Washington Mayfair Hotel: What to Know Before You Book

The Washington Mayfair Hotel has operated from Curzon Street in London’s Mayfair since 1913, in a purpose-built building that predates most of the area’s modern hotel stock. It is a 4-star, privately owned property with 178 rooms and suites. Here is what to know before booking: who owns it, whether it is a 5-star hotel, what the rooms and rates look like, and what recent guest reviews say. Where the public record permits, claims below are tied to a named source; gaps are flagged.

Last checked: 2026-09-13

Hotel name: Washington Mayfair Hotel · Location: Curzon Street, Mayfair, London · Star rating: 4-star · Opened: 1913 · Style: Art Deco with modern facilities · Standard amenities: Free WiFi, air conditioning, fluffy bathrobes, deluxe toiletries, hairdryers, laptop safe, complimentary tea and coffee

Who owns Washington Mayfair Hotel?

The short answer is that the hotel describes itself as privately owned since 1997, and industry directory Travel Weekly adds that it is family-owned — but the specific family or corporate entity is not named in the sources reviewed for this article.

“The Washington Mayfair Hotel’s origins go back to the 19th century when individual houses on this site were used as boarding houses for discerning visitors requiring a Mayfair address.”

Washington Mayfair Hotel — Hotel History

Ownership history

The official history page traces the site back to the 19th century, when individual houses on Curzon Street served as boarding houses for visitors who wanted a Mayfair address. That use ended in 1913, when a purpose-built hotel opened on the site. Soon after, the building was taken over by the Ladies United Services Club, which assisted at Victoria Station in repatriating wounded soldiers during the First World War; the property returned to hotel use after the war. The hotel’s own account then moves to 1997, when it says the property became privately owned, and to 2007, when a refurbishment was launched to mark the owners’ 10th anniversary.

Current operator

Travel Weekly’s directory entry describes the Washington Mayfair as a family-owned hotel in the WorldHotels portfolio — an affiliation that suggests an international sales-and-marketing network rather than ownership by a major chain. The hotel’s own pages present it as an independent 4-star property with 178 bedrooms and suites. None of the sources reviewed names an individual owner, a holding company, or a purchase history; we are not going to fill that gap with a guess.

Is Mayfair a 5 star hotel?

No — at least not this Mayfair hotel. The Washington Mayfair operates as a 4-star property according to its official site and third-party listings, and it does not claim the 5-star tier.

Star rating of Washington Mayfair

The hotel’s own “The Hotel” page describes it as a 4-star Mayfair property, and the booking listings reviewed for this article repeat that classification. In practice, that places the Washington Mayfair one tier below the area’s most elite hotels, a point the Oyster editorial review reinforces by describing the property as popular with business guests and tourists seeking value in an expensive area.

“Built in 1913, the hotel has an attractive classic facade and a revolving glass entrance door that offers a hint at the fine interiors.”

Oyster — Washington Mayfair Hotel Review

Comparison with 5-star area hotels

Mayfair contains a cluster of elite and expensive hotels that travelers frequently search for, though the sources reviewed for this article do not name them. That matters for expectation-setting: the Washington Mayfair competes on location, history, and 4-star value, not on 5-star luxury. The comparison table in the “best hotels in Mayfair” section below shows the property against those unnamed top-tier options.

The bottom line: if the 5-star badge is a requirement, the Washington Mayfair will not satisfy it. Its pitch is a 4-star stay in a neighborhood where 5-star luxury is common.

How many rooms does the Washington Mayfair have?

Room count from available sources

The hotel’s official site lists 178 bedrooms and suites, and Trip.com’s listing repeats the same figure. Travel Weekly’s directory entry is consistent with the hotel’s own count; no conflicting number appeared in the sources reviewed.

Room types and amenities

The sources reviewed do not publish a detailed breakdown of room categories. What is documented is the standard amenity set: free WiFi, air conditioning, fluffy bathrobes, deluxe toiletries, hairdryers, a laptop safe, and complimentary tea and coffee. Booking.com’s roughly 878 user reviews give the WiFi connection relatively high scores, while comments on room size and décor are mixed. Guests on Kayak and Trip.com also mention noise, with Trip.com reviewers specifically noting rooms near housekeeping areas.

Washington Mayfair Hotel specifications

The implication: 178 is the only room figure in the public record reviewed here. Travelers who need a precise room-category breakdown will need to get it directly from the hotel.

How much does it cost to stay at the Mayfair Hotel?

This section refers to the Washington Mayfair Hotel on Curzon Street — not The Mayfair Hotel, a separate property that travelers sometimes mix up with it. The starting point: the sources reviewed here do not include a verified, year-round nightly rate.

Price range

Factors affecting rates

Rates vary with season, room category, booking lead time, and city-wide events. Oyster’s editorial review frames the property as popular with business guests and tourists seeking value in an expensive area, which helps explain why a 4-star room on Curzon Street prices above a comparable room in a less central London district.

The trade-off: the Mayfair address is the main cost driver. Travelers who do not need a Mayfair postcode can likely find a cheaper 4-star room elsewhere in London; travelers who want the neighborhood’s top tier will pay more than the Washington Mayfair’s band.

Is the Mayfair Hotel good?

Again, the question usually targets the Washington Mayfair Hotel on Curzon Street, and the review data answers it with a consistent theme: location and cleanliness score well, while décor, noise, and service draw the criticisms.

Guest review highlights

TripAdvisor’s traveler rating sits near 3.7 out of 5, with cleanliness rated higher than value and service (TripAdvisor). Kayak’s aggregation puts the hotel near 7.7 out of 10, and Trip.com lists about 7.6 out of 10 from more than 100 reviews. Booking.com’s roughly 878 user reviews average in the low-7 range, around 7.1 out of 10 (Booking.com).

“The Washington Mayfair hotel, with its central Mayfair location, is praised by travelers for easy access to transport, shopping, and city attractions.”

TripAdvisor — Washington Mayfair

Common praises and complaints

Location is the most consistent praise: guests on TripAdvisor, Kayak, and Trip.com highlight the central Mayfair position near Green Park station, Hyde Park, St James’s Park, Bond Street, and the West End theatres. Cleanliness is the strongest-scoring category on TripAdvisor and Trip.com and is frequently praised on Kayak. The recurring criticisms are narrower: Kayak and Booking.com reviewers mention dated décor, Kayak and Trip.com reviewers flag noise, and Kayak and TripAdvisor reviewers describe service as inconsistent.

What are the best hotels in Mayfair?

Washington Mayfair vs. nearby options

The comparison below uses only names that appear in the sources reviewed for this article. The Washington Mayfair Hotel is the verified entry; The Mayfair Hotel is a separate property whose details the sources do not verify; and the “most elite” and “most expensive” rows reflect traveler searches that the sources do not answer by name.

Criteria for “best”

Defining the best hotel in Mayfair depends on the yardstick. On heritage and location, the Washington Mayfair has a documented case: 1913 construction, a Mayfair postcode, and a history the hotel itself publishes. On luxury finishes, contemporary design, or 5-star service, the same sources position it below the neighborhood’s elite tier. The only other named property in the comparison set is The Mayfair Hotel, and the sources reviewed do not provide verified details about it.

For readers researching other historic London hotels, our related coverage includes The Savoy Hotel Covent Garden: Price, Dress Code & FAQs and Is The Kensington Hotel London Worth It? Rates & Verdict.

Where do celebrities stay in London hotels?

Celebrity-frequented areas

Mayfair and the surrounding West End have a long association with upscale, discreet hotels, which is why traveler searches pair celebrity stays with this part of London. The Washington Mayfair’s own history includes documented celebrity residents from an earlier era: Italian painter Pietro Annigoni, American socialite Laura Corrigan, and American actress Tallulah Bankhead are named on the hotel’s history page. The same page records that singer David Whitfield was discovered at the hotel in 1953 while working as a resident singer.

Mayfair’s reputation

The sources reviewed do not document current celebrity stays at the Washington Mayfair, and we do not speculate about them. What the record does show is a property whose past residents link it directly to Mayfair’s celebrity history, and whose current guest profile — per Oyster’s review — is a mix of business travelers and tourists.

What to watch: current star-spotting claims about this property are unsupported by the sources reviewed. Its celebrity links are historical, anchored by named residents from the mid-20th century.

Location and getting there

The Washington Mayfair Hotel stands at 5 Curzon Street, Mayfair, London, W1J 5HE / W1J 5HL, in the City of Westminster. TripAdvisor reviewers consistently cite Green Park station as the nearest transport link, with Hyde Park, St James’s Park, Bond Street, and West End theatres also named as easy walking targets in guest feedback.

Washington Mayfair Hotel timeline

• 19th century — The Curzon Street site holds several boarding houses for visitors wanting a Mayfair address.
• 1913 — The boarding houses are replaced by a purpose-built hotel.
• 1914–1918 — The Ladies United Services Club takes over the building and assists with repatriating wounded soldiers at Victoria Station.
• 1953 — Singer David Whitfield, then a resident singer, is discovered at the hotel.
• 1997 — The hotel says it has been privately owned since this year.
• 2007 — A refurbishment program is launched to mark the owners’ 10th anniversary, with work on rooms and décor continuing after.
• 2020 — The latest significant renovation is recorded in industry listings.

Our pick: who should book the Washington Mayfair

Frequently asked questions

Summary: the Washington Mayfair Hotel is a 4-star, privately owned property that opened in 1913, with 178 rooms and suites, a Curzon Street address in Mayfair, and guest review scores in the low-to-mid 7s that consistently favor location and cleanliness over style and silence. Travelers who weight location and history will find it a credible base; travelers who need 5-star luxury should look at the neighborhood’s elite tier, which the sources reviewed here do not name.