I lived and worked in London for several years, and Waterloo Bridge was part of my daily commute from Richmond. I know this stretch of the Thames the way only someone who has walked across the same bridge hundreds of times can. Which is why, when a recent trip brought me back to the city, I knew exactly where I wanted to base myself – and why the Ruby Lucy on Lower Marsh turned out to be the right call. Tucked away just minutes from Waterloo Station, Ruby Lucy Hotel & Bar offers a stylish and characterful base in the heart of London. Blending the buzz of the London South Bank area with its own playful, design-led personality, the Ruby hotels brand immediately stands out as more than just a place to stay. Ruby Lucy promises a modern, no-fuss experience, right on the doorstep to everything that London has to offer.
It is perfect for travellers looking to immerse themselves in the city while enjoying comfort with a creative twist. You can even borrow a guitar at reception if you’re musically inclined! So let me tell you a bit more about my recent experience at the Ruby Lucy hotel in London in this review.
Staying at the Ruby Lucy Hotel in London
The Ruby Hotels in London offer approachable and modern hotels in great locations around the city. Finding a good hotel in London can sometimes seem like an impossible task. Especially as the hotel standard in the city can be quite poor compared to other European capitals. But I’m happy to report in this review that The Ruby Lucy Hotel is an excellent place to spend a couple of nights in London.
Not only is it clean and feels inviting as you step inside. But it’s in a fun area right by a street with a lively food street market and just a couple of minutes away from Waterloo Station and the South Bank. A short walk across the bridge over the Thames takes you into the city centre of London. Here you’ll find areas like Covent Garden where you’ll find plenty of theatres and restaurants. Perfect for those wanting a theatre night out, or the city centre of London right on your door step. In the other direction you also have Westminster nearby. So be it theatre or royalty, the top London spots await to be discovered right on the other side of the river.
How to get to the Ruby Lucy Hotel near Waterloo in London
From the airport: From the various airports across London you can easily find public transport options to get you to Waterloo Station. For the airports located slightly outside of the city it’s often easiest to get the Express Airport trains into town and then get on the underground or bus.
From the train stations: The train stations around London are usually well connected through public transport. There is both an underground station and a train station at Waterloo. And it is conveniently within 10 minutes of the Ruby Lucy hotel.
Other Ruby Hotels in London
The Ruby Lucy is not the only Ruby Hotels in London, but so far it’s the only one I’ve stayed at but hopefully I can add reviews of the other venues eventually in the future.
- Ruby Stella at Farringdon – prices from £170/night
- Ruby Zoe at Notting Hill – prices from £130/night
The hotel and design: Ruby Lucy Hotel in London
The hotel has a circus and fairground inspired theme. It is noticeable primarily in the reception and restaurant area with stage lights and colours decorating the different areas. There is a small outdoor terrace where you can enjoy a cup of tea or a snack. Instead of having coffee and tea making facilities in the rooms, they instead have dedicated areas on different floors. In these areas you can find different tea bags and coffee sachets to make hot drinks to bring back to the room or enjoy on the go.
A pleasant surprise was that they actually had some nice options for the teas. And not just English breakfast which tends to be the standard across hotels in the UK. You might’ve already guessed that it’s not my personal favourite tea, but instead I enjoyed a lovely fruity hibiscus based tea. The tea stations are also really handy for grabbing a takeaway cup to enjoy on your way to your next London adventures.
The bedroom
I was staying in one of the Lovely rooms which has a queen sized bed and a simple but inviting design. The bathroom is a glass enclosure — both shower and toilet behind frosted glass, with a clear glass wall facing the bedroom (a shower curtain is provided if you’d prefer privacy). It’s a great shower with a decent pressure and it also has both shampoo, conditioner and body wash inside. The room also has temperature control on the wall. It is a detail which I always like as I prefer my rooms quite cold. And I often find London hotel rooms to be too warm by standard.
I would happily recommend this hotel to friends and family. This will naturally be a top choice for any future trips I do to London. I do of course have a soft spot for the Waterloo area, since it used to be where I got the train to from Richmond where I lived when I was working in London many years ago. I’ve walked across the Waterloo bridge so many times, and I just love returning to it when I’m back to visit. You also have the London Eye right by the river on the South Bank by Waterloo.
What I liked about The Ruby Lucy Hotel in London
- Convenient location near to both underground and bus links with walking distance to the city centre and areas like Covent Garden, Westminster and Leicester Square
- Clean rooms with an inviting and modern interior design
- Comfortable beds and temperature control in the rooms
- Nice showers with good pressure and all the shower amenities
- Good breakfast and I particularly liked the granola station with fruits and seeds
- Friendly and inviting staff who were more than happy to assist with questions and a speedy check in
Breakfast at the Ruby Lucy Hotel near Waterloo in London
I often find breakfast options at hotels across the UK to be quite uninspired a lot of the time. With that said, I really enjoyed what the Ruby Lucy in London was offering and was actually looking forward to including such positive feedback in this hotel review.
There was a smoothie as well as fruit juices. A whole station for tea where you could pick your own loose leaf tea from about eight different teas and if you wanted a coffee you could place an order with the breakfast team. There was a good amount of choices for granola with various seeds, dried fruits and compotes. Amongst the hot options there were sausage rolls and quiche, the bread was fresh and there was even a choice of bagels or banana bread as well. If you wanted something sweet there were danish pastries available too. It’s the kind of breakfast where I would happily eat multiple days in a row and still look forward to breakfast.
Additional Information
- Address: 100-108, Lower Marsh, London SE1 7AB
- Nearest underground/train station: Waterloo
- Website: https://www.ruby-hotels.com/en/mag/meet-ruby-lucy
- Price Range: Room prices starting at £140/night.
- Check-In/Check-Out: From 15.00 and before 11.00
- Amenities: Rooftop terrace, bar and restaurant, WiFi, coffee & tea stations, ironing stations
- Dog-Friendly: Guests can bring dogs along when staying in a Wow room. There is an additional fee and specific guidelines for staying with dogs, such as no dogs being allowed in the bar during breakfast hours.
- Perfect For: Couples, solo travellers, families
FAQ The Ruby Lucy Hotel in London
The breakfast is generally not included at the Ruby Lucy Hotel but can be added for £20.
You can check in from 15.00 and need to check out before 11.00 at the Ruby Hotels in London. However I arrived early and was lucky to find my room available already so they let me check in right away.
The Ruby Lucy Hotel has a bar and restaurant by the reception where you can order charcuterie boards and pizzas as well as cocktails and other drinks.
There are no tea and coffee making facilities in the room at the Ruby Lucy Hotel but they have stations on certain floors where you can help yourself to unlimited hot beverages.
Looking for more inspiration for your London trip?
- Bridgerton Afternoon Tea at The Lanesborough Hotel: The Lady in Silver
- The best luxury & boutique hotels in London: from charming character to elegant luxury
- Hotels in Richmond upon Thames: charming riverside stays in London’s prettiest borough
- The best places for afternoon tea in London: from classic British luxury to fantastic views and fusion flavours
Or perhaps for other adventures around the United Kingdom?
- What to do in Cambridge: what to see, eat and drink on your first visit
- Where to stay in Cambridge: the 11 best hotels in this historic town
- The Old Rectory by Crabtree & Crabtree: a wholesome escape to a Northumberland holiday cottage
- Edinburgh: A local’s guide and recommendations to things to do and see
- The best hotels in Edinburgh: 19 luxurious recommendations from a local
Meet Moa, our multi-talented writer from Sweden who now calls Edinburgh, Scotland home. With over a decade exploring Europe’s hidden corners—from Nordic landscapes to alpine villages—Moa brings a unique perspective shaped by her years as a travel guide in the Swiss and Austrian Alps. As a whisky book author and freelance drinks writer, she has an eye for exceptional food and beverage experiences, while her background as a photographer ensures she never misses a scenic moment. Whether she’s discovering old European cities or chasing golden hour in mountain villages, Moa’s stories blend cultural insight with a dash of adventure and plenty of authenticity.
