Top executives from each airline have issued remarks detailing the consumer benefits that lay ahead, from stronger route networks (the three airlines serve 433 destinations combined) to discounted fares. And according to British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh, “We’re pleased that the DOT and EU have worked together to ensure that there is consistency in the number of slots that the three airlines have to give up for our competitors to use on services from Heathrow to the U.S.”

Additional oneworld members have also received antitrust immunity from the DOT, including Finnair and Royal Jordanian. Ally Miola

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WHAT’S IT LIKE?
By 6:30 p.m. on a Friday, the city’s movers and shakers, theatergoers and vacationers had spread out in the candlelit Lobby Bar, which hummed with the din of conversation and the smooth intonation of a live jazz singer. While the interior of One Aldwych is filled with contemporary art and sculpture and often bustling with visitors day and night, the hotel has maintained its classic, understated granite façade.

A triangular building at the junction of The Strand and Aldwych, the property was erected in 1907 for The Morning Post, and various companies, including the Inveresk paper company, owned it throughout the decades.

When hotelier Gordon Campbell Gray opened the unique building as a hotel in 1998, he wanted to eschew the superfluous and clichéd accoutrements he saw in other luxury accommodations. Once inside the spacious, light-filled lobby, with its boundless ceilings and fresh flowers, it’s easy to see that One Aldwych is a luxury hotel without being excessive. It’s a modern retreat, without being trendy, making it a popular haunt for Londoners.

WHERE IS IT?
Surrounded by the theater district, the hotel is in Covent Garden, between the City and the West End. Shopping, art galleries, the London Eye and a host of other attractions are within walking distance; simply venture out the hotel’s doors and across the Waterloo Bridge to catch some of the city’s most famous sights along River Thames. London Heathrow Airport is about 35 minutes by car, but I recommend the fast and economical Heathrow Express train from Paddington Station, 15 minutes from the hotel.

HOW MANY ROOMS?
There are 105 guest rooms and suites, two of which have private gyms.

ROOM FACILITIES
All rooms have luxurious touches like sumptuous fabrics that are accented by contemporary art and sculpture, as well as fresh fruit and flowers delivered daily. My room’s large, curtained windows bestowed views of restaurants and theaters like the Lyceum, with its grand signage for “The Lion King,” and the street, where Londoners breezed by.

I appreciated the heated bathroom floor and towel rack, power shower with mist-free mirrors, and the individual controls for heating and air conditioning. The all-natural shampoos, lotions and soaps from REN smelled delightful and came in sustainable packaging. Rooms also have multi-line telephones and fax lines, digital on-demand entertainment, safes and mini bars, 24-hour room service, express and overnight laundry service, dry cleaning, valet parking and concierge service. High-speed Wi-Fi is accessible throughout the hotel.

Most of all, I appreciated the kind and dedicated service. Feeling exhausted from wandering London, I ordered room service for dinner. Although the hotel staff member said it would be ready in 25 minutes, my perfect plate of four-cheese linguine arrived almost instantly.

BUSINESS AND MEETING FACILITIES
There are eight spaces for meetings, receptions and private dining, seating up to 200 people. A theater with 35 mm and LCD data/video projection can seat 30. Bespoke options give private parties a personal touch, with working lunches, canapés, dinners and more.

RESTAURANTS AND BARS
On a Saturday evening, I settled into the capacious dining room of Axis at One Aldwych, with its rich décor and wall of silver-plated bamboo. The soft ambience and modern British fare (ham hock fritters, Pease pudding—a dish of puréed split peas—and curried lamb shank) make it an impressive meeting spot, whether at one of the dining room's round tables or at the Axis Gallery, a private space overlooking the restaurant. After a business meal, unwind at the hotel’s dinner-and-movie promotion called Moët Movies on the Menu. Although alone, I enjoyed a three-course meal and a glass of Moët & Chandon Champagne, followed by a viewing of “Slumdog Millionaire” in the hotel’s small cinema.

Indigo, on a mezzanine overlooking the lobby, serves light, healthy European options, like the marinated beetroot and Golden Cross goat’s cheese salad, with dandelion, truffle and honey dressing—which did not disappoint. Guests can also order espresso, smoothies, teas and light fare at The Cinnamon Bar. The Lobby Bar makes creative and classic martinis with simple ingredients.

LEISURE FACILITIES
The Health Club has a 56-foot, chlorine-free swimming pool that plays classical music underwater, a steam room and sauna. Choose from massage, body mask and facial treatments, as well as waxing, manicures and pedicures. Guests also have 24-hour access to a gym with Technogym equipment.

VERDICT
Homogenization and excess are anathema to One Aldwych’s careful style of subtle details, from the fresh fruit and flowers in each guest room, to the bespoke furniture and individually designed rooms. Tailored options for special events, matched with the hotel staff’s unpretentious and meticulous service, make it a singular luxury destination, where guests can conduct business with ease.

PRICE
Rates start at £256 for a standard room.

CONTACT
One Aldwych, 1 Aldwych, Westminster, London; tel. 44-(0)20-7300-1000; onealdwych.com.

— Kate Briquelet