
Four Seasons Hotel London at Tower Bridge: A historical London address elevated to an inner-city sanctuary
The five-star hotel overlooking Tower Bridge may have a new name – but its impeccable service, luxury suites and delectable food are as consistent as ever
What’s in a name? For the Four Seasons apparently enough to make it take the unusual, and risky (in hospitality terms), step of rebranding its second London outpost a full seven years after it first opened. Having originally taken its name from its address rather than the London landmark it presides over, Four Seasons finally renamed its former Ten Trinity Square location to the much more out-of-towner friendly Tower Bridge last summer – and marketers, publishers and journalists around the world breathed a sigh of relief. There’s plenty to rave about here, but the Tower Bridge hook naturally helps.
The rebrand ushered in an array of additional experiences, ranging from boat rides down the Thames to private after-dark walking tours of Tower Bridge and the Tower of London, home to Beefeaters and the Crown Jewels. But aside from the huge rebrand – which general manager Marie Fleury says, “captures the essence of our unique location and the quintessential British experience we offer” – 2024 also saw the hotel awarded one key in the new and meticulous Michelin hotel guide. It’s on an award-winning roll – and shows no signs of slowing.
Of course, Four Seasons Hotel at Tower Bridge has always ranked high among the capital’s finest luxury hotels. Even before it opened, the hotel caused a stir by thoroughly transforming the Grade-II listed former Port of London Authority building, dating back to 1922, with a multi-million-pound renovation that lasted six years. The history of the building is a huge draw for Four Seasons’ well-heeled clientele, who can book a night here and walk in the footsteps of those who oversaw ships coming in and out of the Thames, bringing tea, pottery and silks to the 20th-century London market from the East Indies and China.

Designed by architect Sir Edwin Cooper and opened by then-Prime Minister David Lloyd George, the building is a fine example of the Parisian Beaux-Arts style and was the tallest building in London when it opened its doors. Arriving here on an icy Friday evening in January, the eye-catching edifice is striking, tucked away behind the bustling Great Tower Street while being a stone’s throw from the Tower of London. It seems perfectly preserved – despite the fact it was bombed during the Blitz and then meticulously rebuilt – and offers a suitably grand location for the Four Seasons to bring its five-star style to life, following in the footsteps of its Park Lane sister which kickstarted the brand’s transatlantic endeavours in 1970.
The history is naturally a talking point – many treasures recovered during the 1922 excavation are on display in the lobby, including prehistoric tools, Roman hairpins, and fine bone china from the 18th century – but so are its interiors. Cooper’s clever water motifs, nodding to the Thames, are evident throughout, while its heritage suites seamlessly blend period charm with elegant luxury. The Cooper Suite, which pays homage to the building’s groundbreaking architect, is so large that when the porter opened its door, I didn’t realise we had even arrived at our home for the night. Double doors lead to an imposing five-metre hallway that runs the length of the ground-floor suite, with side doors and hallways connecting a network of rooms featuring a moody palette of soft lilac and slate grey combined with dark mahogany wood.


The suite is completed by a living area with a fireplace, plush sofas and a TV (built into a mirror, no less), large bedroom featuring a king-sized bed, back-lit dressing room, two toilets and a magnificent bathroom featuring gold-plated tiles and underfloor heating (which was very welcome during London’s sub-zero spate). The suite’s ceilings are some of the highest I’ve ever seen, adorned with intricate white architraves and palatial chandeliers. Measuring at more than 1,000 square feet, this feels more like a residence than a suite – and, talking of, there’s plenty of those occupying several floors of this majestic address.
Alongside 100 rooms and suites – some overlooking the Thames and Tower Bridge – are 34 residences available to long-term guests. Offering two-, three- and four-bedroom retreats, the jewel in the crown is the Skyline Penthouse, which opened last year. Reimagined by Martin Kemp, it features a private gym, cinema, office, state-of-the-art kitchen, open plan living and dining spaces, four marble bathrooms, and even discreet staff quarters. Tucked away inside one the building’s historic turrets, don’t miss the secret garden, library fitted with floor-to-ceiling windows and a wraparound rooftop terrace, providing an unrivalled perspective of the bridge below. Grand, quite frankly, doesn’t cover it.

There are plenty of floors to get lost in, but you can always find your way back by navigating from the hotel’s epicentre: the Rotunda Bar and Lounge. This central hall was also destroyed during the war, and was rebuilt with a glass dome designed to replicate that of St Paul’s Cathedral. Here, guests are invited to dine on a fine breakfast spread and afternoon tea by day, before creative cocktails and casual fare later in the afternoon, ranging from Maldon oysters and tuna tostadas to lobster rolls and burgers. Arrive from 6pm to enjoy the regular live band, but don’t be surprised if it’s busier on a Thursday afternoon than a Saturday night – it’s no secret that The City crowd like to flash their corporate cards here.
Fine dining is, of course, part of the Four Seasons’ opulent offering. Boasting the capital’s only outpost by world-revered French chef Anne-Sophie Pic, La Dame de Pic holds two Michelin-stars and showcases the chef’s Gallic savoir faire with signature dishes such as Les Berlingots – pasta parcels filled with Isle of Mull Cheddar – and wild seabass and caviar. For a meal no less impressive, but celebrating cuisine found a couple of continents away, venture across the corridor to dine at Mei Ume.

Mei Ume

Helmed by chef de cuisine Peter Ho, formerly of Hakkasan and MiMi Mei Fair, his culinary flair honed in China and Hong Kong is evident in menus which feature sumptuously steamed dim sum platters – Ho tells me he’s particularly proud of his octopus dumplings, and so he should be – and one of the best Peking ducks in London, which sees the bird dried twice, applewood-smoked and roasted to create fall-off-the-bone crispy meat paired with warm pancakes, shredded cucumber and leek, and delectable sweet duck sauce. I could eat this everyday and never get bored.
Other must-haves include the Hokkien seafood noodles (save room, the portion is enormous) featuring prawn, scallop, Chinese chives and samba sauce, and the yellowtail carpaccio with truffle ponzu dressing for a lighter bite. Pair with wine chosen by the in-house sommelier or go all out with a Suntory Whisky flight, composed of four drams designed to highlight the Japanese distillery’s wide range of single malts.

It would be remiss not to mention the subterranean, gold-hued spa, designed by Joseph Caspari and taking its cues from the site’s Roman history. The main pool is reminiscent of a Roman bath, featuring four pillars spanning the length of a lounger-fringed pool, while dramatically framing the smaller vitality pool. Elsewhere, experience a Moroccan-inspired bath ritual on the hammam’s heated marble plinth, book a slice of serenity via the extensive treatment menu (the hour-long aromatherapy ritual is a mean massage that will work wonders for those with tight shoulders) and unwind in a sauna oozing eucalyptus aromas to reduce stress and increase circulation. Inner city sanctuaries really don’t get much better than the Four Seasons Hotel at Tower Bridge.
From £650 per night.