London has a rhythm all its own—fast, fashionable, and endlessly fascinating. But tucked just off the electric pulse of Leicester Square, I discovered a rare and luxurious exhale. My husband David and I were recently invited to experience The Londoner,  and let me tell you: this is not your average city stay. This is ‘the’ super boutique hotel where cultural cool meets unapologetic indulgence, and where a stay doesn’t just place you in the center of the city—but above it all.

From the moment we entered the grand lobby, enveloped in elegant textures and warm tones, we knew this was something special. We were escorted to the Corner Suite, one of the hotel’s most illustrious spaces. The design was flawless—Yabu Pushelberg’s signature sophistication wrapped in floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the city like a cinematic skyline. It was the kind of suite you don’t want to leave, until you realize The Londoner has created a hotel ‘meant’ to be explored beyond your room.

Down below, quite literally, lies one of my favorite features: The Retreat. A subterranean sanctuary designed for rest, wellness, and total recalibration. I melted into a 90-minute facial curated from the hotel’s new partnership with Omorovicza, the Hungarian skincare brand known for its healing thermal water rituals. There’s something inherently transformative about being in London’s buzzy theatre district one moment, and then in a candlelit cocoon of detoxifying calm the next. I emerged with skin that glowed like I’d just returned from the islands.