You know what struck me first about The Dilly? It’s one of those hotels where you can actually feel the weight of history when you walk through the doors, but not in that stuffy, don’t-touch-anything way. The lobby has this grand marble thing going on – honestly, it reminded me of stepping into a really elegant private club rather than your typical London hotel. And the location, I mean, you’re literally on Piccadilly, which sounds obvious but think about it – you step outside and Fortnum & Mason is right there, Green Park is a two-minute walk, and you can cut through to Jermyn Street for proper shopping without dealing with the Oxford Street madness.
The thing about staying here is that it feels like you’re in the thick of everything without the chaos. I was worried about noise since Piccadilly can get pretty busy, but honestly, once you’re inside, it’s surprisingly quiet. The rooms have this interesting mix – they’ve kept some of the old-school elegance (think heavy curtains and proper furniture) but modernized where it actually matters. The bathrooms are genuinely luxurious, not just Instagram-pretty, and the beds… well, I’ll just say I had trouble getting up in the mornings. What I really appreciated was how the staff seemed to know the neighborhood inside and out – they pointed me toward this little wine bar on Duke Street that I never would’ve found otherwise, and when I needed a pharmacy late one evening, the concierge knew exactly which Boots would still be open.
Here’s the thing though – it’s definitely a proper five-star experience, so if you’re looking for quirky or boutique-y, this isn’t really that vibe. But if you want to feel like you’re staying somewhere that understands both tradition and comfort, The Dilly gets it right. The whole place has this sense of being well-run without being overly formal – like, they’ll absolutely help you with theater tickets or restaurant reservations, but they won’t hover or make you feel like you need to dress up just to walk through the lobby. And practically speaking, the Piccadilly Circus tube is literally around the corner, which is clutch for getting anywhere in London. I’d definitely come back, especially if I wanted to be central but not in the tourist bubble of Covent Garden or the business district feel of places further east.