Many of us enjoy going to somewhere unusual with a storied past. One such place in London allows guests to uncover the ultimate spy adventure. Visitors find themselves on the set of a James Bond movie. Surrounded by espionage in a location where actual spies and double agents once exchanged messages. This intrigue and more awaits at St Ermin’s Hotel.

St Ermin’s is a red-brick Queen Anne-style mansion style  hotel in Westminster. The Marriott Autograph Collection hotel offers  331 rooms, 41 suites and 18 family accommodations. Indoors guests are met with theatrical Rococo plasterwork in the lobby. As well as a sweeping staircase designed by JP Briggs, the man behind London’s Savoy theatre.

A house of spies and secret agents

Rumour has it the hotel is built on the site of a 15th century chapel originally built by Henry II in thanks for an Irish monk’s prayers which he believed saved him and his fleet from a stormy death off the French coast. The monk went on to be canonised as St Ermin. It is the spy heritage of the hotel that gives it its unique place in history above all else.

During the 1930s, St Ermin’s spy hotel was the hub for MI6 and the SIS using the hotel as their Section D headquarters. Subsequently, it was the place where, in 1940, Winston Churchill created the Secret Operations Executive (SOE), whose main aim was to conduct espionage, sabotage, and reconnaissance. This organisation took over the sixth floor of St Ermin’s as its headquarters.  Winston Churchill often enjoyed a glass of his favourite champagne in the Caxton Bar, and it was from St Ermin’s that he charged the SOE – who formed the basis of the SAS – to ‘set Europe ablaze’. The hotel and the next building at 2 Caxton Street and a nearby building at 54 Broadway were used by intelligence officers to meet agents.

Spies such as James Bond creator Ian Fleming, Laurence Grand, H. Montgomery Hyde and Eric Maschwitz have all played and worked here. Infamous British-Russian double agents such as Guy Burgess and Kim Philby often visited and is known that Burgess regularly carried out much of his work in the Caxton Bar. Guests should think of that when they eat or drink there – they are sitting in the same room where Churchill gave orders during the war and where a famous British spy handed over top-secret British files to Russian contacts.  Shortly before World War Two, St Ermin’s was the venue for guerrilla warfare classes run partly by MI6, recruiting the likes of Noel Coward and Anthony Blunt to be members.

Blunt, like Burgess and Philby, was eventually proved to be a member of the Cambridge Five (the other two were Donald Maclean and John Cairncross) who were a group of double agents recruited whilst at Cambridge University, rising to power and prestige in the British establishment. Throughout the war, the hotel’s location put it at the heart of British espionage activities and its proximity to Whitehall suggests that it may still be used to this day.

Special Agents vs. Bond Villains at the Caxton Bar

Many relics kept from the times of reconnaissance can be found dotted around the hotel, keepsakes from the espionage era include a radio code-bearing piece of silk from France and a collection of spy memorabilia which can be uncovered using a secret briefing pack containing confidential information on the hotel’s links to the intelligence community. A book of codes and tips help budding agents develop spy skills, solving clues as they hunt around the hotel uncovering its fascinating history. Other unusual features that stamp out the hotel’s individuality include handpicked antiques and collectibles, Eyes dart to the Oriental cushions, terracotta wallpaper from Vivienne Westwood, a red lampshade perched on a pair of duck-webbed feet and even a framed carpet from the original hotel found in a Turkish bazaar.

Guests will want to bend the elbow at the Caxton Bar which offers a menu dedicated to the ‘Cambridge Five’. Each agent has their own cocktail named after them, which uses the name given to them by the KGB, the main security agency for the Soviet Union from 1954 until its break-up in 1991. The bar’s signature cocktail is the Bowler Hat. It is made of Sipsmith gin, lemon juice and honey straight from the hotel’s bee terrace. The terrace, for people rather than bees, is another way to unwind overlooking the courtyard.

St. Ermins is close to Westminster and a stroll away from Buckingham Palace as is Harrods and the Natural History Museum.  Underneath the grand staircase, there is rumoured to be a tunnel leading directly to the Houses of Parliament, while in the lobby there is a division bell that was used to give MPs who were there an eight-minute warning to get back to Parliament for votes. This restored bell was reinstated at the hotel by Churchill’s grandson, Sir Nicholas Soames. It’s ties to Parliament are known today with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson visiting as well as former Prime Minister David Cameron.

Afternoon Tea At St Ermin’s

Other experiences not to miss are the family afternoon tea,  in the lavish lobby in a stylish tea lounge as exquisite as the food itself. Cabinets full of silverware adorn the back wall of the coved space while the tables are surrounded by bright chairs and the table filled with dainty China teacups, decorated in eggshell blue and pink, with accompanying silver spoons.

Executive head chef, Alexander Boyd delivers delightfully delicate finger sandwiches, pork pies and tarts. These are paired with perfectly formed delicatessen and sweet treats handcrafted by head pastry chef Jamie Warley and pastry chef de partie Andrea Vivien of The Great British Bake Off fame. Their fancy delicacies include coffee and chocolate star anise profiteroles, lemon meringue pie, apple crumble macaroons and strawberry and timut pepper panna cotta, all perfectly presented on a silver tea stand in a vision of colours. As they twirl off the stand like dancers into guests’ eager hands, an attentive tea sommelier arrives with a selection of teas, including evocative lapsang souchong, classic earl grey and St Ermins’ own blends.

A particular delight is the sand timer which tells guests of the perfect brew time. For the goldilocks of the tea world, one must let it sit for at least four minutes for a medium blend. After the initial sandwiches and delicacies, beautiful scones, freshly baked and warm to touch, are served under a crisp white napkin. Accompanied by the finest clotted cream and homemade jam, they have the right mixture of crisp firmness and moistness that crumble sublimely and simply melt in the mouth. Children can enjoy a Mini Gardener Afternoon tea with ham and cheese sandwiches, strawberry and vanilla jelly. Later they can design their own honeybee biscuit with coloured icing and receive a special gardening kit with organic seeds to take home.

After taking tea, the younger members of the family can enjoy their very own teatime delights and go on an adventure to see the Hotel’s 350,000 Buckfast honeybees hard at work on the third floor Bee Terrace. The ‘Bee and Bee’ hotel is made up of hexagonal suites that provide a home for a wide variety of busy bees who collect nectar from all around London’s surrounding parks. Each guest is given a pot of this sweet nectar to take home.

Stunning rooms

At St Ermin’s, the family suites are expansive with plenty of space to unwind. With two bathrooms, two double beds and a tepee for the children, as well as a lounge for adults and two TVs, everyone can have space to unwind. The special children’s concierge arranges arrival snacks for the youngsters and gifts, including a bottle of prosecco on ice for mum and dad.

As the children play in the teepee, parents can put their feet up on the comfortable beds dressed in plush crisp cotton sheets and rich blankets. Guests can slip on a robe and slippers after a rejuvenating shower or luxurious bath lathering themselves in sumptuous White Company soaps and shampoos, pour themselves a coffee as they sit in comfort and take advantage of the free Wi-Fi and TV.

Dinner at Caxton Grill

The pleasures continue with dinner at  the Caxton Grill,  a homely space, with terrific tall windows framing beautiful vistas of the chic courtyard. Here Boyd creates innovative menus, using his experience serving high-profile clients – including the Royal Family – as former executive head chef at The Mansion House, the official residence of the Lord Mayor of London, Boyd’s attention to detail is unsurpassed. His menus seamlessly combine elements of fine dining, with modern culinary techniques and classic flavour combinations and experience working at two restaurants that had not one but two Michelin stars.

Boyd utilises the hotel’s own home-produced honey, fruits, vegetables, and herbs, all grown on the Grade II-listed building’s rooftop. Ingredients such as tomatoes, squash, pumpkin, spring onions, French beans, potatoes, olives, clementine, apples, plums, raspberries, and blackberries grow in specially designed beds, pots and a greenhouse, are harvested for the Caxton Grill. While there are a range of starters to choose, those still full of treats from afternoon tea might want to skip straight to the main course. The poached salmon with new potatoes and vegetables is simply divine, cooked to perfection, while the succulent prime beef burger simply melts in the mouth. To clear the palette, delicious sorbet freshly made in house is a treat.

St. Ermins is perfectly placed close to Westminster, and one might fancy a stroll to nearby Buckingham Palace, via St James’s Park, just a few-minutes’ walk away. The hotel is handily located to Harrods, Hamley’s and the Natural History Museum – making it the perfect family break. It is at the heart of government landmarks and attractions plus handily located to close to St James’s and Victoria stations.

A stay at St Ermin’s is like no other. Renowned for its warm welcome, beautiful interiors, excellent location, and welcoming staff, St Ermin’s is ideal for a luxurious family London break. What better date night than enjoying a cocktail in the bar where spies once met?  Who knows, perhaps, among the tourists and drinkers, the spies of today may be continuing to plot over Martinis. For those lucky enough to stay at this very special hotel, keep your wits about you – you never know who might be sitting next to you in the bar!