Look, I’ll be honest – when I first walked into The Mandrake on Newman Street, I thought I’d stumbled into some sort of fever dream. This place is absolutely bonkers in the best possible way. You know how most five-star hotels in London feel like they’re trying to impress your great-aunt with their stuffy Victorian vibes? Well, The Mandrake said “screw that” and went full-on eccentric art collector instead. The lobby feels like someone let a really talented madman loose with unlimited budget – there are these massive sculptures that look like they’re plotting something, and the lighting makes everything feel sort of mystical and theatrical at once.
What actually surprised me was how intimate it feels despite being smack in the middle of Fitzrovia. I mean, you’re literally a two-minute walk from Oxford Street’s chaos, but somehow they’ve created this weird little sanctuary where you forget you’re in central London. The rooms are… well, they’re not for everyone, honestly. If you’re the type who wants beige walls and predictable hotel art, this’ll probably give you nightmares. But if you appreciate spaces that feel like they have personality (maybe even multiple personalities), you’ll love it. The beds are seriously comfortable though – I’m talking sink-into-oblivion comfortable – and the bathrooms have this whole rainforest shower situation that’s actually worth the hype. Plus, you can walk to Goodge Street station in about three minutes, which is clutch if you’re doing the tourist thing.
Here’s what really got me: the staff actually seem to enjoy working there, which you don’t see everywhere in London hotels. Maybe it’s because they get to work somewhere that looks like a Tim Burton movie set, but they’re genuinely helpful without being overly formal about it. The restaurant downstairs gets pretty lively in the evenings – fair warning if you’re a light sleeper and book a lower floor room. But honestly? The energy is part of the charm. This isn’t a place where you go to hide away and pretend you’re not in one of the world’s busiest cities. It’s where you go when you want to feel like you’re part of something a bit special and slightly unhinged. The 8.4 rating makes total sense to me – it’s not perfect for everyone, but for the right person, it’s pretty much exactly what a London hotel should be in 2024.