The Langham London Proves Its Golden Age Is Just Beginning

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Step out of Oxford Circus and within minutes you’re at the threshold of The Langham, London—a hotel that has been shaping the city’s hospitality scene since 1865. When it opened, with hydraulic lifts, electric lighting, and hundreds of bedrooms, it was hailed as the most modern hotel in Europe. Today, its Portland stone façade and arched windows still speak to that Victorian grandeur, but inside the story has shifted. While its heritage remains intact, contemporary dining, wellness, and a growing emphasis on sustainability signal how even a grand dame can move with the times.

The Vibe

The Langham carries the confidence of an institution. Palm Court still hosts afternoon tea beneath mirrored columns and chandeliers, a ritual it pioneered in London more than 150 years ago. The Artesian bar, once crowned the best in the world, still draws a steady mix of locals and travelers with its experimental menus. The lobby speaks in marble and symmetry rather than spectacle, a reminder that this building has seen London change around it without feeling the need to change its voice.

Who’s it for?

Travelers who want heritage with relevance. Couples drawn by romance and ritual, families who value generous suites, business travelers needing meeting rooms, and international guests looking for a classic London address near Regent Street. Increasingly, the hotel also appeals to those who want visible environmental practices alongside five-star service.

Rooms and Suites

The Langham offers 380 rooms and suites that shift from understated guest rooms in creams and soft greys to sprawling residences large enough to house a family. Entry-level Classic Rooms (300 sq ft) come with marble bathrooms, Diptyque amenities, and Dyson hairdryers, while higher categories add silk drapery, bespoke furnishings, and views that frame Regent’s Park, Langham Place, or the spire of All Souls Church.

Upstairs, the Langham Club gives guests a calmer alternative to Regent Street, complete with private check-in, dining, and quiet corners to work. Families gravitate toward the larger suites, including the Infinity Suite (2,540 sq ft), with its semi-circular sitting room and infinity bath, while the Sterling Suite crowns the collection. At 4,844 sq ft, it spans six bedrooms, a media lounge, and a dining room for twelve, with a dedicated butler on call.

Upgrades across the hotel have introduced motion-sensor lighting, water-saving fixtures, digital thermostats, and refillable glass bottles, part of a larger effort to reduce carbon output.

Eating and Drinking

Palm Court anchors the hotel’s culinary identity as the birthplace of afternoon tea. Each day, servers present three-tiered stands stacked with cucumber, prawn, and curried Shropshire chicken sandwiches, warm scones, and a rotating selection of pastries. Executive Pastry Chef Andrew Gravett, who trained at Valrhona, works with Michel Roux Jr. to design the sweets: an apricot and Earl Grey Charlotte wrapped in sponge, a rosewater baba topped with candied petals, or a glossy custard cream stamped with the Langham crest. The mirrored columns, blush palette, and live piano reinforce the sense of dining inside a salon that belongs as much to the city as it does to the hotel.

Palm Court has also been a platform for reinvention. In 2023, chef Dom Taylor staged The Good Front Room, a Caribbean residency that turned the Victorian salon into a showcase of jerk-marinated chicken, curry goat with roti, and banana-leaf–baked sea bream. Afrofuturist artwork, funk and soul on the speakers, and rum-forward cocktails transformed the setting. The experiment proved that a Victorian salon could host both cucumber sandwiches and curry goat with equal authority.

The residency ended in April 2024. In the evenings, Palm Court now transforms into Chez Roux, which brings Michel Roux Jr. back to the hotel after the closure of Roux at the Landau. Dinner here follows a French framework but works with British ingredients, extending the Roux family’s long culinary imprint on the property.

For something more relaxed, The Wigmore serves as the hotel’s tavern, styled after a Victorian public house but refined. Expect cask ales, craft beers, and plates like the XXL Stovetop Toastie, served at high tables beneath heritage green tiling.

Across the hall, Artesian continues to chart its own path in cocktail culture. The bar earned the title of World’s Best Bar from Drinks International’s World’s 50 Best Bars for four consecutive years, from 2012 to 2015, during the tenure of head bartender Alex Kratena. Since his departure in 2015, Artesian has evolved under new leadership while keeping its reputation for inventive themes and theatrical presentation. Recent menus have leaned into storytelling, with cocktails arriving under glass cloches or designed around surrealist motifs—drinks that edge towards performance over mere refreshment.

Sustainability runs through all three venues: menus emphasize responsibly sourced fish, local suppliers, and food-waste reduction schemes that redirect surplus to charities.

Wellness, Fitness, and Amenities

Chuan Body + Soul transforms a former bank vault into a wellness hub. The 52-foot swimming pool sits alongside steam rooms, a sauna, and a relaxation lounge. Treatments follow Traditional Chinese Medicine principles, with therapies like the Chuan Harmony massage. The fitness center comes with modern cardio and weights equipment, and Regent’s Park sits just a short jog from the front door.

Families benefit from children’s programming, and event planners have access to 15 spaces, including the Grand Ballroom, equipped with energy-efficient lighting and recycling systems. The Langham Club provides a quiet alternative for business travelers, while in-room dining runs 24/7.

Sustainability

The Langham London became the first luxury hotel in Europe to achieve EarthCheck Platinum certification in 2020 and has maintained the standard every year since. The hotel diverts little to no waste to landfills, thanks to an ORCA food-waste digester installed in 2018, and has phased in in-house water bottling and refillable bathroom dispensers to eliminate single-use plastics.

At least one-fifth of the hotel’s menus are made up of fully vegetarian or vegan dishes, a benchmark The Langham tracks as part of its EarthCheck certification to show a deliberate shift toward lower-impact dining, not just token side salads. Guests can borrow hotel bicycles, while event planners can book through the hotel’s CONNECT sustainable meetings program, which offers lower-impact setups.

The Verdict

The Langham deftly balances history with relevance. Afternoon tea at Palm Court still defines this British ritual, Artesian holds its rank among the city’s most inventive bars, and suites offer a retreat above Regent Street. By layering sustainability into its operations—whether through energy-efficient retrofits, responsible sourcing, or food-waste initiatives—the hotel shows that longevity in London doesn’t come from nostalgia alone but from the ability to evolve.

The Langham London, 1C Portland Pl, London W1B 1JA, United Kingdom