Overview
First Impressions
Walking into The Prince Akatoki London feels like discovering a secret that most tourists miss entirely. This five-star boutique hotel sits quietly on Great Cumberland Place — you know, that tree-lined street that somehow feels miles away from Oxford Street’s chaos, even though you’re literally a three-minute walk from Marble Arch. The lobby hits you with this unexpected blend of contemporary Japanese design and classic London elegance that actually works, which honestly surprised me.
Location & Neighborhood
The Westminster Borough location is pretty much perfect if you ask me. You’ve got Hyde Park right there when you need to escape the city madness, and London‘s shopping heart is close enough that you can pop over to Selfridges without planning your whole day around it. What I really love though is how this spot connects you to the quieter side of Marylebone — those little pubs and independent coffee shops that locals actually use, not just the tourist traps.
The Room Experience
The room I stayed in was this beautiful exercise in understated luxury. Everything felt deliberately chosen — the lighting, the textures, even the way they arranged the tea service. There’s this calming, almost zen-like quality that makes you want to actually spend time in your room instead of just crashing there. The bathrooms are particularly impressive, with these deep soaking tubs that feel properly indulgent after a long day wandering around the city.
Dining & Amenities
The hotel’s restaurant serves this modern European cuisine with subtle Japanese influences — sounds pretentious, I know, but it’s actually quite approachable and delicious. What impressed me more was the service throughout the property; staff seem to genuinely care about getting the details right. The spa is small but perfectly formed, offering treatments that feel more therapeutic than just pampering for the sake of it.
Why Guests Love It
Here’s the thing about The Prince Akatoki London — it’s luxury without the stuffiness that some high-end hotels can’t seem to shake. You get all the premium touches you’d expect from a top-tier property, but wrapped in this refreshingly relaxed atmosphere. The 8.9 rating makes complete sense when you experience how they’ve managed to create something that feels both sophisticated and genuinely welcoming. It’s the kind of place where you can sink into the lobby with a book and no one makes you feel like you should be somewhere else.
Guest reviews
"Beautiful small hotel in a very central but quiet location, super friendly lovely staff and great Japanese vibe"
Location, staff, japanese vibe
What could be improved: Room service was slow and overwhelmed
7 December 2025
"Good"
The cleanness ,the towels,the complimentary things
4 December 2025
"Overall great stay"
Location, space.
What could be improved: Marred by fire alarm and evacuation at 2am.
No roll call seemed to be taken.
27 November 2025
"A truly serene and refined stay that beautifully blends Japanese hospitality with London charm — an experience of calm,"
Great location, spacious rooms unlike the norm in London, smart Japanese toilet seats keeping guests clean, exceptional guest services, and an authentic Japanese experience!
What could be improved: The breakfast wasn’t to our liking, though this may simply come down to personal taste and the standards we’re accustomed to in Kuwait.
8 November 2025
"An excellent choice and will come back"
Amazing atmosphere. Great attention to detail.
8 November 2025
"Very good"
Good location..clean..nice breakfast
4 November 2025
"Fabulous hotel in a great location."
This is our second visit to the Hotel. On arrival, the staff were very welcoming, friendly and attentive. They even made sure a room was ready for us at eleven in the morning which was unheard of for a hotel! We syaed at the hotel for dinner at the marvellous Tokii restaurant. All the reviews we had read said the staff weren't terribly attentive but we found the opposite to be true. Always someone on hand should we need them. We both had the Omakase 'chefs choice' menu, consisting of 13 courses, all very small, but delicious. We'd never done anything like this before so have no basis for comparrison, but we loved it. Various sushi portions, miso soup, a street-food style nori cone with rice and salmon ending with mouth-watering watering strips of wagyu with griddled asparagus which was heavenly, one of the single best things to have eaten. We also opted for the sake pairing where we tried four different types of sake thoughout the evening. Both the food and the sake were served and described by the lovely Valentina, who was a wonderful host and very knoweleable, teaching us all about the sake process and the different types of milling and distillation which produce such varied products from a single grain source. It made for a thoroughly enjoyable and quite eductaional evening! Afterwards we retired to the Malt bar where we continued the evening with a delicious selection of Japanese blended and single malts. The bar is tragically overlooked - we were the only ones there. What a wonderful way to end the day though.
Regarding the room, the beds are incredibly comfy allowing for a great night's sleep. Breakfast the next day was freshly cooked for us rather than a buffet, but there was also a selection of meats, cheeses and pastries, and this suited us perfectly.
What could be improved: The only thing about the whole stay we weren't overly keen on were the toilets. They have these new heated, electronically raised seats that can also wash and dry your bottom. Great idea, but for both of us, a bit gimmicky. I'm sure they suit a lot of people, but having the lid raise every time you went in the bathroom, whether you needed the loo or not, did get a little irritating! A very minor gripe though.
3 November 2025
"Exceptional"
Location
Facilities
What could be improved: Nothing
30 October 2025
"Restoring"
The attention to detail was amazing. Extremely clean, minimalistic yet luxurious, zen. Absolutely loved it.
19 October 2025
"Exceptional"
Attentive staff. Amazing bar.
19 October 2025
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