his restaurants, the Social Eating House, is back towards Soho and has a more relaxed vibe.
The hotel is a worthwhile short walk from some of the best coffee in London at Kaffeine.
Also in Fitzrovia is the Liquorette, which serves cocktails to go or to stay in their 2-story bar that channels 1970s California retro.
Scottish craft beer chain Brewdog is open much of the day for burgers, brunches, and own brews. It’s an easy walk towards Oxford Street.
Corazon, a marvellous Mexican bistro, has the friendly feeling of a neighborhood bar; don’t go anywhere else for tacos.
Ember Yard delivers Spanish and Italian wood-fired delicacies.
You might not get a table at the Dog and Duck as it’s usually rammed with locals, but if you do get a spot, there’s decent pub grub too.
Mildreds: making vegetarian food cool since 1988 in its beautiful Soho dining rooms.
If smoke and fire is your thing, you can’t do better than Temper, an underground den with an enormous open grill in the middle, a block from Mildreds.
There will be another hot restaurant to queue outside soon, but for now it’s Hoppers’ turn – superb Sri Lankan karis (curries). Almost opposite is the joyous Peruvian bar-restaurant Ceviche.
Set up soon after WWII, Bar Italia was originally a place for immigrants to get together to remember the old country. Now it’s home to everyone and anyone, 24 hours a day.
A block away from Bar Italia is The French House, which offers a huge range of wines and champagnes by the glass or bottle, as well as gorgeous food in its upstairs dining room.
Bocca di Lupo serves outstanding Italian plates chosen region by region. The same team run the Gelupo gelateria opposite the restaurant.
Kiln cooks fusion Thai dishes to order in front of you. No reservations, so be prepared to wait during the busiest times.
The magnificent 1930s mock-Tudor facade of the Liberty department store is unmissable. Pedestrianized Carnaby Street, lined with independent boutiques, is out the back door of the shop.
The streets around Carnaby Street are teeming with restaurants, especially Kingly Street and Kingly Court.
Gosh! Comics is one of the many quirky niche-interest shops you’ll find on Berwick Street. During the day, market stalls line the street.
Trust Gerry’s on Old Compton Street to get you in the mood for a night out in Soho – they have liquors from every corner of the globe. At the other end of Old Compton Street are the wonderful cocktail bars Swift and Bar Termini, opposite each other near Cambridge Circus.
Regent Street is synonymous with high-end fashion and is lined with a number of flagship stores. Here you’ll find designer wear by the likes of Karl Lagerfeld, Sandro, Kate Spade, and Karen Millen.
Hamleys, also on Regent Street, is the biggest toy store in the world, covering 7 floors.
Along with Broadway, nowhere in the world can beat the offerings of the theaters in London’s West End. This is the view at night down Shaftesbury Avenue.
Just south of Shaftesbury Avenue are the bright lights of Chinatown, a haven for great food and hidden cocktail bars… All that marks the Experimental Cocktail Club is a black door with a bouncer.
Just around the corner from Ham Yard, Whole Foods Market is your best bet for fresh produce or food-on-the-go, especially for the health-conscious.
A 12-minute walk east of the hotel is Covent Garden, the site of a produce market since the mid-17th-century. These days, the covered market is filled with independent boutiques and gift shops, while the piazza in front of the market plays host to street performers. The Royal Opera House and the London Transport Museum – the latter a huge hit with kids – are just steps away. Check rates and availability: Ham Yard
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