Scarfes Bar
Daily from 4pm, cocktails £20 to £24, live music 6 nights a week; No. 31 in The World’s 50 Best Bars 2025. The bar has a page of its own.
Rosewood London
Rosewood London, at 252 High Holborn in London, is the Edwardian former headquarters of Pearl Assurance, entered through a carriage courtyard. It has 264 rooms and 44 suites and Scarfes Bar.
A week here, month by monthRosewood London suits a stay on foot, with the British Museum 10 minutes away; one night taken alone for 2 adults starts at £431 on 8–10 January 2027, the lowest any seller showed on Google. For a pool, look elsewhere: there is none.
Scarfes Bar: hours, prices and how to get a table Check rooms and rates on the official siteDoes it suit you?
5 pairs of hotels, and the guide tells you whether this one suits you.Like a regular
The room to ask for
I would ask for the Grand Premier Room: over 37 square metres with tailored wall panelling and an Italian marble bathroom with a walk-in shower or deep soaking bath. The Deluxe has 29 square metres and faces High Holborn or the outer building.
The weeks that cost less
From 29 January to 4 February 2027, one night taken alone cost £435 to £462, read 13 October 2026. Booked as 7 nights from 16 November, the lowest seller asked £1,487 a night; 5 of those nights taken alone, £610 to £707.
Tax and service charge
Room prices on the hotel’s pages are in pounds sterling and include 20% tax. The More Rosewood and Family Moments offers add a 5% discretionary service charge to their rates.
The hour after a treatment
Book a treatment at Sense, and the lounge, sauna and steam rooms are yours for up to one hour afterwards. Arrive at least 30 minutes early; the last entry to the facilities is 6.45pm.
What Rosewood London is
The building went up between 1912 and 1930 for Pearl Assurance, which had its headquarters here from 1914 to 1989; it is Grade II listed. It became a hotel in 2000, and in October 2013 reopened as Rosewood London. You enter through an archway on High Holborn into an Edwardian courtyard, where in summer, from 1 June to late September 2026, there is a terrace.
There are 4 places to eat. Holborn Dining Room is a British brasserie with The Gin Bar, one of London’s largest gin collections: Beef Wellington on Wednesdays, the roast on Sundays from 12.30pm. The Mirror Room serves tea from noon to 5.45pm and dinner Tuesday to Saturday; The Pie Room sells pies to take away Tuesday to Thursday. Scarfes Bar opens daily at 4pm, with live music 6 nights a week.
Guests reward it: 4.7 out of 5 on Google from 3,658 reviews, 4.7 on Tripadvisor from 3,219, 9.0 on Booking.com from 1,623, and 2 MICHELIN Keys in 2026. The category matters when you book: entry rooms measure 29 m² and face High Holborn or the outer building; the restaurant and the bar add 15% service.
Scarfes Bar appears in 48 of the 2,000 most recent Google reviews read, with an average of 4.73 stars within that group. The comparison, dated 4 October 2026, also covers 50 official pages and the PDF menus, a year of prices on Google Hotels, Booking.com, Tripadvisor, Wikipedia and the 50 Best lists.
One Lume
Lumina Guide 2027
Gives more than the other hotels of its place and price range.
Rosewood London fills the Edwardian former head office of Pearl Assurance on High Holborn: you enter through a carriage courtyard and stay in for the evening, at Scarfes Bar with its live music or Holborn Dining Room.
How Lumi are awardedGuests
500 reviews read: the location pleases 9 guests in 10 who mention it, the staff and service 9 in 10.
Critics (exceptional)
Ours
We found a marble staircase in a Grade II listed building put up between 1912 and 1930, suites with a butler and breakfast included, The Pie Room with its pies to take away and Sense spa with sauna and steam rooms.
Those who come back
Among the hotel’s regulars, 3 single out the staff. A guest who wrote in April 2025 counted 2 week-long stays in 2022 alone. A guest on a third stay, writing in August 2026, had come in the festive period before and this time in late July, and liked the outdoor terrace. A guest who wrote in April 2023 loves the beds, the linens, the gym, the restaurants and the in-room dining. A guest who wrote in June 2024 found the return stay “even more spectacular”, in a spacious suite.
- 10 of the 799 reviews with text say it is not a first stay
- A second stay for some, a third for one
- 2 guests stay here every time they are in London
The 5 things that matter look at the 500 most recent reviews; here, all 799 with text.
Our reading, point by point
What we found reading the hotel’s own pages, one thing at a time.
Location
Holborn: the Underground 3 minutes away, the Soane Museum a few minutes, the British Museum 10, Covent Garden 12.
Character
Pearl Assurance’s Edwardian headquarters, with its carriage courtyard and marble staircase.
Rooms
From the 29 m² Deluxe to suites with a butler and breakfast included; entry rooms often face the outer building.
Food and social life
Scarfes Bar, Holborn Dining Room with The Gin Bar, tea in the Mirror Room and The Pie Room.
Wellness
Sense spa with sauna and steam rooms, 10.30am to 7pm, and a 24-hour gym; no pool.
The stay as a whole
From £446 on 8 January to £934 on New Year’s Eve; Holborn Dining Room and Scarfes Bar add 15% service.
The 5 things that matter, as guests tell them
What do Rosewood’s guests say? They write it in their reviews, even those who only came for a drink or dinner: we read every one and tell the 5 things that matter, from the location to the bill.
Location
9 in 10 guests who mention it are happy with it. Holborn station is 3 minutes away and Covent Garden 12 on foot: guests describe a hotel from which museums, West End theatres and restaurants are a walk away, and quiet to come back to.
Room
8 in 10 guests who mention it are happy with it. Of the rooms guests tell of very soft beds, quiet despite the central address and marble bathrooms, with a bathtub in the larger categories.
Staff and service
9 in 10 guests who mention it are happy with it. Doormen, concierges and the Scarfes bartenders are thanked by name, and many guests tell of evenings in the bar with its live music.
Breakfast
6 in 10 guests who mention it are happy with it. Breakfast is served in Holborn Dining Room, the hotel’s English brasserie: many count it among the best moments of the stay and thank the people serving by name.
Price
Guests weigh the bill against the room they were given. The price includes the gym, open 24 hours, and dogs and cats stay free.
The numbers, and how we count them
| What | Score out of 10 | Guests who mention it | Happy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | 8.1 | 107 | 92% |
| Room | 7.5 | 123 | 80% |
| Staff and service | 8.4 | 351 | 88% |
| Breakfast | 6.7 | 42 | 64% |
| Price | – | 46 | 35% |
The scores come from 500 Google reviews with text, left from 12 April 2024 to 30 September 2026. The other hotels are the ones weighed for a stay in London: for each we read its latest 500 Google reviews with text, or all of them where there are fewer, as of 5 October 2026. The score is the average of what they say, from 0 if they speak of it very badly to 10 if they speak of it very well. Where only a few mention something, the score stays close to the guide’s average: a handful of voices does not make a reputation.
The hotels we weigh it against in London:
- The Savoy
- Langham
- Ritz
- Connaught
- Claridge’s
Price: for two on the night of 9 January 2027, from £431 (seen on Google Hotels on 13 October 2026).
What a night costs, season by season
A night taken alone for 2 adults costs from £431 to £495 between 2 January and 28 February 2027, from £534 to £736 between 1 March and 31 May and from £653 to £855 from 1 June to 21 July, against £1,271 for the dearest night shown, 3 November 2026. I would start from late January or February 2027; for one night taken alone, 12 November 2026, read on 4 October 2026, the lowest of 32 sellers on Google showed £627 and the hotel’s own site £709.
| Period | Pounds a night |
|---|---|
| 14 Oct. 2026 to 1 Jan. 2027 | 511–1,271 |
| 2 Jan. to 28 Feb. 2027 | 431–495 |
| 1 Mar. to 31 May 2027 | 534–736 |
| 1 June to 21 July 2027 | 653–855 |
| 22 July to 8 Sep. 2027 | 513–750 |
The lowest price any seller showed on Google Hotels for one night searched alone, for 2 adults, read 13 October 2026; no room or meal plan is specified. The calendar stops on 8 September 2027; 15 to 17 November 2026 have no price. Booked as 7 nights from 16 November 2026, the lowest seller Google listed that day asked £1,487 a night.
Rosewood London, The Langham or The Ned
Choose Rosewood London if a cat or dog travels with you: they stay free and may enter the restaurants. Choose The Langham for Regent Street, with Oxford Circus 5 minutes away, or The Ned for the City, with Bank 2 minutes away.
| Hotel | A night, from | Walk to the Underground |
|---|---|---|
| Rosewood | £620 | 3 minutes to Holborn |
| Langham | £511 | 5 minutes to Oxford Circus |
| The Ned | £413 | 2 minutes to Bank |
The lowest single-night seller price in the week of 23–29 November 2026, for 2 adults, read on Google on 13 October 2026; no room or meal plan is specified.
What to expect
A bar among the world’s best, a British brasserie with its own gin room, a tea inspired by Monet, pies to take away and a spa without a pool.
Holborn Dining Room
The British brasserie, with Wednesday’s Beef Wellington and Sunday’s roast; dinner daily from 5pm to 10pm, casual dress.
Tea in the Mirror Room
Since 1 March 2026 the Art Afternoon Tea takes Monet’s garden at Giverny as its theme; noon to 5.45pm, from £80 according to afternoontea.co.uk.
The Pie Room
The takeaway counter opens Tuesday to Thursday, 11am to 3pm; the private room seats up to 10.
Sense spa
Treatments from 10.30am to 7pm, massages from £110; sauna and steam room for an hour after a treatment.
Good to know before you book
For rooms, breakfast depends on the rate, and some carry only an allowance: on the February 2025 menu the full English cost £22, plus 15% service. Source: rosewoodhotels.com
Google Hotels, read on 4 October 2026 for 2 adults, gave a night from £431 on 8 January 2027 to £838 on New Year’s Eve, without saying which room. Source: 500 Google reviews read, 12 April 2024 to 30 September 2026
The Deluxe, 29 m², looks onto High Holborn or the outer building, and the Family Room onto the courtyard or the outer building: some 2025 and 2026 reviews describe dark rooms with a single window.
Cats and dogs stay free and may enter every restaurant and bar, on a lead; they stay out of the spa and the gym.
There is no pool. The spa’s sauna, steam rooms and lounge are yours for an hour after a treatment; the gym is open 24 hours to residents.
Holborn Dining Room and Scarfes Bar add a discretionary 15% service charge; spa treatments cost more at weekends.
The hotel has 264 rooms and 44 suites, the Manor House measures 185 m² (1,991 sq ft) and Scarfes Bar opens at 4pm, according to the official fact sheet and site, read on 15 October 2026.
The rooms and suites
Getting there
By Underground, get off at Holborn, on the Central and Piccadilly lines, and the entrance arch is 3 minutes away.
| Address | 252 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EN; the entrance is an archway off the street leading into the courtyard. |
|---|---|
| Underground | Holborn, Central and Piccadilly lines, 3 minutes’ walk (207 metres). |
| Airport and trains | Heathrow 18 miles away and St Pancras, for the Eurostar, 1.1 miles, by the hotel’s count; the Piccadilly line runs straight to Heathrow. |
| By car | There is valet parking; the hotel does not publish a price, and guests on Tripadvisor report £50 per 24 hours. |
Distances and services from the official site; the walk is measured on OpenStreetMap’s streets. Sources read on 4 October 2026.
Beyond the hotel
Sir John Soane’s Museum almost opposite, the tree-lined square of Lincoln’s Inn Fields, the British Museum and Covent Garden within a stroll.
Sir John Soane’s Museum
The architect’s house museum: 1 minute’s walk, 109 metres.
Lincoln’s Inn Fields
The tree-lined square behind the hotel: 6 minutes’ walk, 415 metres.
British Museum
10 minutes’ walk north, 770 metres.
From Rosewood London to the British Museum and Covent Garden
The hotel on High Holborn, the Underground, the Soane Museum, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, the British Museum, Covent Garden, the Royal Opera House and Somerset House. Tap a place to see the walking route.
Loading map…
Recommended for you
A day at Rosewood London
7am
Breakfast at Holborn Dining Room
Breakfast runs from 7 to 11am Monday to Saturday, and from 7 to 11.30am on Sundays and bank holidays.
The morning
Walk Holborn
Holborn is a place to walk: the Soane Museum is a few minutes away and Covent Garden 12 minutes on foot.
The afternoon
Tea in the Mirror Room
The Art Afternoon Tea is served every day from noon to 5.45pm, and the dress code is casual.
4pm
A drink at Scarfes Bar
Scarfes Bar opens at 4pm and stays open until late.
5pm
Dinner at Holborn Dining Room
Dinner is served every day from 5pm to 10pm.
Rosewood London reviews
Platform scores, the 2 MICHELIN Keys and what guests write, from the bar to room service.
Scores read on 4 October 2026
Guest voices
From the hotel’s Google listing: a private way into the bar, an anniversary with jazz, a dog at dinner, a Grand Executive Room and room service.
GoogleA guests’ entrance
A long weekend for 2: Holborn station next door and, above all, a guests-only entrance to Scarfes while everyone else queues every night. Twice, and a table straight away.
Google · January 2026Read the review
GoogleJazz for an anniversary
A well-kept room, small anniversary treats, a good dinner and a jazz night at Scarfes: a stay to remember.
Google · May 2025Read the review
GoogleThe dog, at dinner too
What impresses most is that dogs are welcome in the room and in the restaurants; the location puts almost everything within walking distance. One star off for the phone line, sometimes curt.
Google · June 2023Read the review
GoogleThe Grand Executive Room
7 nights in a Grand Executive Room chosen for its space: one window, an uninspiring view, a large table with one chair and nowhere for 2 people to sit together.
Google · August 2026Read the review
GoogleRoom service
A lovely hotel with lovely design, but any request to the room takes more than 2 hours.
Google · July 2026Read the review
Questions before you go
Answers from official pages, menus and listings read on 4 October 2026; prices and availability need checking for your dates.
How much does a night at Rosewood London cost?
Google Hotels, read on 4 October 2026 for 2 adults, asked for one night £675 on 19 October, £627 on 12 November (£709 on the hotel’s own site), £580 on 13 December, £838 on New Year’s Eve, £431 on 8 January 2027, £491 on 17 February, £553 on 5 March, £668 on 12 June and £505 on 1 August. It does not say which room, or whether breakfast is included. With Rosewood Advance, booking early, the hotel promises up to 20% off flexible rates.
Is Rosewood London dog friendly?
Yes: cats and dogs stay free and may enter every restaurant and bar on a lead, but not the spa or the gym. Booking.com and Google Hotels confirm pets are allowed at no extra charge.
Does Rosewood London have a pool or a spa?
No pool: Google Hotels marks it as absent and the spa lists only a lounge, sauna and steam rooms. Sense spa opens 10.30am to 7pm daily; after a treatment its facilities are yours for an hour. Massages run from £110, the Swedish, to £300, the 120-minute deep tissue, with a weekend supplement. The gym is open 24 hours to residents.
Is spa access included in the room rate at Rosewood London, and can non-residents use it?
The official pages read on 4 October 2026 do not establish free access for residents or a day pass; confirm what your booking includes. Sense spa’s sauna, steam rooms and lounge are yours for an hour after a treatment, which is paid separately, from £110, with a weekend supplement. The gym, by contrast, is included and open 24 hours to residents.
Is Rosewood London open all year?
Yes, it is a city hotel with no season: on 4 October 2026 Google Hotels showed prices for every month from October 2026 to September 2027. Only the courtyard terrace is seasonal, open in 2026 from 1 June to late September.
Is breakfast included at Rosewood London?
In the suites, yes: the Deluxe Suite, Premier Suite and Manor House include breakfast for 2 at Holborn Dining Room. For rooms it depends on the rate. It is served 7am to 11am, Monday to Saturday; on the February 2025 menu the full English cost £22, plus 15% service.
Is Rosewood London good for families with children?
Yes: children up to 16 stay free in their parents’ room, the 36 m² Family Room sleeps up to 4, and the Family Moments offer gives 50% off a second room, breakfast and check-out at 2pm. Babysitting is available for a fee. At Scarfes Bar, under-18s are not admitted after 6pm; Booking.com charges 18s and over as adults.
Does Rosewood London have parking?
Yes, valet. The hotel does not publish a price; guests on Tripadvisor report £50 per 24 hours.
How far is Rosewood London from the Underground?
Holborn station, on the Central and Piccadilly lines, is 3 minutes on foot (207 metres, measured on OpenStreetMap’s streets). The Piccadilly line runs to Heathrow without changing; St Pancras, for the Eurostar, is 1.1 miles away.
Can hotel guests book a table at Scarfes Bar?
Yes: the bar’s rules keep reservations for hotel guests and groups of 6 or more; everyone else walks in, with tables held for an hour and a half. The online booking page, though, takes groups of up to 5. The bar opens daily at 4pm.
How much is afternoon tea at Rosewood London?
The Mirror Room’s Art Afternoon Tea, themed since 1 March 2026 on Monet’s garden, starts at £80 a head according to afternoontea.co.uk; with Champagne it costs £108 to £116 on OpenTable. It is served daily from noon to 5.45pm, smart casual.
Can you dine at Rosewood London at Christmas and on New Year’s Eve?
Yes: Holborn Dining Room and the Mirror Room have Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve menus, Scarfes Bar a New Year’s Eve night, and the Mirror Room a festive tea. Prices are in the menus, which the pages read on 4 October 2026 did not show.
What time are check-in and check-out?
Check-in from 3pm, check-out by noon, according to Google Hotels; with Family Moments check-out is guaranteed until 2pm. Cancellation is free until 6pm the day before arrival, on rates that allow it.
How many rooms does Rosewood London have, and is it worth the price?
264 rooms and 44 suites according to the hotel; Wikipedia counts 262. Google Hotels, read on 13 October 2026 for 2 adults, gave a night from £446 on 8 January 2027 to £934 on New Year’s Eve, without saying for which room. The price is best weighed against the room: the Deluxe has 29 m² and faces High Holborn or the outer building, the Grand Premier Room is over 37 m², and from the Deluxe Suite up breakfast for 2 and a butler are included. The price covers the gym, open 24 hours, and dogs and cats, which stay free.
Can you hold a wedding at Rosewood London?
Yes: the Grand Ballroom holds up to 430 guests and divides into 3 rooms; for smaller receptions there are the Foyer, Sir George and the Living Room. Prices are not published.
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