Chiltern Firehouse

Where:
London, UK
Why:Business and visiting home
When:August 2022
Who:Me, myself and lots of friends

"The bar is the stuff of legends, don’t be surprised to be dancing next to Mick Jagger at 2 AM"

AT A GLANCE: Located in central London and known as the watering hole of the rich, noble and famous, Chiltern Firehouse is reassuringly expensive but delivers way above its value. From an iconic bar to a Micheline-star restaurant, prime location, and great breakfast, it is perfect for both solo and family travelers. All in all, you will be in good hands and don’t forget to try out the frozen Aperol Spritz.

Selfie in the lift

You can see why it got the name

Not very large but super comfy with everything one could need

The in-suite living room. It looked great, but in all honesty, I was always at the bar :)

This has a better selection than most bars you will go to. In no way can it be called a ‘Mini Bar’

Dial 00 for anything — I have heard that you can literally ask for ‘anything’

I fell in love with the salt and pepper shakers on the outside terrace

The bar is just as charming for breakfast as it is for dancing late at night

Bar at night

Chiltern Firehouse Secret smoking area. At night this is where we always ended up hanging out for hours. You have to walk through the downstairs bathrooms to find it

Secret smoking area. At night this is where we always ended up hanging out for hours. You have to walk through the downstairs bathrooms to find it

Highs & Lows

Fantastic service is often extremely hard to describe. It’s that certain thing you can’t quite put your finger on. It’s neither formal nor informal. It’s osmosis — it just flows. I had this feeling of going back to a place I’d been to many times before but it was in fact my first time. This is exactly the feeling I had arriving at Chiltern Firehouse
You can flow between the outside courtyard restaurant then indoor dining room and the bar as if moving to different rooms in your house. The staff always make sure they can accommodate you
I only found out about their Frozen Aperol Spritz on the final night and it is my new favourite drink. I met with several friends while staying and every cocktail tried got the heavy nod of approval
It seems that the bar never closes but the rooms are super quiet. This really is perfection
Super comfortable beds. I slept like a baby

It’s easy to never leave the hotel and after a few days you might forget that you are in London and should in fact leave every now and again
No onsite gym. Not that you would use one, as you will probably will be too busy drinking Frozen Aperol Spritzes at the bar

The Barometer

Design
Location
Future Forward
Night's Sleep
Service

Amenities
Takeable Treats
Refer a Friend
Overall Value
Life Changing

Total: 48/50

Important Bits

Type
Lifestyle hotel
Vibe
Chilled in the day and very vibey bar at night
Location
Perfect location in central London. Great if you want to be central or west
Rooms
26 rooms and suites. I tried the classic room and a suite — both were great
Pre-Arrival & Arrival Experience
Fantastic, I called at 4 am to say I was going to be flying in that morning at 8 am and they assured me they would find me a room straight away
Future Forward
Previously a Grade II listed Fire Station, restoration was done keeping in mind the heritage value of the building
Music
Disco, funk and old school classics in the bar, quiet outside in the courtyard. The perfect balance
Year Opened
2014
Designed By
The formerly red-brick fire station restored by the hotelier Andre Balazs. Interiors by Paris-based Studio KO
Health & Wellness
It’s not the place to come if you are looking to work out as there are no facilities but they will get you access free of charge to a local gym if needed
Food
Boasts an equally famous Michelin-starred restaurant helmed by Nuno Mendes
Bar, Events & Nightlife
The bar is the stuff of legends, don’t be surprised to be dancing next to Mick Jagger at 2 am
Minibar & Retail
It’s not really a minibar more a fully stocked bar with everything you could want to create cocktails for days
Accessibility
Yes, lifts and one specially adapted room
Pet Friendly
Yes
Children
Yes
Price
The price is not cheap but neither is a first class transatlantic plane ticket. You really do get what you pay for
Tel.
+44 020 7073 7676
Website
Visit website

Chiltern Firehouse

1 Chiltern Street, London, UK

The Restaurant at Chiltern Firehouse

Chiltern Firehouse, Chiltern Street, London, UK

Sherlock Holmes Museum

221B Baker Street, London, UK

Fortnum & Mason

Fortnum & Mason, Piccadilly, London, UK

In the Area

Hotel Location 1 Chiltern Street, London, UK

Chiltern Firehouse is in London’s Marylebone district, in the West End. It is close to the shopping hubs of Oxford Street and Marylebone High Street. Attractions like the Sherlock Holmes Museum, Madame Tussauds, the Wallace Collection, and Wigmore Hall are a stone's throw away.