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A London Staycation in Style: Inside The Marble Arch & The Cumberland
A Chic London Staycation: Experiencing The Marble Arch Hotel by Thistle & The Cumberland
If you’re dreaming of a London staycation that blends luxury, location, and a touch of playful personality, look no further. We were invited to experience both The Marble Arch Hotel and The Cumberland, two sister properties that sit moments apart yet offer their own distinct flavours of comfort and style. Here’s everything you need to know.
The Marble Arch Hotel by Thistle: Boutique Elegance on Oxford Street
Perfectly positioned just off Oxford Street, The Marble Arch is a haven for those who want to be in the heartbeat of London shopping, entertainment, and festive charm. Some rooms even offer front-row views of Oxford Street, meaning that during our stay we could look directly onto the Christmas lights glittering below.
Inside, the atmosphere is calm, modern, and boutique-chic. One of the standout perks is the VIP lounge, located just next to the gym, a welcoming space where guests can unwind, work, or enjoy a quiet drink and snacks.
The Marble Arch also offers a classic afternoon tea, featuring delicate finger sandwiches, freshly baked scones with clotted cream and jam, pastries and cakes. It’s a refined, leisurely treat that feels quintessentially London, making it a perfect pause during a city staycation.
The rooms are generously sized for such a central location, and the design leans contemporary: soft tones, clean lines, and thoughtful touches that make city living feel easy. Their range of rooms, from Standard to Executive King and even Studio Apartments, ensures there’s a comfortable option whether you’re in London for business, leisure, or a long stay.
Dining on-site adds to the convenience. The hotel’s own bar and lounge, Archy’s Bar & Lounge, overlooks bustling Oxford Street, a perfect venue to recharge after a day of shopping or sightseeing. From cocktails and mocktails to hearty dishes like pizza, pasta, or burgers there is plenty to choose from if you just want a relaxed way to end the evening. For quicker bites, there’s also a deli just off the reception offering coffee, light meals, and snacks.
Something that stands out is how the hotel has taken care to cater to its Middle Eastern guests, who make up a large part of their global community. Across the hotel, you’ll find Arabic signage, Arabic-speaking staff, and menu options that include Middle Eastern-inspired dishes, ensuring guests feel instantly at home. From familiar flavours at breakfast to comfort dishes available throughout the day, it’s clear that the hotel genuinely considers cultural preferences rather than treating them as an afterthought.
With its superb central location, and everything else it has to offer, The Marble Arch Hotel offers an ideal, and surprisingly roomy, base for a city-style staycation in London.
The Cumberland: Trendy with Iconic Hyde Park Views
Just around the corner from The Marble Arch sits The Cumberland, a vibrant, music-inspired hotel that delivers one of the most atmospheric staycations in central London. From the moment you step into the buzzing, design-driven lobby, the hotel feels alive, full of creative touches and bold styling that nod to London’s rock-and-roll heritage. It’s modern, lively, and full of personality, setting the tone for an unforgettable stay.
One of the biggest highlights? The stunning views overlooking Hyde Park. Many of the rooms, especially the Park View categories, give you sweeping, uninterrupted vistas across one of London’s most iconic green spaces. Waking up to treetops, soft morning light and the hum of the city below is a moment that immediately elevates your staycation.
The rooms themselves range from cosy Classic Doubles to roomy Deluxe Kings, all fitted with Hypnos beds, Nespresso machines, fast Wi-Fi, air-conditioning and rainfall showers. If you want something extra special, the Park View Rooms or Executive Kings are perfect upgrades, the latter giving you access to the hotel’s newly opened VIP Lounge, an exclusive space where you can relax with refreshments and enjoy a quieter, more premium setting. With its quiet ambience, premium snacks, refreshments, and comfortable seating areas, it offers a private space to relax, enjoy downtime, or gather with family away from the bustle of the lobby. It feels like a sanctuary within the hotel
The rooms are stylish, spacious, and designed with comfort in mind, which is especially appreciated by Middle Eastern travellers, many of whom visit London for extended stays and prefer roomier layouts. The Cumberland delivers exactly that, with generous suites and family-friendly configurations featuring separate living areas, sofa beds, larger bathrooms, and plenty of storage. Many rooms also boast panoramic views over Hyde Park, letting guests wake up to greenery, open skies, and quintessential London scenery.
The hotel’s trademark creativity shines through in the details too, from instrument-themed décor to playful touches like the height chart on the room mirrors featuring iconic music artists, a quirky little moment guests always love.
Dining and socialising are just as exciting, thanks to the hotel’s energetic bar and restaurant scene. And soon, The Cumberland will be home to something huge: Hell’s Kitchen is opening its first UK location right here, set to become a major draw for food lovers and a real hotspot within the city.
The hotel also goes out of its way to be Middle Eastern–friendly, offering Arabic-speaking staff, halal-friendly menu selections, and thoughtful touches throughout the property that make guests feel instantly welcome. It’s clear that the hotel understands the needs of families and group travellers, from ease of movement to accessible dining options and cultural familiarity.
The Cumberland also offers afternoon tea at its on-site SOUND Café. Unlike traditional teas, this one has a lively, modern edge, including pastries, sandwiches, scones, and optional sparkling wine or drinks, perfectly in line with the hotel’s energetic, music-inspired vibe. VIP Lounge guests can also enjoy a lighter cream-tea experience throughout the day, adding flexibility and comfort for different types of stays.
With Hyde Park on your doorstep, Oxford Street a few steps away and Marble Arch station moments from the entrance, The Cumberland offers the perfect blend of location, style and fun. It’s bold, it’s modern, and it’s effortlessly cool, the ideal choice if you want your London staycation to feel like a getaway with character.
Why These Hotels Make the Perfect London Staycation
What truly sets The Marble Arch Hotel by Thistle and The Cumberland apart is how seamlessly they bring together the two sides of a perfect London staycation: calm boutique comfort on one hand, and bold, energetic city style on the other. Staying at both properties feels like experiencing two complementary versions of London, each with its own personality, while still enjoying the convenience of being just minutes apart.
At The Marble Arch Hotel, you get that tucked-away boutique charm right in the middle of the city. Its intimate scale, calming neutral interiors and spacious rooms create a sense of refuge from the bustle outside. Whether you’re watching the Oxford Street Christmas lights from your window, enjoying a quiet moment in the VIP lounge, or returning from shopping with everything you could possibly want within arm’s reach, the hotel makes the city feel accessible without ever feeling overwhelming. It’s the ideal setting for guests who want tranquility and comfort but still want to step straight out into the energy of central London.
Then, just around the corner, The Cumberland offers the full opposite, in the best possible way. It’s vibrant, playful, full of creative character, and has an atmosphere that feels like part boutique hotel, part social hub. The rock-and-roll design elements, the buzzing lobby, the newly opened VIP lounge, and the incredible Hyde Park views give the hotel a truly “London experience” vibe. Add in features like the quirky music-artist height chart, spacious suites for families and groups, energetic dining spaces, upcoming Hell’s Kitchen restaurant and strong transport links, and you have a destination that feels fun, immersive and totally different from your usual city hotel.
What makes the two hotels work so well together is that they offer choice and contrast. You can enjoy the peaceful, private luxury of The Marble Arch, then walk a few steps and step into the dynamic, culture-driven personality of The Cumberland. Between them, you have two different lobby bars, multiple dining options, relaxing lounges, a gym, Hyde Park on one side and Oxford Street on the other, plus fast access to theatreland, Marylebone, Mayfair and Paddington.
Both hotels cater thoughtfully to Middle Eastern travellers with Arabic signage, menu options suited to regional tastes, culturally considerate service, and a warm, welcoming environment that resonates with families and groups visiting London, making it a popular spot for travellers from those regions.
For couples planning a romantic weekend, friends looking for a lively city break, families wanting space and convenience, or solo travellers who love blending quiet and excitement, these sister hotels offer a staycation that feels both refreshing and full of possibility. It’s a rare combination: two hotels, two totally different moods, one unbeatable location, and the ability to tailor your stay to exactly the London experience you want.
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