Hotels near Aldwych Theatre

Aldwych, WC2B 4DF
Nearest Tube: Covent Garden / Holborn

Built with its twin the Novello Theatre in 1905 in the Georgian style to celebrate the soft curve of the Aldwych's addition to the life of Covent Garden, this theatre has a highly cultural past and a more crowd-pleasing present - in many ways a metaphor for the state of the current West End. Its early years saw many happy farces and melodramas performed to the pre-war crowd, and Ben Travers - one of the great farce writers of all time, who still knocked out door-slamming sex comedies well into his 90th year - moved in for eight years until 1933.

The next big event in the life of this theatre was 1960, when the Royal Shakespeare Company chose the Aldwych as their London home for the next three years, and liked it so much, they stayed for 20 more. In-between many monumental RSC productions during the company's acknowledged golden age in the 70s, the impresario Peter Daubeny brought leading international companies to the Aldwych to perform in their original language, all without Arts Council support - a cultural gift unthinkable in the modern age.

Times change, however, and though the RSC revisited in 2001 with The Secret Garden, the Aldwych's last three productions have been Fame - The Musical, the Motown jukebox musical Dancing in the Streets, and current incumbent Dirty Dancing - anathema to the city's cultural commentators, but a cracking night out for audiences after a frivolous and fun theatrical experience.

There's plenty excellent bars near the theatre, not least the Lobby Bar, a classy cocktail emporium for lovers of martinis - nearby Christopher's Martini Bar offers much of the same with a James Bond-esque vibe. You won't get much change from £20 for a couple of drinks in both, though.

The Strand Palace is only a very few minutes easy stroll to Covent Garden, the London Eye and Drury Lane. The hotel is located on the Strand in the West End and is close to many theatres, restaurants and bars. To its north lies Holborn and Russell Square, an area that is home to the British Museum, whilst to the east lies Tottenham Court Road, Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery.

Our most popular tried and tested 3 star hotel in the West End of London. The St Giles is only a 20 minute walk away from the Aldwych Theatre