As a hospitality brand Hard Rock has come a long way since its first cafe was opened in London in 1971. Combining music and memorabilia with food and entertainment, the company’s portfolio has grown in 52 years to now include live music venues, shops, casinos, hotels and resorts.
And it’s not just music that is singing a tune to the firm’s expansion plans. Hard Rock has also ventured into the world of sport, with naming rights of a stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida (home to the NFL’s Miami Dolphins) and a partnership with Lionel Messi, the Fifa World Cup-winning Argentine football star.
Sport itself has grown into one of the most lucrative business sectors, so it’s no surprise that Hard Rock has added a splash of live sporting action to its entertainment mix. Following its properties in Tenerife and Ibiza, Hard Rock has recently opened a new sports bar, 3rd Half, at its hotel in London, located at Great Cumberland Place on the corners of Oxford Street and Park Lane.
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With music, food, rooms and now sport on the menu at the Hard Rock Hotel London, this hotel really is an entertainment destination in itself.
If you are heading to the capital and fancy a bit of a party, then the Hard Rock is an ideal place to base yourself. It’s slap, bang in the centre of town with Marble Arch, Hyde Park and Oxford Street just steps away.
On arrival and walking into the hotel’s entrance, you are welcomed by a huge open-plan space which is “peak-Hard Rock”. There’s the reception area and lobby, Hard Rock Cafe and live music stage, the Rock Shop, GMT Bar, 3rd Half sports bar and the 24-hour Constant Grind coffee outlet, as well as countless items of legendary musical memorabilia. Other amenities at the hotel include the Rock Royalty lounge and Body Rock gym.
There are 900 rooms and suites at the hotel
(Image credit: Hard Rock)
The rooms
If the party has finished, then there’s plenty of options for you to get your head down at the Hard Rock. The hotel has 900 rooms and suites across various categories including classic (single, double, twin); superior (king, twin, family); deluxe king park view; and Rock Royalty (double, twin and king rooms, junior suites, junior suites gold).
Staying in a deluxe king with views of Marble Arch and Hyde Park, my room was kitted out with a super-comfy Hypnos bed, flat-screen TV with Hard Rock’s “infotainment” options, a complimentary stocked mini bar, desk, and Nespresso machine.
Hard Rock’s added touches included London- and guitar-themed pillows, an artwork of Elton John, and a mirror which showed the heights of various musical acts. Comparing myself to these singers and performers, let’s just say I am more Ringo Starr than Snoop Dogg…
Like its sister hotels in New York and in Madrid, guests can also enjoy in-room entertainment such as the “Rock Om” yoga sessions or get a loan of a Fender electric guitar. There’s even a menu so you can decide which Fender to choose from. Who said the party had to finish?
3rd Half has plenty of big screens to watch live sport
(Image credit: Mike Starling)
3rd Half sports bar
Hard Rock Hotel London’s newest addition is the 3rd Half sports bar. Open on Sundays to Thursdays from 11am-11pm and on Fridays and Saturdays from 11am to midnight, 3rd Half has plenty of screens to enjoy live sporting events as well as a cracking food and drinks menu.
It’s fashionable to write about no- and low-alcohol drinks and food which is more on the lighter and healthier side, but sometimes a beer, cocktail, burger and wings is just what’s required. Sporting-themed food items on the menu at 3rd Half include the Messi burger (created by Señor Lionel himself), hat trick wings, break point hot dog, and the grand slam combo. There’s also a range of pizza, sharing plates, burgers, big dogs and “home run” desserts.
3rd Half sports bar
(Image credit: Mike Starling)
Drinks-wise, the bar had some decent ales on tap as well as lager, cider, wine and a huge number of spirits. There’s also the signature range of cocktails, including the “Big Kablue-Na”, which has Malibu coconut rum, Blue Curaçao, piña colada mix and lime juice. One-nil to the bar staff I’d say. As someone who likes a pint of Guinness, especially during international rugby time, not having the black stuff on draught may be a little bit of an own goal. Saying that, there are plenty of tipples to enjoy here while watching the big match on the screens.
London isn’t short of sports bars to watch the footy, rugby or golf, but the 3rd Half is a welcome addition and definitely worth a visit.
The Rock Shop at Hard Rock Hotel London
(Image credit: Hard Rock)
The verdict
The term “destination hotel” has been bandied about quite a bit in recent years, but the Hard Rock has nailed it in London. The fact that you can watch a match and enjoy a drink at the 3rd Half, walk a few steps to the cafe for dinner, have a sing-along with the band, and then finish the night off with a cocktail at GMT – that’s all before retiring to your room – proves the point. With so many good options to eat, drink and ultimately, sleep, the biggest decision you may have to make is whether to leave the hotel at all.
Mike Starling was a guest of Hard Rock Hotel London. Room-only rates start from £279 until 30 April 2023. Great Cumberland Place, Marylebone, London, W1H 7DL; hardrockhotels.com
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Mike Starling is the former digital features editor at The Week. He started his career in 2001 in Gloucestershire as a sports reporter and sub-editor and has held various roles as a writer and editor at news, travel and B2B publications. He has spoken at a number of sports business conferences and also worked as a consultant creating sports travel content for tourism boards. International experience includes spells living and working in Dubai, UAE; Brisbane, Australia; and Beirut, Lebanon.
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