Located at the bustling tip of London’s busiest road, Oxford Street, The Cumberland Hotel is a lively and music-centric brand, drawing inspiration from the capital’s passion for music. Ideal for music enthusiasts, it offers a wonderful fusion of comfort and attentive service. Whether you’re exploring the city’s sights or, as in my case, enjoying a one-night London staycation with my mother, The Cumberland Hotel caters to all your needs.
Music to my ears
Stepping into the iconic building, you become a part of its rich legacy that has hosted legendary artists like Jimi Hendrix, The Killers, Katy Perry, Madonna, Justin Bieber, and Lady Gaga, just to name-drop a few. With 900 rooms, bars, a restaurant, and several meeting rooms, it serves as a cool destination for all types of travellers. There is a rich musical heritage, having housed many iconic legends such as Jimi Hendrix, Diana Ross, Lady Gaga and Madonna, among many others.
The Design
The quirky hotel offers a lot to captivate your attention, such as grand glass cabinets displaying all-red drum kits, and Marshall speakers perched on the walls in the bright and spacious lobby. In addition to a life-sized London taxi adorned with the hashtag #YourOwnSound on the paintwork, there’s an oval bar situated at the centre of the lobby. The ambiance is reminiscent of a lively museum, leaving you wandering around and gazing at Oasis posters scattered throughout.
The Bedroom
The friendly reception team upgraded us to the Star Suite, which is a spacious 45 sqm room and featured a separate living room, two TVs, a large and very comfortable Hypnos® bed, and the perfect park view of Marble Arch. The extra space provided great comfort for my guest and I, as we spent time sipping Champagne in our living room, appreciating the surroundings of our room. Notably, there was a mirror reflecting the heights of different musicians, and I discovered that I am the same height as Madonna! The bathroom, covered with luxurious marble, boasted bright mirrors and a standalone bathtub. Additionally, we found an electric guitar in the room which we could have appreciated more if we knew how to play.
Suite Amenities
The excitement of discovering welcome amenities upon entering a room always adds an extra special touch to any hotel stay. We were spoiled with a delightful fresh fruit plate, popcorn, and chocolates, which almost felt like we were a girl band on tour. The minibar was complimentary, stocked with beers, wine, soft drinks, and snacks. The bathroom amenities were provided by Essentiel Elements, a brand founded in San Francisco, offering a range of therapeutic spa products that felt gentle on the hair and smooth on the skin. The bathroom was well-equipped with a toothbrush and other essentials, eliminating the need to call reception, making our stay even more convenient.
Dinner
For dinner, we had three places to choose from and decided on Sound Café, a restaurant where music legends once performed. The menu featured an excellent selection, with the standout being the Burger Studio. All burgers were served in freshly toasted buns, accompanied by skin-on-fries and chipotle mayo. My guest enjoyed the Surf and Turf Burger, which was both delicious and succulent, topped with spicy shrimp. I opted for a healthier option, the steak salad (the vinaigrette was exceptional) I highly recommend for a satisfying and wholesome alternative. The restaurant hosts live music every day which was great, however, it was a bit too loud for our intimate conversation. Furthermore, an engaging element at Sound Café was a robot that seamlessly moved about, assisting the waiters in serving food – an enjoyable and cool touch that added a unique entertainment factor.
Amazingly Americana
To keep the flavours going, I also recommend indulging in SOUND London’s brand-new menu celebrating Americana classics. American signatures and favourites make up the menu, with Fiery jalapeño poppers, Jumbo prawns with spicy mango salsa, Grilled corn ribs, Buttermilk Chicken Tenders, and the Ultimate Onion Ring Tower all being opening acts. Main acts consist of incredible plates such as indulgent BBQ meat platters, featuring succulent melt-in-mouth meats, piled high and served with sharing sides and gravy for dipping, drizzling, or dunkin’. Of course, what is an American feast without a classic juicy burger, with the Burger Studio, serving-up highlights such as cover star, The London Double Decker, the crispy buttermilk chicken Clucky and smokey BBQ Pulled Pork.
Star of the Show
Among flavour-popping small plates and banging burgers; I found the main star of the new menu to be the whooping 20oz Tomahawk steak. Juicy, thick-cut, and full of flavour, the steak is ideal for sharing and served with creamy mash, chili greens, baked tomato topped with a garlic and herb crumble, as well as salsa verde and red wine gravy. To close out the festival of flavours are some all delectable American desserts, including House Apple Cobbler, Black Forest Waffles, or an extra thick Millionaires Brownie.
In celebration of the new menu launch, SOUND Cafe will also be rewarding a lucky few diners with complimentary tickets to the ultimate multi-sensory immersive art experience, Frameless, showcasing some of the world’s most iconic works of art, reimagined in ways never seen before. With so many great aspects to this new menu, be sure to not miss out on the very best of Americana at SOUND London at Cumberland Hotel.
Green Room
Breakfast in the Green Room features a wonderful buffet where you can’t go wrong, and the luxury of choosing your breakfast at your own pace adds to the experience. There’s an excellent selection of English breakfast items, a healthy station, pastries, and a Chef to make eggs to your liking. I cannot fault this experience, and I wish we had stayed an extra night just to enjoy the buffet again in the morning.
In the Heart of Central London
In a prime position just off Oxford Street and moments from Hyde Park and Marble Arch tube station, The Cumberland Hotel is the perfect base for a visit to London. You can walk to major landmarks, all within 10 minutes, and it truly feels like you’re in a city that never sleeps.
To summarise, I’d return to be in the hustle and bustle of London and channel my inner musician. The convenience of this hotel is second to none, and we enjoyed every second of our stay. So, indulge your musical passion and book your room at the best hotel show in town.
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All imagery courtesy of The Cumberland