London, are you ready for another spot to sample a cigar? I recently visited the cigar garden at Ottie’s Salon, part of the new Bertrand’s Townhouse boutique hotel, just moments away from Bloomsbury Square.
I went there at the end of April as part of my birthday celebrations. Each year I like to mark the occasion by trying a cigar spot I haven’t been to before, but I think I’m now close to having visited around 40 cigar establishments across London — excluding all the private members’ clubs with cigar lounges. So this one felt like a particularly nice little treat.
Anyways, before I rabbit on about my experience there, let’s start with a bit of background on this establishment.
Background
Bertrand’s Townhouse is a 43-bedroom boutique hotel in the heart of Bloomsbury, set across three restored Georgian townhouses on Bedford Place. The hotel draws inspiration from the area’s long history of literature, art, and intellectual life, blending original period features with modern comfort and design.
The buildings date back to the 19th century, when they were private Georgian homes. Their original layout still shapes the hotel today, with larger rooms on the lower floors and more compact spaces higher up, reflecting how homes of the period were traditionally arranged.
During the early 20th century, Bloomsbury became known as a centre for writers, artists, and thinkers. Figures connected to the famous Bloomsbury Set, including Virginia Woolf, E. M. Forster, and Vanessa Bell, helped shape the neighbourhood’s creative reputation through conversations, gatherings, and artistic collaboration.
The hotel takes its name from Bertrand Russell, the Nobel Prize-winning philosopher and mathematician known for his sharp wit, strong opinions, and influence on modern philosophy. His personality and curiosity inspired many of the hotel’s design details and atmosphere.
A major restoration completed in 2025 transformed the three townhouses into a luxury boutique hotel while preserving many original features, including fireplaces, cornicing, and other historic details. Designed by Studio Moren, the project aimed to celebrate Bloomsbury’s cultural heritage in a modern setting.
Several spaces within the hotel reference the area’s literary and social history. The hotel’s Philosopher’s Chambers continue the theme with writing desks, library-inspired interiors, and quiet spaces designed for reflection.
Ottie’s Salon pays tribute to Lady Ottoline Morrell and the creative gatherings she hosted, while the Cigar Garden nods to Bertrand Russell’s well-known love of pipe smoking.
My experience
Bertrand’s Townhouse is located at 4-6 Bedford Place in Bloomsbury, central London, just a short walk from Holborn and Russell Square underground station, and close to the British Musuem.
Before my visit, I made a reservation through their website, specifically requesting a cigar in the cigar garden.
When I arrived, the hotel looked surprisingly private from the outside. It’s only been open around five months. Originally a single Georgian townhouse, it has since expanded into three interconnected houses, which gives it a distinctly intimate, residential feel rather than that of a typical London hotel.
Entry required buzzing in, which gave it the feel of a private members’ club. At first there was no response. I called as well, but still didn’t get an answer 😬. After another attempt, someone finally came to the door and let me in.
Ottie’s Salon
As soon as you step into the hotel, Ottie’s Salon is on your left hand side. The bar look grand, my photos don’t do it justice.
The cigar humidor
I headed straight to the cigar humidor at the right end of the bar and asked the staff if I could sample a cigar.
The staff were polite and said they would arrange for someone knowledgeable about the humidor and cigars to come over.
Once they arrived, we got chatting, the humidor (made by a company in Germnat) was opened for me.
The cigars inside were all Cuban, supplied through Hunters & Frankau.
What immediately stood out was how sparsely it was stocked. That part wasn’t too surprising, as there have been widespread reports (Cigar Inspector, L’Amatuer de Cigar) of tighter Cuban cigar availability in the UK recently. While some retailers describe reduced or more irregular allocations from the importer, Hunters & Frankau itself hasn’t publicly confirmed any formal rationing policy. Instead, the situation is generally understood in the trade as constrained supply and more limited releases reaching retail, rather than a complete halt in shipments.
In other words, what I saw in the humidor likely reflects broader market pressure and tighter distribution rather than an absolute shortage or delivery stoppage.
Interestingly there were no New World cigars inside. This could definitely help bump their stock up a bit.
The staff were all very polite and friendly, and genuinely keen to learn more, but still seemed fairly new to managing cigars and the humidor. There also appeared to have been some issues with humidity, as the cigars were slightly dry. I was offered a discount because of this, and since I still wanted to try them, I went ahead anyway.
The cigar menu
Check out the cigar price list below 👇
The cigar garden
I then made my way outside and down a set of steps to the cigar garden.
The space is spread across three distinct areas, extending into the back gardens of three adjoining townhouses.
In the centre is the main hub: around six tables with roughly twelve chairs in total, with heaters dotted around for comfort. There’s also a central open area that can be used as a bar or food service station.
To the left is a smaller seating area for around ten people…
…while the right-hand section offers additional seating for approximately eight guests.
The experience
After having a good nose around, I settled in. My cigar was cut and lit…
…and despite the relatively dry conditions, it smoked very well.
I started with a Romeo & Juliet Short Churchill.
Followed by a second cigar — this time a Hoyo de Monterrey San Juan series.
I spent a couple of hours there, chatting with staff who regularly checked in to see if I needed anything. Drinks were offered from the bar, and food is also available, adding to the relaxed service.
The cigars went down a treat!
Final thoughts
This isn’t a traditional cigar establishment; it feels more like an extension of a hotel environment.
The staff were very friendly, and would genuinely benefit from the Masters of Habanos course — H&F need to sign them up — I suspect they’d excel on it.
The setting itself is impressively quiet for central London. City noise fades into the background, making it feel as though you’re far removed from the capital altogether.
It also feels like an ideal venue for a cigar event. You can easily imagine speeches taking place in the central area, with guests then dispersing into the three separate seating sections to enjoy cigars afterwards—especially on a warm summer evening. A cigar barbecue here would work particularly well.
In many ways, it reminds me of a more refined version of Ellen’s Bar in Kensington, with a stronger outdoor terrace offering.
My rating: 7 out of 10
Overall, a positive experience, although I’m not sure it really works as a birthday venue The Emory, The Connaught or No 6 Cavendish may be better for that. It’s a shame they couldn’t turn the Salon into a dedicated sampling lounge — if they had, it would probably be a solid 9.5 out of 10 in my view.
As it stands, it’s better suited to those in London looking for a relaxed, tucked-away cigar spot, or a hotel-style setting where you can comfortably sample a cigar on-site. That said, I think No 10 Manchester Street would be the stronger destination to visit.
It’s also VERY quiet here. A bit more atmosphere would be nice, ideally with more cigar smokers.
They definitely need to up their humidity game, which would make a noticeable difference to the cigars in their humidor.
Serious cigar aficionados may find the selection somewhat limited, though it’s perfectly suited to newcomers. A 12.5% service charge is added to both cigars and drinks. One standout feature is the ability to bring and enjoy your own cigars.
Interested in visiting?
4-6 Bedford Place, London WC1B 5JD
E: stay@bertrandstownhouse.co.uk
You can make your booking via their website here: https://www.bertrandstownhouse.co.uk/otties-salon
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If you liked this review check out my others at Cigar shops, sampling lounges, and terraces in London.
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