The Dilly Hotel, London – what it’s REALLY like

The Dilly Hotel, London

The Dilly Hotel, London is based in bustling Piccadilly. First opened in 1908 as THE fashionable place to stay the hotel has been at the forefront of the London hotel scene ever since. This five star hotel is large and just off Piccadilly Circus – it’s a great location to be based in. The hotel has interconnecting rooms and large family rooms meaning if you’re visiting with kids The Dilly London will have something for you. As a London hotel with a swimming pool it ticks a lot of boxes.

Our review of The Dilly Hotel London will tell you what it’s REALLY like to stay in the hotel.

Read more: The best family hotels in London

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The Dilly Hotel – the facilities

The Dilly is a grand building right in the heart of theatreland and the hustle and bustle of Piccadilly. It’s a large hotel which feels quiet and calm inside, despite its location.

  • 🛏️ – interconnecting rooms and suites
  • 🏊 – Swimming pool
  • 🏃‍ – Gym (including a squash court)
  • 🍝 – Room service available & 2 restaurants

The Family Hotel Expert view –

The facilities are great at The Dilly, particularly in the form of one of London’s largest indoor swimming pools. Parking is very tricky (or expensive) in this part of London which is within the congestion zone so it’s well worth taking the tube in. The underground station is very close by. The restaurants at The Dilly are particularly wonderful.

The Dilly London – the rooms

There are lots of different types of rooms available at this large hotel – from doubles to family rooms, interconnecting rooms and suites. The products in the bathroom are lovely and whilst there are no coffee machines there are some coffee bags and tea with a kettle provided. There are adult sized gowns and slippers. The family rooms are a great size for central London.

The Family Hotel Expert view –

We thought the size of the rooms were really impressive and even though we were a family of five – with an extra bed being brought in for our oldest child, we had plenty of space. There was room for luggage and for a small table and two chairs. The bathroom was a little dated and a bath would have been nice but again it was a good space and did the job well.

The Dilly Hotel – the location

Piccadilly is a fun, busy area of London. There’s plenty going on around the hotel and within easy walk of it. Theatreland and Leicester Square are just around the corner as is the fun and colourful Chinatown. The area has plenty of restaurants if you want to eat out and Fortnum and Mason‘s is just across the road for a lovely browse at all the great food on offer. There’s plenty to do here in this area and it’s very easy to get to the rest of London from Piccadilly.

The Family Hotel Expert view –

We enjoyed being in the heart of busy London. The children loved seeing the lights of Piccadilly Circus and taking a walk through Chinatown. We loved being opposite the amazing, large Waterstone’s bookshop too which is well worth a browse through. There’s no doubt this is a busy location but it felt calm and peaceful once we were inside The Dilly.

Food and drink at The Dilly London

The main restaurant at The Dilly is The Terrace which is open for breakfast, afternoon tea and dinner. They also have the fine dining Indian restaurant Madhu’s here.

The Family Hotel Expert view –

🍳 Breakfast at The Dilly

Breakfast is served in the Terrace, a lovely glass domed space which looks out across the city. It is full of bright, green plants which make the space feel even more airy and slightly tropical. The breakfast is a wonderful spread at The Dilly. Juices, fruits, cheeses and some fantastic pastries were on offer. There was a hot buffet too and you could order individual items from an a’la carte menu.

🫖 Afternoon Tea at The Dilly

When we stayed at The Dilly the afternoon tea was Peter Rabbit themed and was absolutely wonderful. With a regular version and a vegetarian option there was an amazing spread of food. There was also a kid’s version which had all the fun of the adult one too. With lovely sandwiches, scones with jam and cream and a selection of really imaginative cakes including an edible plant pot and a fun toadstool, this is a tea which will delight all the family. Children can choose from wonderful fruity drinks and adults can have a whole selection of teas or delicious cocktails. This is the perfect treat.

🍽️ Dinner at The Terrace Restaurant at The Dilly Hotel

We had a family meal at The Terrace and absolutely loved it. The food was beautifully presented, fresh tasty and the service was impeccable. We had starters of a goats cheese and beetroot starter and a Gloucestershire chalk stream smoked trout which were wonderful. We didn’t order starters from a children’s menu and instead ordered some of the nibbles for the children – flatbreads with houmus and guacamole, a selection of breads and butter and some spicy olives. For the main course the children all went for fish and chips, a dish they love and they all thought The Terrace’s version was brilliant. The adults had a garden salad that was fresh and tasty and a halibut with sea vegetables, buttered spinach, butternut squash and a lobster sauce which was very well done. We finished off the meal with banoffee pies and a chocolate pudding with whiskey chocolate cremeux, praline crumb and whiskey ice cream, all of which was delicious. The glass roofed space, watching the sun set over London, chatting the evening away with great food all helped to create a lovely meal.

The Dilly – family friendly

While there wasn’t anything specific for kids checking in to The Dilly the hotel is very welcoming of children. The family rooms are a fantastic size for central London and the food here is a winner for all ages.

Our star rating of The Dilly Hotel, London

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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