Nobu Hotel Portman Square Review: A Five-Star London Staycation Worth Splurging On

With Valentine's Day quickly approaching, I thought it would be appropriate to share mine and my boyfriend's favorite new tradition; a staycation. This idea came about last year from the realization I needed to spend my American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts credit, but it turned into one of the most magical stays I've had the pleasure of enjoying.

The name ‘Nobu’ carries a lot of different meanings: restaurant, sushi, hotel, resort. All in all, Nobu means one thing, luxury. I had the pleasure of treating myself to the Nobu Hotel in London’s Portman Square for valentines day, and I can confidently say it is one of my best hotel experiences to date. From check in to check out, alongside my bi-annual American Express Fine Hotels credits, not a single beat was missed. 

Maximizing American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts Benefits at Nobu Hotel London

The American Express platinum features a bi-annual hotel credit to be used with its fine hotels or hotels and resorts collections. This credit includes $300 credited back to your account from your booking, early check in, late check out, an upgrade, breakfast for the booking party, and $100 hotel credit. This is all available while supplies last. I decided to use one of my allotted credits for a stay-cation for my boyfriend and I to celebrate our Valentines Day together.

We arrived early on a Thursday to check in and were quickly greeted not only with a prepared room, but an upgrade to a gorgeous zen suite. This space was luxurious and offered us a king sized bedroom as well as a living room with two bathrooms. It was the perfect place for a stay-cation.

After getting situated we also were welcomed with a fruit tray so exceptional that I had never even tried one of the fruits served as well as a bottle of pinot grigio. It really was a master class in five star welcomes. We had also brought our own special bottle of red wine we’d been saving for a special occasion and the staff were sure to give us great service to enjoy it. They brought a stunning decanter to the room and two very nice wine glasses. The staff member even uncorked the bottle and poured it for us.

We took some time to settle in with our fruit and wine and enjoyed the comfy robes provided to us for a few hours as we relaxed until our booking at the hotel's Nobu restaurant. Dinner was where we decided to use our $100 credit which actually turned out to be ￡100. This was accessible through the hotel's lounge or from their exterior restaurant entrance.

Dining at Nobu London Portman Square: What to Expect

I had been to two of the Nobu restaurants in New York and my boyfriend was a first timer, and I can confidently say the service and quality provided at the London location were top notch.

We went for a few different dishes from the sharing concept and had it all coursed out so we could properly enjoy each dish and our time. Some of the highlights were Nobu’s famous spicy tuna crispy rice, the wagyu dumplings, as well as the miso cod lettuce wraps. We also of course had to end our meal with a sampling of mochi.

After dinner it was back to the room to watch a movie, and we ultimately ended up enjoying the bottle of wine provided to us from the hotel while watching a movie.

Is Nobu Hotel London Worth It for a Luxury Staycation?

In the morning we got up and called the front desk to see what the lashes checkout option would be. To our excitement they gave us the room until 4pm, which was perfect as my boyfriend was planning to spend the day working remote from there.

We got our bearings together and then made our way back to Nobu’s namesake restaurant for breakfast. With our booking package we were able to order one a la carte item as well as enjoy the buffet and coffees made to order. We both had lattes and customized omelettes and enjoyed a wide selection of options from the buffet including a huge variety of fruits.

Everything was incredibly fresh, and frankly, delicious. The atmosphere was relaxed and luxurious in the dining room which contrasts the romantic dark atmosphere boasted at our dinner.

When finished with breakfast I had to head to work, but my boyfriend continued to enjoy the facilities as late as he was allowed. 

Overall, I can confidently say this was one of the best hotel stays I have had the pleasure of enjoying and without a doubt plan to be back for another staycation. The only question is certainly not if we’ll be back, but rather when.