You’re standing in the middle of Leicester Square. It’s loud. It’s chaotic. There’s a guy dressed as a generic superhero trying to take a selfie with a confused tourist, and the smell of roasted peanuts is competing with diesel fumes. It is the last place on earth you’d expect to find genuine sophistication. Yet, if you head into the southwest corner of the square and take the lift up at the world’s first "super boutique" hotel, you land at 8 at The Londoner.
It’s weirdly quiet up there.
Most people think of hotel bars in Central London as overpriced waiting rooms for people with too much luggage. 8 at The Londoner is different because it doesn't try to be everything to everyone. It’s a Japanese-inspired izakaya rooftop that feels more like a private club in Shinjuku than a tourist trap in WC2. It is moody. It is dark. It’s got this incredible retractable roof that makes it one of the few places in the city where "alfresco" doesn't mean "freezing in a drafty alleyway."
The Design Paradox: Shifting the Leicester Square Narrative
The Londoner itself cost something like £300 million to build. You can see where the money went the second you step onto the eighth floor. The space is partitioned into three distinct areas: the bar, the terrace, and the Shima Garden.
Honestly, the Shima Garden is the kicker. It’s an outdoor lounge centered around a fire pit, but it’s sunken, which creates this intimate, subterranean vibe despite being stories above the pavement. It’s a clever architectural trick. You’re looking up at the sky, but you feel tucked away. Woods Bagot, the design firm behind the project, leaned heavily into minimalism here. There’s no gaudy gold leaf or neon. Instead, you get dark wood, stone, and rope installations that reference traditional Japanese craftsmanship.
One thing people get wrong about 8 at The Londoner is assuming it's just a summer spot. Because of the way the terrace is engineered—with heat lamps that actually work and that heavy-duty retractable roof—it’s arguably better in November than in July. When the rain is lashing down over the National Gallery and you’re sitting there with a whiskey in hand, bone-dry and warm, the "super boutique" label finally makes sense.
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What’s Actually Worth Ordering?
Let’s talk about the menu. It’s overseen by Executive Chef Ian S. Lim. Most rooftop bars treat food as an afterthought—greasy sliders or sad fries to soak up the gin. At 8 at The Londoner, the food is the point.
The menu focuses on small plates. Izakaya style.
If you go, skip the basic stuff and head straight for the Wagyu with sea salt and black pepper. It’s expensive. It’s also incredible. The fat renders perfectly, and it’s served in a way that respects the ingredient rather than burying it in sauce. The sea bass carpaccio with Fuji apple is another one that surprises people. The sweetness of the apple against the acidity of the dressing is sharp. It wakes up your palate.
- The Cocktail Program: It’s curated by Pierpaolo Schiavo.
- The Signature: The "Lychee and Rose" is the crowd-pleaser, but the "Jasmine and White Peach" is the sophisticated choice. It’s balanced. It’s not a sugar bomb.
- The Spirit List: They have a massive selection of Japanese whiskies. Hibiki, Yamazaki, Nikka—the heavy hitters are all there.
The service is surprisingly fast. Usually, in London, "high-end" is code for "we will ignore you for twenty minutes to prove how exclusive we are." Here, the staff move with a specific kind of intentionality. They know the menu. They can explain the difference between the sakes without looking at a cheat sheet.
The Reality of the "Super Boutique" Vibe
There is a lot of marketing fluff around the term "super boutique." Basically, it just means a massive hotel that tries to feel small. 8 at The Londoner succeeds at this because it feels detached from the 350 rooms downstairs. You don't feel like you're in a hotel. You feel like you've found a loophole in London's geography.
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The crowd is a mix. You’ll see the fashion set from Soho, some business types closing deals that sound way too complicated for a Friday night, and the occasional couple who clearly saved up for a big night out. It doesn't feel snobbish, though. It just feels... expensive. Because it is. You aren't coming here for a cheap pint. You’re coming here for the fact that you can see the London Eye and the lights of the West End while sitting in a garden that feels like it belongs in Kyoto.
Avoiding the Pitfalls
One thing to keep in mind: reservations are non-negotiable. Don't just "show up." You’ll end up standing in the lobby feeling awkward. Also, the dress code is "smart casual," but lean more toward the "smart" side. If you turn up in gym gear, you’re going to feel out of place, and there’s a decent chance the doorman will have a polite word.
The acoustics are also worth mentioning. A lot of rooftops are deathly loud because of the wind or bad speaker placement. At 8 at The Londoner, they’ve managed to baffle the sound. You can actually have a conversation without shouting. It’s a rare luxury in a city that seems obsessed with "vibey" music that makes your ears bleed.
Navigating the Cost vs. Value Debate
Is a cocktail at 8 at The Londoner worth nearly twenty quid?
That depends on what you’re paying for. If you just want a drink, go to a pub. If you want the feeling of being "above it all"—literally and metaphorically—then yes. The overhead of maintaining a rooftop garden in the middle of London is astronomical. You’re paying for the real estate, the heated seats, the curated playlist, and the fact that you don't have to deal with the chaos of the street level.
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The Japanese influence isn't just a gimmick, either. It’s woven into the hospitality. There’s a concept in Japan called Omotenashi—wholehearted hospitality. You see flickers of it here. The way the napkins are replaced, the way the water glass never stays empty for long. It’s subtle, but it adds up to a premium experience.
Actionable Tips for Your Visit
If you're planning to head to 8 at The Londoner, do it right. Don't just book a random slot and hope for the best.
1. Time your arrival for the "Blue Hour": Book your table for about 20 minutes before sunset. Watching the sky turn that deep, electric blue over the London skyline while the fire pit in the Shima Garden kicks into gear is the peak experience.
2. Request the Shima Garden specifically: While the internal bar is beautiful, the sunken garden is the soul of the place. Even in winter, it’s the most atmospheric spot in the building.
3. Explore the Sake Flight: If you aren't a cocktail person, ask the sommelier for a sake recommendation based on what you’re eating. Most people stick to what they know; let the experts push you toward something like a sparkling sake or a heavy, earthy Junmai.
4. The Exit Strategy: When you leave, don't just walk back out into the middle of the square. Take the side exit toward Orange Street. It’s a much calmer way to transition back into the "real" London after being in the bubble of the eighth floor.
The Londoner managed to do something difficult: they took the most over-commercialized patch of land in the UK and put something genuinely cool on top of it. 8 at The Londoner isn't just a bar; it’s a masterclass in how to use vertical space in a crowded city. It’s sophisticated, it’s pricey, and it’s arguably the best view you can get without having to pay for a ticket to a tourist observation deck.