“West End glitter with a floor that outstays the theatre crowd.”
The Empire is right on Leicester Square, which means it catches the end of every West End evening: the post-show crowd, the cinema stragglers and the people who simply were not ready to go home.
It has a large, glossy floor and keeps late hours, so it works as a destination in its own right or the last chapter of a night in town.
A big gaming room with table games, a range of slot machines and the usual dining and bar options nearby in the building. It is lively early and settles into a more focused hum later on.
Central London hotels are never far, though rooms close to the Square are rarely cheap. Staying a little further out and taking a cab back is often the better-value call.
Bring photo ID and expect a smart-casual standard. It keeps late rather than round-the-clock hours, so confirm closing times and any membership steps before you head over.