See inside the stylish Covent Garden hotel transformed from a dull 80s office building

The garden bar. PIC: John Athimaritis

In the 1990s I was a newspaper photographer for local papers in London. Our newspaper’s office was in Hammersmith, in the west of the city. But our news patch ranged from Fulham, Marylebone, Paddington, Kensington and Chelsea into Westminster and the city of London. Back then I knew my way around the streets of London like a cabbie. One minute I would take photos of the Queen arriving at the Chelsea Flower Show, and the next I would climb up a crane to get a bird's eye view of a construction site. A conference invite means I have the perfect excuse to revisit some of my old stomping grounds, after decades of absence.

Despite the vast size of London being overwhelming at first, I quickly felt at home and part of a patchwork of communities. Years later I returned north to Edinburgh for a new role and to raise a family. But I still have fond memories of my twenties, living, working and playing hard in the capital.

Returning here the sense of familiarity hit me in waves. First, the rumbles and dusty smell of the underground, and then the push to get in a crowded tube. Nowadays I opt for the lift at Covent Garden instead of climbing the 193 stairs like I used to. But stepping out in daylight, of James Street the Nag’s head pub is still there - although there has been a pub on this site since the 1670s, so it is not a surprise. There’s still the same hustle and bustle of performers in Covent Garden Plaza.

The 141-bedroom Hotel AMANO Covent Garden has been converted from an office building. PIC: John Athimaritis

My room for the night is at the stylish Amano Hotel on Drury Lane. En route, I take a wrong turn and gaze up at the exterior of St Clement Danes School. I know I have been here before, most likely photographing a school concert or a visit from Chelsea pensioners, but the exact details are lost with time.

The AMANO Covent Garden is a boutique lifestyle hotel in the stable of the uber-cool Berlin-based AMANO hotel group. They aim to provide beautifully designed spaces in the best city centre locations for a reasonable price. I’m impressed they’ve transformed a dull 1980s office building and turned it into a stylish 141-bedroom hotel.

It’s located directly opposite the stage door at The Theatre Royal on Drury Lane. Currently, it's where Tom Hiddleston is starring in Much Ado About Nothing with Hayley Atwell and Forbes Masson. Perhaps, I should have brought a long lens to snap them leaving like an old-school paparazzi.

Inside the sleek foyer, I see statement lighting and cool features curated by London-based design studio Woods Bagot. The hotel restaurant Penelope’s, located on the ground level, is led by London-born Fez Ozalgan. The female executive chef accepted her role in 2022, and with her Turkish Cypriot heritage, her culinary style reflects a melting pot of Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Latin Spanish cuisine. The word is that the baklava cheesecake is divine.

After an effortless check-in and a short elevator ride, I arrive at my spacious room, with its dark floorboards and sixties-inspired headboard, which oozes way more city chic than I do. The bathroom walls feature charcoal metro tiles and an impressive walk-in rainforest shower. The Daluma toiletries offer divine scents to wash away the city grime.

As a weary traveller, it seems rude not to cocoon myself in a luxurious robe and settle in for the night. But London is a city that never sleeps, and I am curious to see what’s happening in the ‘hood.

My room window overlooks the Peabody Trust's Wild Street Estate, which I’m sure I have visited previously. The Bronx-style caged basketball court is a more recent addition. Just beyond I spot The Church of Scotland Court. Despite working here for years, I never knew it existed. Intrigued, I stroll around the block to see what else I’ve missed on my patch in this corner of Westminster.

At night, the area comes alive. Around Covent Garden, you can find around 20 theatres, so this is the ideal location to stay if you want to take in a show. Operation Mincemeat is on at The Fortuna Theatre, or The Play That Goes Wrong at The Duchess Theatre. I pause my stroll outside the Lyceum Theatre, to witness a sea of pink fluffy illuminated pedal-powered taxi cabs, congregating outside The Lion King; the drivers jostling to attract theatregoers, by blasting out banging tunes on their speakers.

I forego that pleasure and instead head back towards Drury Lane walking past Mamma Mia at the Novello Theatre, and Tina at the Aldwych Theatre. But if you prefer high culture, the Royal Opera and The Royal Ballet are nearby.

There’s no shortage of places to eat, drink and be merry, but I have a table for the hip seventh-floor Hotel AMANO Rooftop terrace. I am here solo, so I decide to play it cool and sip a signature cocktail while drinking in the impressive panoramic skyline. The selection of tapas plates makes the perfect accompaniment.

Time vanishes for me on the rooftop terrace. Maybe it’s the sundowners and sweeping views of the London Eye and Big Ben, but it feels good to be back in London.

A stay at Hotel AMANO Covent Garden starts from £160 per room per night.

For further information or to book, visit: https://www.amanogroup.com/en/hotels/london-hotel-amano-covent-garden