Hotel Review: The Prince Akatoki London
I almost walked right by this gem the first time, but now it’s one of my go-to hotels in London.
Tucked onto a quiet Marylebone street, the Prince Akotoki London is so unassuming that, were it not for a couple of flags and a welcome mat bearing its name, I might have missed the entrance entirely. And that’s part of its appeal. Rather than announce itself as another five-star London hotel, it slips quietly into one of my favorite neighborhoods.
The Prince Akatoki London is an 82-room boutique hotel with a subtle Japanese aesthetic and an impressive amount of serenity in one of the world’s busiest cities. The clean lines, warm wood, muted colors, and thoughtful room details make it one of my favorite stays.
Akatoki (明時) is an old Japanese expression related to akatsuki, referring to dawn, the time before sunrise, or a new beginning. Prince Hotels chose it to evoke waking up refreshed and the possibilities of a new day—which fits the hotel’s whole quiet, restorative Japanese aesthetic.
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🌟 The Prince Akatoki London 🌟
🛏️ Number of rooms & suites: 82
🤔 Three words: modern, intimate, serene
💰 Price: It’s London, so let’s establish right away that “bargain” is a relative term. This is an expensive city, and rates fluctuate considerably with demand and season.
I’ve stayed in many seasons, including just after peak summer travel and post-festive, and found rates that weren’t budget or cheap, but felt surprisingly reasonable compared with other hotels in the area, such as NOBU.
If you’re already looking at spending several hundred pounds a night, which is the floor in London, it’s worth looking here if you prefer smaller hotels.
Marylebone is one of the cutest neighborhoods in London
📚 Why book: I love Marylebone (see my local guide), and the location and tranquility make The Prince Akatoki my top choice. It’s within walking distance of sightseeing such as Hyde Park, Marble Arch, Oxford Street, Bond Street, Madame Tussauds, and Hop-on/Hop-off bus stops.
Marylebone High Street has excellent shops and restaurants, all within walking distance, too. You can spend the day in full London mode, then retreat somewhere that feels decidedly less frantic.
The design is contemporary with a restrained Japanese influence: pale woods, simple lines, and serene artwork and lighting, and an overal ‘zen-like’ feel.
🛏 Rooms: Rooms start at 220 square feet/ 21 square meters, with larger rooms and suites providing considerably more space. I’ve stayed in many, and the small rooms still feel roomy enough thanks to good design that maximizes storage.
Last time I was there, I was upgraded to a suite (thanks, AmEx), and it was exceptionally comfortable: a small seating area and dining table, a king-sized bed, a marble bathroom, and a rather delightful collection of bathroom goodies you didn’t know you needed until they appeared on the counter.
There’s a Nespresso machine—in-room coffee is a must—along with tea, a proper teapot and cups, a mini fridge, water, robes/yukatas, seriously cushy slippers, a yoga mat, blackout shades, ESPA bath products, an iron and ironing board, safe, Wi-Fi and streaming TV.
Twice-daily housekeeping and evening chamomile tea add to the general feeling that someone is quietly taking care of you.
Depending on room category, bathrooms get even more entertaining. Who knew that could happen? Executive Rooms and suites have high-tech TOTO toilets. Mine was quite possibly the fanciest toilet I have ever seen—or felt. I’ll leave it there.
In some suites, you’ll also find a TV positioned over the bathtub because apparently, watching television from bed is for amateurs.
🥘 Dining: You could easily stay here without eating at the hotel, given the number of restaurants and pubs in Marylebone , but that would mean missing TOKii. The Japanese restaurant serves sushi, sashimi and Japanese-influenced hot and cold dishes, and the quality makes it more than a convenient hotel dining room.
Then there’s The Malt Lounge & Bar, the hotel’s intimate Japanese-inspired bar with more than 100 whiskies from Japan and around the world, along with sake and cocktails.
Even if whisky isn’t your thing, it’s a cozy place for a nightcap at the end of a London tour day.
👉Travel Tip: The restaurant also offers a Sushi Master Class.
🗺️ Neighborhood: I can’t rave about Marylebone enough. It is my favorite London neighborhood. But for wider exploration, the hotel puts you close to the London action and to a tube stop, without asking you to sleep in the middle of it. Hyde Park and Marble Arch are nearby; Oxford Street, Selfridges, and the independent boutiques, cafés and restaurants of Marylebone High Street are also within walking distance.
Marble Arch Underground station is about five minutes away, Bond Street is about eight minutes away, and Marylebone and Baker Street stations re roughly 10-15 minutes away, so getting elsewhere in London is easy.
👀 Nearby attractions: Madame Tussauds, the Sherlock Holmes Museum, Hyde Park, Regent’s Park, Mayfair, Oxford Street and Selfridges are close. Definitely do not miss the Wallace Collection in a Marylebone mansion. It has an impressive collection of paintings, sculpture, porcelain, and armory; it’s small, and there is a lovely restaurant in the center courtyard- a best-kept secret for sure.
📣 Standout Amenities: Nespresso machine and Jing tea, yukata/robes, cushy slippers, yoga mat, blackout shades, ESPA toiletries, 24-hour room service, gym, TOKii restaurant and The Malt Lounge. Higher room categories add TOTO toilets, and some suites have bathtubs with TVs.
💫 Highlights: Marylebone location, boutique scale, Japanese-influenced design, terrific room amenities and easy access to Hyde Park and Marylebone without feeling as though you’re sleeping on top of London’s crowds.
❤️ My heartthrob: I’m tempted to say the Nespresso machine because I remain irrationally happy when a hotel lets me have coffee without putting on pants. But no. The location wins, as does the bathroom. Between the marble, heated anti-fog mirror, and that astonishing TOTO toilet, it turned an everyday necessity into something perilously close to entertainment.
💔 My heartbreak: Some rooms are below street level and are much too dark for my liking. Ask for a room above ground when you book, or a discount if you get stuck in one. At these prices, daylight should not be considered an upgrade.
👉Travel Tip: If you have an AmEx card, use it to book. Free breakfast and room upgrades, if available, are a part of the deal.
💡Know a hotel you think belongs on One Trip Wonder? I’m always interested in discovering places with a strong sense of place, a good story, and something that makes them worth traveling for. Get in touch.
