Aragon House, London

Overview

City Pubs flagship London inn is a striking, three-storey Grade II listed building, once Catherine of Aragon's dowry house, overlooking leafy Parsons Green in West London.

Due to its proximity to the tube (5min walk), this elegant and super-comfortable pub with rooms is the ideal base for exploring the museums and Royal Albert Hall in South Kensington, Kew Gardens, Richmond Park, and for sightseeing boat trips on the Thames, which is a short walk away.

Money has been lavished on refurbishing the bar, dining room and the 15 boutique bedrooms, striking a balance between vintage and modern with its plush interiors and bold colours. Light floods in through big sash windows, with views over the green and the hidden walled garden. The vibe is cool, contemporary and very relaxed downstairs, the art deco inspired bar and dining rooms featuring wood and tiled floors, red and green banquettes, blue-painted bar and ceilings, and walls chock-full of quirky artwork, photos and old mirrors. A fine staircase winds up two floors to the equally stylish and comfortable bedrooms. Expect good modern pub food, a decent drinks list, and attentive service from well informed young staff.

Rooms from:

15 doubles: £90

Good to know

All major credit cards accepted

Disabled access (lift & room)

Alfresco & private dining

Wedding/events venue

No parking (roadside)

Dog stay: £20

Walled Garden

Secluded and covered walled garden with heaters, cool lighting and booth-style seating - the place to be on balmy summer evenings.

Town and city
Taking pride of place overlooking Parsons Green, Aragon House is close to the river, bustling King's Road and the world-famous Hurlingham Club.

Arthur's Daytime Workspace
The downstairs cocktail bar doubles as a quiet daytime workspace for just £10. Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm; free WiFi and printing.

Rooms

Stylishly refurbished Cosy, Comfy and Deluxe rooms ramble across two floors of this elegant building - front rooms have big sash windows and overlook the green; quieter rear rooms enjoy garden views.

All rooms feature warm hues, big lamps, Smeg mini-bar fridges, Roberts radios, Nespresso machines, vintage-style lighting, eclectic artwork, retro phones, rooms safes, air conditioning, and brick-tiled bathrooms - some have tubs and walk-in showers, plus bathrobes and natural Bramley bathroom products.

The best rooms (Grandison & Beaumont) combine old world glamour and modern luxury and offer oodles of space. Think, deep teal walls and ceilings, antique mohagany wardrobes, rustic mirrors, unusual duck lamps, elegant, super-king French-style beds, plush armchairs and big bathrooms.

Peaceful Garden Lodge room overlooks the walled garden and is the dog-friendly room (£20) - pooches can expect a dog bed and treats.

Restaurant & bar

Seasonal pub/garden and restaurant menus are enhanced by daily specials and deliver good modern British pub food, combining pub classics with more inventive dishes.

In the bar, snack on a Scotch egg with piccalilli, a small pate of spiced aubergine and fennel salad, or accompany a pint of London Pride with a traditional beef burger served with cheese, pickles, burger sauce and chips.

In the dining room, perhaps share whole baked Camembert with rosemary, garlic, balsamic onions and sourdough, or start with seasonal asparagus, spiced hazelnut, herb salad and smoked tomato dressing. Main course options might include braised ox cheek pie, pork chop, mash and sage butter, and pan-fired salmon with spicy crab linguine. Leave room for lemon tart, poched rhubarb and clotted cream. Food is served 12 noon to 8pm in the bar and garden.

Alongside craft beers and cider, handpumps dispense ales from Adnam's, Fuller's and St Austell breweries. There's also a decent cocktail list, a raft of 40 boutique spirits, and an eclectic wine list (18 by the glass).

Private dining

Located on the first floor of Aragon House, the elegant Richardson Room boasts floor to ceiling windows looking out over leafy Parsons Green. It's licensed for weddings, plus the room is ideal for a casual get-together with friends or a more formal celebration, a business meeting or a larger corporate event. It seats 50 (or 80 standing) and has a private bar, cloakroom and exclusive use loos.

Things to do

The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew were begun in 1759 when Princess Augusta, mother of George III, had the private garden laid out. Now covers 300 acres and has more than 100,000 species and varieties of plants with glasshouses. Highlights include the Evolution House with history of plant life; Chinese Pagoda with views across London; arboretum with collection of 14,000 trees; Davies Alpine House; tranquil Japanese Garden; Palm House; Rose Garden and impressive Treetop Walkway.

Don't miss famous Exhibition Road in South Kensington as it's home to some of the country's most popular and famous museums and establishments - Royal Albert Hall, the Victoria & Albert Museum, Natural History Museum and the Science Museum.

With its herds of deer, abundant wildlife and centuries-old oak, Richmond Park is a favourite haunts for visitors and naturalists. Discover the Isabella Plantation woodland gardens, refuel at Pembroke Lodge tea rooms and enjoy distant views of St Paul's Cathedral from King Henry's Mound.