The Luggage Room — Restaurant in London

A real treat! Go for pre-dinner drinks.

My boyfriend and I love going to hidden or speakeasy bars. It is a bit of a hobby and he usually finds out about bars before I do. It was his birthday coming up so I was determined to find a hidden bar that he didn't know about.

I read about The Luggage Room in a magazine and very quickly booked a place for us to go for pre-dinner drinks.

Upon my reservation I had been told to look out for the black door next to the Marriot Hotel. When we got close I told my boyfriend this and we had great fun looking for the black door. It wasn't as hidden as I thought it might be but if you didn't know about this bar you would never stumble across it.

We knocked on the black door and a little window slid open and invited us in. We were then taken through to the bar where we were wowed by how glamourous it was, a real throw-back to the past, art deco style glamour, but not pretentious in any way.

We were very warmly welcomed and given a complementary glass of the house punch to try which was spicy and warming. This was accompanied by some vegetable crisps and assorted nuts, all very nice.

The menu was extensive and I am a person who struggles with too much choice so I ask the bar tender to pick a drink for me. I like to do this to see if they ask any questions about my taste, I find this is a good test of the bar tenders skills, but it can go horribly wrong sometimes!

On this occasion I was asked about my preferences and soon came along this gorgeous little gin cocktail, Gin Punch á la Terrington. I was quite small but every sip wonderful.

We only had time to stay for one drink each but that's all you need in a place like this. It is quite expensive, £35 for 2 cocktails including service, but it is a really great experience. We found it all the more exciting as we were only there for a short amount of time. It was like a flash back...

I fully believe these Mayfair hotel bars coast on their old reputation and their hotel guests alone. I actually felt sad here. I was, at one point, the only patron on a busy summer night. The staff seemed dejected at the lack of customers, and one was even talking about how he was quitting.

There is nothing fundamentally wrong with this bar. It's got that speakeasy gimmick that is completely played out and tiresome unless you're a boomer, but inside, it's quite nice. It is allegedly built inside what used to be the luggage storage for the hotel. Nothing exceptionally memorable but it's comfortable, even if it feels like a hotel lobby more than a bar. Staff is attentive and friendly.

Cocktails sound great on paper. The one I ordered was okay. Again, it wasn't fantastic but it wasn't terrible. It was from a famous cocktail guide (by Harry McElhone) that I've had other old-school cocktails from, so I thought why not? It was just very... okay. I'm not sure what it normally is like, and maybe this is an improvement, but for me it tasted weak. It also lacked finesse in the presentation.

I only had one drink and left. It just wasn't a hot vibe and the cocktails themselves were not...

We had an excellent experience at the Luggage Room, with knowledgeable staff and top notch drinks! We entered the establishment with high expectations based on previous reviews and based pn the fact the my girlfriend and I run a restaurant with a bar pf our own- the drinks did not disappoint. Well balanced drinks with clear taste profiles and special blends make this the excellent destination for post-restaurant drinks tp finish off the evening. Unfortunately the main door was closed to the bar, and as a result we had to enter through the hotel entrance, but the overall vibe of this speakeasy bar was intimate and relaxed allowing for soft and good private conversations. The bar is classic in its design with a lot of wood and a stone counter giving off a relaxed and high-end impression upon the overall experience. Drinks are priced on the higher end- but absolutely meet expectations with hand carved ice, great bartending techniques and fine craftsmanship of tje cocktails. The only thing missing to add to this experience would be a better presentation of the drinks- but that would just be a cherry on the top. Payed £170...