Leicester Square in London is a buzzing and exciting area in the West End.

This is an excellent location because you can walk to many of the main attractions in central London, or there is a tube station in the Square if you prefer to use public transport.

You will find a huge range of bars, pubs, and restaurants here as well as shops, street entertainment, and much more.

On my recent trip to London as a travel writer, I spent five nights at the Hotel Indigo Leicester Square, which is a 4-star hotel operated by IHG. When it comes to location, you simply cannot get better than this, as you have everything you need on your doorstep.

But is this hotel a good option for your West End vacation? Find out more about this property in the review below. 

Greeting and Check-In

We were armed with two heavy suitcases when we arrived at Hotel Indigo. There is nobody at the door to take your cases, and there are a few steps up to the main entrance. So, we had the unenviable task of picking up our cases and getting them to the top of the steps.

Once we got inside, we found ourselves in a small but elegant lobby area with a small reception desk.

There were two ladies behind the desk, and they greeted us enthusiastically right away. Nioka and Sofia both provided a lovely welcome, sorted the check-in process out quickly, and were very friendly and personable.

In addition, our room was ready upon arrival even though we were several hours early, which was excellent. 

Hotel Room

We booked the Premium Queen Balcony room, and it was absolutely lovely. It was room 704, and as you entered, there was a stylish bathroom to the right and then a small step that led to the main bedroom.

The bathroom had a very large shower and was elegant with a spa feel. There were large bottles of luxury toiletries along with a range of amenities, including dental kits. 

The bedroom itself was spacious and visually appealing. There are no closets in this hotel, the rooms have hanging rails. However, I tend to live out of my suitcase, so this was not a big issue for me.

The room had tea and coffee facilities along with some biscuits, and there was a safe, hairdryer, and iron – all the amenities you would expect in a 4-star hotel.

The bed itself was too comfortable, and many mornings I struggled to get up for appointments. With the large TV right opposite, we could relax and cast content from our devices to the screen which was great when we wanted to chill out and just watch a movie or show.

There was also a small settee in the room, which came in very useful for putting our suitcases on so that we did not keep tripping over them on the floor!

The best part of the room was the balcony, accessed through a sliding and secure door. It was only a small balcony, but the views of Leicester Square, the City, and other parts of London were incredible. 

One thing to be mindful of is that there can be some noise if very loud music is played in the Square. It was not really an annoyance to me, but the hotel does leave earbuds for those who might struggle with it. 

Onsite Restaurants and Bars

Hotel Indigo Leicester Square has one restaurant/bar onsite, and it is well worth a visit. It is called the LSQ Rooftop and is on the 9th floor of the hotel.

We had breakfast included in our package, and this is where it was taken each morning. Our breakfast was absolutely delicious with both continental and cooked options – as a vegan and a vegetarian, neither of us struggled to get a good breakfast with delicious Illy coffee and fruit juice.

While we did not visit the rooftop bar and restaurant for cocktails or dinner, the service at breakfast time was exemplary.

We were given lovely seats by the window, so we had great views across London as we enjoyed our food. Staff was efficient, fast, and polite, and it was just such a relaxing start to the day. 

Turndown Service

The turndown service at the hotel was also excellent. There were a couple of days when we stayed in the room for most of the day and went out late, so I assume that housekeeping is active until around mid-afternoon before finishing.

Whenever we went out early, our room was always perfectly made and tidy when we got back.

Staff and Service

While the hotel doesn’t have many onsite facilities (just the rooftop bar), the service we received from all staff we encountered was great.

The ladies at reception were polite and professional when we arrived, and the team at the rooftop bar and restaurant was excellent. We did not really have any dealings with other team members, as we were either in our room or out and about in London.

However, everything ran smoothly throughout our 5-night stay, and we did not encounter any issues with the service at all. 

Costs and Service Charges

We got a great deal on the hotel’s website, where we got a premium balcony room with breakfast included for a longer stay of five nights.

So, compared to what we would have paid at a local 3-star hotel for a decent room and breakfast, the price was very good. It was especially reasonable given that the hotel is right in the centre of Leicester Square.

In terms of service charges, there are charges added to bills if you dine or drink at the rooftop bar, but these are discretionary so you can ask for them to be removed.

As our breakfast was included in the package, we did not have any service charges to pay. The payment for the entire stay was taken at check-in and we had nothing extra to pay on top of this, so it is well worth going for a package that includes breakfast if you can.

You then get to enjoy a delicious and varied breakfast daily in lovely surroundings without worrying about service charges. 

General Ambiance

The overall ambiance of the hotel was calm and relaxing. I never encountered big crowds in the lobby area, there was no problem getting a lift to get to our room or to the rooftop restaurant, and there were no crowds outside the hotel, which is surprising given that it is in Leicester Square. 

There was always an air of calm in the lobby area – many of the bigger hotels have crowds of people congregating in the lobby areas, but this did not happen at Hotel Indigo. It was actually quite tranquil, so it was nice to get back to the hotel after battling the crowds in London. 

Overall Impression

My overall impression of Hotel Indigo Leicester Square is that it is a no-frills hotel, but it also boasts elegance, style, and a good level of service from the staff.

While there is not much interaction with staff members as there might be at places such as The Savoy and The Ritz, there was always someone around if you needed anything, and we did not encounter any issues at all during our stay.

This hotel is a great choice for those that want to be in the thick of the action but also want a stylish and calm base to which they can return. 

Summary

If you can get a good deal through the hotel website, this is definitely a hotel I would recommend to those who want to be in a central location. It is affordable (with the right deal), extremely well-situated, visually appealing, and offers good levels of service. I would highly recommend including breakfast in your package if you can, as the service and food were excellent. 

About the author

Reno Charlton is a freelance writer from the UK and has been creating content, articles, and blog posts since 2002. She has written for a wide range of publications across the world including the Huffington Post, and her specialist area is travel writing.

Reno has traveled to destinations and stayed at hotels around the world over the course of her career, and has reviewed many luxury hotels to help fellow travelers. She is also the published author of several children's books and short stories. 

Want to find the perfect luxury hotel for your UK trip?  Head to Reno’s YouTube channel, where you’ll find videos of some of the top luxury UK hotels to help you make the right choice. Reno’s videos are honest, unedited, and based on personal hotel experiences during her extensive travels to cities in the UK. Check out and subscribe to her across social media and start planning your next luxury UK trip! 

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsuSGIu3L5am8tg1t-ngBMQ/videos   

• X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/RenoKCharlton

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/renocharlton39/