One of London’s very best boutique hotels, Page 8 bills itself as the perfect place for the ‘urban explorer’. It’s quite a boast, but with Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden and Whitehall (1 min, 5 mins and 5 mins) on its doorstep – it comfortably lives up to this claim.
Design led and thrillingly minimalistic, the hotel, on hyper central Charing Cross Road, is a joy from start to finish. From the perfectly formed coffee shop on the ground floor (Page Common), to the cosy yet fully featured rooms, to the frankly breathtaking views of Central London from its rooms, Page 8 ticks every box.
Page what?
The name comes from a quote by Saint Augustine. “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page” it goes. The 8 relates to the number of the building in Saint Martin’s Lane where the hotel resides.
Page Common
The hotel begins in the lobby with Page Common. It’s a small but elegant café with stripped wood accent walls, wood floors and impossibly comfortable sofas and armchairs.
The baristas serve up the usual selection of lattes, macchiatos and capuccinos, but the quality of the coffee is impressive here – courtesy of Brixton based Assembly Coffee.
There is a never ending diet of cool music, and with the assortment of glossy indie mags scattered about the place, Page Common is certainly a great place to hang out.
Although the hotel doesn’t offer its own dedicated restaurant or spa, with the many eateries, bars and spas right outside its front door, hotel guests are certainly well catered for.
The Rooms
Page 8 has 138 rooms spread over four floors, with six different room categories. There’s the entry level Standard King, the Standard Twin, the Superior Double, Deluxe Double, roomy Suite and a small selection of Family Rooms.
We say four floors but actually, in common with most Asian hotels, there is no fourth flour, neither is there a room four. This is because the Chinese word for four also means death in much of Asia.
Interiors wise, each room has a cool, modern design, with a blue, gold and white colour scheme. Blue is an important color in Hong Kong, where the chain originates, as it signifies summer.
Each room comes with a mini bar, safe box and air purifier. There’s also a really handy same day laundry service.
Meanwhile, the design conscious will love the hi tech Marshall speakers and cool retro telephone on the bedside tables. The phone is styled to ressemble a vintage model, however, there are buttons where the ringer used to sit.
The bathrooms all come with a shower as standard.
The Page 8 Suite
The suites are the real star here, however. Formed of two parts, a bedroom and a sitting room area, they are not quite as big as rooms in American hotels but are still ample for those who want to do more than just sleep in their room. The views are the real boon here.
The Rooftop Bar
Sadly, when we visited the hotel, the rooftop bar was not yet open. Due in the summer 2020, once opened, the bar will offer some of the most enviable views in London.
Check in/Check out
The check-in at the hotel opens at 2pm and runs until midnight with guests required to check out by noon. time 2:00 PM-midnight
If you love being immersed in a new city from the get-go, then the Page 8 hotel on Charing Cross Road should be your first port of call. The venue is perfectly placed for discovering Central London’s major attractions and with 138 cool and stylish rooms, one of London’s best coffee shops downstairs and views to take your breath away, the hotel should certainly be in your little black book.
