Sofitel London St James
5-star hotel · St. James's, London
Long Weekend score
StrongNo serious reports. in 287 reviews
Guests rate nearly every hotel highly: half the hotels in London are rated 8.2 out of 10 or more. So our score shows how a hotel compares with the rest, not how luxurious it is.
- Rated higher than 96% of London hotels
- 93% of guest comments are praise
- 97% of guest photos show no damage
How this score is made
- Rated higher than 96% of London hotels. Compared with 5,640 hotels in London. Counts for 50% of the score.
- 93% of guest comments are praise. 682 praise, 52 complain. Counts for 30% of the score.
- 97% of guest photos show no damage. 58 of 60 photos. Counts for 20% of the score.
- Serious reports are never counted in. They are flagged beside the score, because one matters even when everything else is good.
- $495 a nighttypical for two, before tax · from $353
- 4 min walkto Piccadilly Circus station
- 287 guest reviewsfrom the last 2 years
- 60 guest photostheirs, not the hotel's
At a glance
For
- A station within walking distancePiccadilly Circus is 276 m away
- Staff231 praise · 7 complain
- Location175 praise · 1 complain
- Breakfast68 praise · 5 complain
- Cleanliness62 praise · 3 complain
Against
- On a main road: Pall Mall32 m from the building
- Value8 complain · 8 praise
- Views6 complain · 6 praise
What guests reported
What guests say
287 reviews from the last 2 years. Most praised: staff (231 guests). Weakest: value, where 8 of the 16 who mention it complain.
Location1751Strength
Excellent, location close to picadilly and Mayfair, many restaurants and coffee places close by, friendly staff, nice facilities.
Booking network, March 2026, rated 10/10 by this guest
Central London, close to St James's Park, Horse Guards, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and Parliament House; not to mention the chic shops to explore.
Tripadvisor, February 2026, rated 5/5 by this guest
We parked 1 mile away and had to walk with our luggage to the hotel through the parade, which was near impossible.
Booking network, July 2026, rated 7/10 by this guest
Staff2317Strength
Excellent location with a very attentive staff.
Booking network, January 2026, rated 10/10 by this guest
Great location , excellent service , good food room and bathroom good and confortable
Booking network, January 2026, rated 9/10 by this guest
The hotel is beautiful and the location, but the service is horrible; when checking in, I was asked to leave an open voucher and they charged me 12,000 pesos; since September 2025 I have sent emails and they do not give me an answer nor do they refund my money.
Tripadvisor, August 2026, rated 1/5 by this guest
Cleanliness623Strength
This is a 5 star hotel very close to Picadilly and that makes you one of the best options to stay in London.There are certainly better 5 star hotels in London and although it is a small hotel it stands out for the cleanliness, friendliness of the staff and the right rooms.
Tripadvisor, February 2026, rated 4/5 by this guest
The staff are an absolute joy, and the rooms were immaculate.
Tripadvisor, July 2026, rated 5/5 by this guest
The hotel is beautiful with very good location, but the rooms are not good enough, towels are old and rough (long time in use), dust on every surface.
Google, March 2026, rated 3/5 by this guest
Quiet at night292Strength
A serene luxury retreat in the heart of London
Booking network, January 2026, rated 10/10 by this guest
The location is superb, offering a tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle.
Google, May 2026, rated 5/5 by this guest
Breakfast685Strength
excellent breakfast and great location
Tripadvisor, April 2026, rated 5/5 by this guest
The hotel is beautiful and the breakfast outstanding.
Tripadvisor, September 2026, rated 5/5 by this guest
A nice hotel, with a small lobby, limited and expensive breakfast.
Google, June 2026, rated 4/5 by this guest
Food445Strength
I hate writing a 5 star review because everyone will want to stay there, rooms, food, proper loose tea, and location, location, location, and I want to keep this jewel to myself.
Tripadvisor, June 2026, rated 5/5 by this guest
We had a lovely meal outside in the sunshine.
Tripadvisor, August 2026, rated 5/5 by this guest
Only 4 Main courses at Bistro
Booking network, January 2026, rated 9/10 by this guest
Beds253Strength
The most comfortable suites and beds .
Google, July 2026, rated 5/5 by this guest
I’ve never slept in a more comfortable bed!!
Google, September 2026, rated 5/5 by this guest
Very nice hotel although rooms need remodeling beds sink and pillows fatal.
Tripadvisor, April 2026, rated 5/5 by this guest
Room size257Mostly good
The hotel has elegant interiors, spacious rooms, and excellent service.
Google, May 2026, rated 5/5 by this guest
The hotel has a great location and history, the rooms are spacious and beautifully decorated as is the common areas.
Tripadvisor, January 2026, rated 5/5 by this guest
Book a larger room - it gets tight for two under Deluxe.
Tripadvisor, June 2026, rated 4/5 by this guest
Room condition95Mostly good
Modern fully refurbished building with good service and a quality finish.
Google, March 2026, rated 5/5 by this guest
Always excellent service with a personal touch, modern, clean, quiet, and super comfortable rooms and brilliant location.
Google, September 2026, rated 5/5 by this guest
Good location and service, bit dated rooms and decor
Tripadvisor, June 2026, rated 4/5 by this guest
Value88Split
The rooms were not in line with the price paid.
Booking network, December 2025, rated 6/10 by this guest
Expensive for the room size and facilities
Booking network, October 2025, rated 7/10 by this guest
Nothing in particular, I just believe the price is excessive but it is what is it is :)
Booking network, September 2025, rated 8/10 by this guest
Views66Split
As an Accor Platinum member, I was “upgraded” to a room that had a terrible view—basically a wall.
Tripadvisor, March 2026, rated 4/5 by this guest
I paid over 700 USDs a night to see building columns and partial walls from my windows.
Google, March 2026, rated 3/5 by this guest
Booked a studio suite and it was a good size with a great view.
Google, March 2026, rated 5/5 by this guest
Who stays, and their score out of 10
From every review of the last two years that gives a score and says who travelled, including those with no words.
All 2,815 Google ratings
Problems guests raised
Raised most: complaints the hotel left unresolved, in 4 of 287 reviews.
Complaints the hotel left unresolved4 of 2871 in 72 reviews
Upon arrival, I personally explained the situation to the receptionist and asked again if the unused night could be moved, but I was firmly told this was not possible.
Google, February 2026, rated 1/5 by this guest
When we came back again with the staff member, the other waiter again was adamant they didn't find anything.
Booking network, August 2025, rated 5/10 by this guest
Problems in the bathroom4 of 2871 in 72 reviews
Bathroom has a very high tub and no full glass to cover the shower, water gets all over the floor.
Google, September 2026, rated 3/5 by this guest
Bathroom, mainly shower facilities
Booking network, May 2026, rated 9/10 by this guest
A slow check-in3 of 2871 in 96 reviews
We left our luggage and we were told we would be called on my phone when ready .
Booking network, May 2026, rated 5/10 by this guest
At least, please ask how much extended time I wanted for my late checkout before saying "no".
Google, October 2026, rated 2/5 by this guest
Serious reports
None found in 287 reviews.
Photos, checked
2 of the 60 guest photos we checked show damage or dirt (3%).
Guests’ photos confirm: restaurant (2), bar (2), bathtub (3).
The hotel says it has no swimming pool or hot tub.
Price, place and rooms
Price
$495 is a typical night, from 301 dates checked in the coming year.
Weekends cost the same as weekdays
A typical night, month by month
Cheapest month: Jan 2027, $370Dearest month: Dec 2026, $857
Prices on booking sites, the day we checked
What each seller advertised on the one day we checked, so these sit outside the year-wide figures above and can fall below the typical price.
- Vio.com$711
- deals.goseek.com$711
- deals.etrip.net$711
- catchit.com$748
- billabook.com$768
- amimir.com$771
- travelportal.io$779
- Super.com$789
Lowest advertised nightly rate for two adults; taxes and local fees are not included. Shown in US dollars.
Nearby
James's. Piccadilly Circus station is 276 m away by road, about 4 minutes on foot. There is 1 bar or club within 200 metres.
- Nearest main road: Pall Mall32 m
- Nearest shop: Tesco Express3 min walk234 m by road
- Nearest station: Piccadilly Circus4 min walk276 m by road
- Big Ben16 min walk1.2 km by road
- Buckingham Palace18 min walk1.3 km by road
- The British Museum22 min walk1.6 km by road
- Tower Bridge4.6 km
The lines are 5, 10 and 15 minutes on foot.
Distances follow the streets, not straight lines.
Rooms
12 room types, from 23 to 109 m².
- Classic Queen Room23 m²Sleeps 2Bathtub
- Superior King Room26 m²Sleeps 2Bathtub
- Superior King Room26 m²Sleeps 2
- Luxury King Room32 m²Sleeps 3Bathtub
- Luxury Twin Room32 m²Sleeps 3Bathtub
- Premium Luxury King Room with Waterloo Place or Pall Mall View32 m²Sleeps 3BathtubA view, going by the room's name
The other 6 room types
- Junior King Suite with Lounge Space and Waterloo Place View35 m²Sleeps 3BathtubA view, going by the room's name
- Studio King Suite with Lounge Space and Waterloo Place View35 m²Sleeps 3A view, going by the room's name
- Deluxe King Suite with Separate Living Room with Sofa Bed49 m²Sleeps 3Bathtub
- Prestige King Suite with Separate Living Room and Waterloo Place or Pall Mall View60 m²Sleeps 2BathtubA view, going by the room's name
- Suite 70 with Separate Lounge and Dining Space - Waterloo Place View79 m²Sleeps 31 super-king bed + 1 Sofa bedA view, going by the room's name
- Opera King Suite with Separate Lounge and Dining Space - Waterloo Place View109 m²Sleeps 3A view, going by the room's name
From the hotel's own room descriptions, checked against each room's photos.
How it compares
How it ranks
Guests who booked rate it 9.6 out of 10. 96% of the 5,640 hotels in London are rated lower, and a typical one is rated 8.2.
Every review site, out of 100
10 Google reviewers ticked "Quiet", yet 2 guests complain about noise, and Pall Mall runs 32 m away.
If value matters to you
Here, 8 of the 16 guests who mention value complain. These nearby hotels do better on it.
More hotels in London
The nearest first, with our score for each.
How we know
287 reviews counted · 100 photos checked · updated 10 October 2026
- We collected this hotel's 780 most recent reviews from Google, Tripadvisor and the Booking network. 287 of them describe a stay in the last 2 years and are the ones counted here; the rest were 66 older, 89 in other languages, 328 with a score but no words and 10 about the restaurant rather than a stay.
- The hotel replied to 194 of its 200 newest Google reviews.
- 19 in every 100 reviews thank a staff member by name.
- 30 reviews mention a free upgrade, a cake or a gift.
- We looked at 100 photos: the first 40 of the hotel's own and the 60 newest from guests.
- Every number on this page is counted, not estimated. Anything in quotation marks is a guest's own words.