Artesian at the Langham

The Artesian bar is one of my favourite pit-stops when spending a long day shopping in the west end. Hidden around the corner of north Regents Street, its just out of the way enough of the rabble of Oxford Street shoppers and tourists, but close enough that you can stop in and enjoy a moment of luxury.

Beautifully revamped, this is the place to have a tea or drink during the day for a lovely ‘ladies-what-lunch’ pick me up, or to start a special evening with some cocktails. Service is impeccable, drinks are expensive and if you are lucky you may spot an A-list celebrity (Sam Rockwell in my experience!)

Situated in the beautifully revamped Langham hotel, the David Collins designed bar is sleek, sexy and dramatic. With its 50 types of rum, Artesian is ideally placed for a post shopping cocktail or a refined haven from the frenzy of nearby Soho.

A drink at Artesian is a glimpse of how the other half live; you won't see much change from a twenty and will leave lamenting the fact you haven't (yet) won the lottery. However, it's worth the agony. Artesian is at the front left-hand side of the hotel and it's no wallflower; powerful hues of purple are set off by gold chandeliers and the bar itself is an extravaganza of mirrors and yet more gold. The cocktails are pure art and the list is extensive; the woman next to us had some concoction which was then ‘perfumed’ (i.e. spritzed) at the table with a fine mist of Remy Martin. The drinks were served with monogrammed linen napkins as well as complimentary nibbles, which were incredibly moreish. If you want to impress, this is definitely the place to bring someone. The toilets downstairs are worth a detour with the upholstered in and out doors.