The Langham has a pub in it, a cookery school, and a health club you can join without being a guest.
Of London’s grand hotels it is the one with the most ways in for people who are not staying the night, and it is also the oldest. The Langham opened in 1865 and describes itself as Europe’s first Grand Hotel.
That is 24 years before The Savoy, which calls itself the original London icon. Both claims can stand: the Savoy was first in London’s modern sense, the Langham was first in Europe.
The Wigmore is a British tavern inside a five-star hotel
The Wigmore is the hotel’s British tavern, added as part of its recent reimagining along with deluxe suites and a new spa.
A pub inside a hotel of this grade is unusual, and it is the easiest door to walk through. You do not book a tavern.
You can learn to cook there
Sauce by The Langham is a cookery school, open to beginners and accomplished cooks alike, where you make the dishes and then eat them.
None of the other grand hotels runs one. It is the clearest example of the Langham selling experiences rather than only rooms and tables.
There is a pool, and a membership
The Langham has a swimming pool, a fitness studio, the Chuan Spa, and health club membership.
Set that against The Dorchester, which has no pool of its own and sends its guests next door to 45 Park Lane. The Langham has its own water and sells access to Londoners through membership.
The spa trades as Chuan Body + Soul and was part of the recent rebuild.
Seven places to eat and drink
Artesian is the bar, and the one the hotel is known for.
Palm Court is where afternoon tea is served.
The Wigmore is the British tavern.
Sale e Pepe Mare and its Terrazza are the Italian seafood rooms.
Private Dining by Roux is the private dining operation, run with the Roux name.
Sauce by The Langham is the cookery school.
So the range runs from a tavern to a Roux private room, which is a wider spread than the Ritz’s six venues or the Dorchester’s.
Twenty-three event spaces
23 event venues, 2,509 square metres of event space, and a grand ballroom.
That is a conference hotel as much as a luxury one, and it explains the scale of the building. For a wedding or a large party it is one of the biggest capacities in the West End.
Where it is
1c Portland Place, Regent Street, London W1B 1JA.
Oxford Circus is the nearest station, with Regent’s Park and Great Portland Street also close. It sits directly opposite Broadcasting House at the top of Regent Street, which puts it on the edge of both the West End and Marylebone.
There is a chauffeur service and a published family experiences programme.
How to plan it
Not staying the night: The Wigmore, the tavern, which needs no occasion.
Afternoon tea: Palm Court.
Cocktails: Artesian.
Wanting a pool in central London: health club membership here, which the Dorchester cannot offer.
Learning to cook: Sauce by The Langham.
A large event: 23 venues and a grand ballroom.
Oldest grand hotel in Europe: this one, 1865.
The Langham, London
- Address
- 1c Portland Place, Regent Street, London W1B 1JA, opposite Broadcasting House
- Nearest
- Oxford Circus, with Regent’s Park and Great Portland Street also close
- Hours
- Venue hours vary. Seven food and drink venues including a tavern and a cookery school
- Booking
- Online or by telephone. The cookery school and spa are separately bookable
- Price
- Five-star hotel rates. Health club membership available to non-residents
- Standing
- Opened in 1865 and described as Europe’s first Grand Hotel, with the Artesian bar, Palm Court tea and 23 event venues
How to get in
It has a British tavern, The Wigmore, a cookery school called Sauce by The Langham, and its own swimming pool with health club membership open to non-residents, none of which the other grand London hotels offer. At 1865 it predates The Savoy by 24 years. There are 23 event venues and 2,509 square metres of event space.
Where to go next
The Savoy is the most relaxed on dress, The Ritz the strictest, and The Dorchester sits between them.
The hotels page compares the rest, and spa days cover the wellness side.
Questions we get asked
How old is The Langham, London?
It opened in 1865 and describes itself as Europe's first Grand Hotel, which makes it 24 years older than The Savoy. Recent additions include deluxe suites, the British tavern The Wigmore, and the Chuan Body + Soul spa.
Does The Langham have a swimming pool?
Yes, along with a fitness studio and the Chuan Spa, and it offers health club membership so Londoners can use the facilities without staying. The Dorchester by contrast has no pool of its own and sends guests to 45 Park Lane.
What restaurants and bars are in The Langham?
Seven: Artesian for cocktails, Palm Court for afternoon tea, The Wigmore as a British tavern, Sale e Pepe Mare and its Terrazza for Italian seafood, Private Dining by Roux, and Sauce by The Langham, which is a cookery school.
Is there a cookery school at The Langham?
Yes, Sauce by The Langham, open to beginners and experienced cooks, where you make the dishes and then eat them. No other grand London hotel runs one.
Can you go to The Langham without staying there?
Easily. The Wigmore is a British tavern you can walk into, Palm Court serves afternoon tea, Artesian is open as a bar, the cookery school takes bookings, and health club membership gives access to the pool and gym.
How many event spaces does The Langham have?
23 event venues and 2,509 square metres of event space, including a grand ballroom, which is one of the largest capacities among West End hotels.
Written by Robert J Wills, no. 310 in the guide.
Last checked 6 October 2026 against the venues' own published information. Nobody pays to appear here and we take no bookings.
