Strand Palace Hotel Review: A London Hotel That Actually Felt Safe Staying Alone

There’s something strangely vulnerable about travelling alone for work as a woman. Especially when you’ve just survived a four-hour TransPennine Express journey, you’re carrying a laptop you’re terrified of losing, your social battery is hanging on by a thread, and all you really want is to get into bed with room service and bad TV as quickly as possible.

Over the last couple of years, I’ve stayed in a fair few London hotels for work trips – some perfectly fine, some wildly overpriced, and some that immediately made me wish I’d booked somewhere else the second I walked through the door.

But Strand Palace Hotel is one I’ve now returned to three separate times. Which, for me, says everything.

Why I Chose the Strand Palace

When travelling alone for work, I’m not necessarily looking for luxury. I want somewhere:

• central
• easy to get to after a long train journey
• comfortable enough to decompress in
• and, honestly, somewhere that feels safe.

My office is in Covent Garden, so location-wise this hotel is ideal. It’s around a 30-minute walk from Euston Station, but importantly, it’s a very straightforward route through busy, well-lit parts of London. And when your train gets in late and you’re walking alone with your overnight bag, that kind of thing matters more than people admit.

The next morning, it was about a four-minute walk to the office, which meant maximum sleep and minimum stress. Exactly what you need before a full day of meetings.

The Thing That Immediately Made Me Feel Safer

One of the biggest differences between the Strand Palace and some of the more budget-chain hotels I’ve stayed in for work is that there’s always someone present at the entrance.

There’s a member of staff on the door, 24-hour concierge, and plenty of reception staff around at all times, which immediately makes the hotel feel more secure and monitored without feeling intimidating or over the top.

As a woman travelling alone, you notice these things instantly.

I’ve stayed in hotels before where random people could easily wander in behind guests unnoticed, and I’ve also had experiences where my room number has been loudly announced across reception during check-in – something that has always made me uncomfortable.

At the Strand Palace, none of that happens. Your room details are handed over discreetly, directions are clearly signposted, and the entire process feels calm, professional, and respectful.

It sounds like a small detail, but it genuinely changes how relaxed you feel staying somewhere alone.

The Time My Reservation Had Somehow Disappeared

On one trip, after arriving in London late at night following a long journey, I discovered my reservation had somehow been cancelled.

To this day, I’m still not entirely sure whether that was my fault, work’s fault, or one of those mysterious corporate booking system situations that nobody ever fully understands.

Either way, I suddenly found myself standing at reception with no room booked and a rising sense of panic.

And honestly? The staff could not have handled it better.

There was no drama, no awkwardness, and no sense that I was being treated like an inconvenience. The woman helping me immediately reassured me with:

“I promise you’re staying here tonight. We’ll sort something.”

Within minutes, she’d found another available room — which actually ended up being cheaper than the original booking – and even gave me a complimentary drink voucher “to help you relax and decompress after a long day.”

It was handled with such kindness and professionalism that I’ve deliberately rebooked the hotel since.

The Rooms

I’ve stayed in a Superior Queen room each time, and while the rooms aren’t huge, I actually think they’re the perfect size for solo work travel.

You’ve got enough space to properly relax without feeling like you’re paying London prices for unnecessary square footage you won’t use anyway.

The rooms are clean, modern, and thoughtfully set up, with:

• a hairdryer
• iron and trouser press
• mini bar
• complimentary chocolate
• refillable water stations on each floor
• blackout shutters that are genuinely excellent if you need an emergency post-meeting nap.

The bathrooms are shower-only rather than bath/shower combos, which personally didn’t bother me at all for work travel.

Everything feels practical, comfortable, and easy – which, after a long day in London, is exactly what you want.

Eating Alone Without Feeling Weird

This probably sounds oddly specific, but I think women travelling alone will understand this immediately: some hotel bars and restaurants can make you feel painfully aware that you’re by yourself.

That never happened here.

There’s a large dining and bar area near reception where I’ve happily sat alone multiple times with a drink or food without feeling uncomfortable or out of place. The atmosphere is busy enough that nobody pays attention to what anyone else is doing, and the staff strike that perfect balance of being warm and attentive without hovering.

There’s also a smaller, more tucked-away cocktail bar area that feels especially cosy in the evenings and would be lovely during winter after work.

That said, most nights I fully embraced the “girl dinner in bed watching terrible TV” lifestyle instead.

The room service is genuinely very good, and you can order directly through the hotel app, which makes expensing meals afterwards incredibly easy. Food arrived beautifully presented on proper trays rather than shoved into takeaway packaging, which made the whole experience feel a little more relaxing after long work days.

The Only Downside

If I had to pick one negative, it’s the lifts.

There are only two, and during busy periods there can be a bit of a wait — especially if you’re staying on one of the higher floors and the lift stops repeatedly on the way down.

But honestly, that feels like a very minor complaint in the grand scheme of things.

Would I Stay Again?

Absolutely – and I already have, multiple times.

For me, the Strand Palace gets the balance right between convenience, comfort, professionalism, and something that’s surprisingly hard to find in London hotels when travelling alone: the ability to properly relax.

It doesn’t feel cold or corporate. It doesn’t feel intimidating. And most importantly, it never once made me feel awkward or unsafe staying there alone.

Which, in my opinion, is worth a lot.