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A
colourful country house in the middle of the city, Ham Yard Hotel is filled with
quirky decor and unique artworks collected from across the world.
Like a scrapbook brought to life, owners Tim and Kit Kemp realised
their every whim and fancy furnishing Ham Yard Hotel, meaning an XXL
slide-shaped, orange-juice maker, a bronze sculpture by Tony Cragg
and hand-painted wallpaper were all deemed “necessities”.

Amplifying Firmdale’s staple mix of colour, texture, pattern and
art, at the group’s Piccadilly posting – despite it’s touristy
postcode – a sense of sophistication abounds.

Bedrooms

At Ham Yard, no two rooms are the same. Choose from suites with
Boffi kitchens to apartments (there are 24 in total) with roof
gardens. We get the feeling that Kit loves a throw pillow – that
and a statement headboard. Rooms are created to engulf the
occupant, from high-framed beds to padded, linen walls and fluffy
robes. The bathroom is stocked with rikrak (Kit’s bath and beauty
range) and the signature fragrance Gardenia Greenleaf has lasting
appeal. Soak in the tub until you turn prune-like – a side effect
of the Aqua TV docked at the foot of the bath, perhaps.

What’s for breakfast?

Breakfast is one of the hotel’s strongest meals. Choose from a
continental buffet or go a la carte and opt for avocado on
chia-seed sourdough or baked eggs.

How about lunch and dinner?

Dine at the bar and choose from a casual menu of melts on
house-made rosemary focaccia and a selection of hearty small
plates. The restaurant, meanwhile, plays a chicer, more
conservative card with an offering of classic fish and meat dishes.
In the summer, dine in the courtyard or venture across the way to
Engawa (an independent sushi shop which sits within Ham Yard
village). If Engawa’s menu appeals but your bed beckons, order a
deluxe bento box (the toro sushi and seabass sashimi are standouts)
straight to your room.

Is there a bar?

Yes, and it’s very popular with the after-work crowd so make
sure you get there early. If the bar is in a state of gridlock,
make use of your exclusive guest access to the rooftop garden (the
bar here is not staffed so use the phone by the lift to place your
drinks order). Two honesty bars located in the library and drawing
room – both are also only accessible to hotel guests. Feeling VIP
yet?

Amenities

Bowling alley, cinema, Soholistic spa and gym with hypoxic
chamber (used for altitude training). Spa treatments can also be
arranged in-room.

Things you should know

If your leisure trip turns to business but you’ve left your
devices at home, you can hire an iPad or laptop from reception.
Return to fun and games and pre-book one, or maybe all four, of the
bowling lanes at The Croc.

Within a short walk you’ll find…

Picturehouse Central for a late night movie; Bao (a great stop
off for Taiwanese street food); Theatreland and Soho‘s grid-worth of shops.