St. Ermin's Hotel, London

St. Ermin's Hotel has a rich history dating back to its origins on the site of a 15th-century chapel dedicated to St. Ermin. By 1899, the new owners embarked on a major refurbishment project, enlisting the expertise of renowned Victorian theatre designer J.P. Briggs. Briggs transformed the interiors, creating a dramatic collection of reception rooms adorned with rich plasterwork, setting the stage for the hotel's luxurious ambiance.

St. Ermin’s Hotel played a notable role in British history during World War II. In 1940, Winston Churchill held a pivotal meeting at the hotel, where he gathered a group of extraordinary individuals with the mission to ‘Set Europe Ablaze’. This elite group became the founding members of the Special Operations Executive (SOE), also known as Churchill’s Secret Army, which later formed the basis of the SAS.

St. Ermin's Hotel has a rich history intertwined with espionage and clandestine operations. At the outset of the war, the hotel served as a venue for guerrilla warfare classes, which were partly run by MI6. This unique setting brought together spies and celebrities, including Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, and playwright Noel Coward, who worked with Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service to persuade American fans and politicians to support Britain’s war effort.

The hotel earned the nickname ‘Works Canteen’ from Britain’s top spies, who considered it a second office. Officers from the Admiralty, MI6, and MI5 would frequent the Caxton Bar to unwind or, in some cases, meet secretly with their Russian handlers. It was here that the infamous Cambridge Five traitors, Guy Burgess and Kim Philby, openly socialized with their Moscow contacts. Despite their treacherous activities, they conducted their meetings brazenly in plain sight of colleagues and hotel guests, seamlessly blending espionage with the hotel's elegant atmosphere.

Today, traces of this clandestine past are evident in the hotel, including an original SOE silk printed with secret coded messages displayed in the lobby and a special exhibit of original WWII SOE field equipment.