A fantastic vibe, brilliant rooms with a stunning panoramic view of the capital and brimming with personality, this 27-floor spectacular in Shoreditch really does have it all.
We had the pleasure of staying here for a short weekend away to take in some of the sights (yes I do love being a tourist sometimes), and it was so easy for us to get to being just a very short walk from Old Street Underground station which is on the Northern Line.
Designed and filled with artworks by Signature Artist D*Face, you know you are walking into something special when you walk through the entrance into the lobby. You are greet with big bold colours at escalators which lead to the main reception area with an amazing interactive piece of artwork wrapping around the walls.
Here, my partner and I were greeted by the fantastic staff one Saturday morning with the intention to just dump our bags and enjoy a day out before checking in later. But they happily checked us in immediately to save us time later on and our room was available, so we were able to go straight to it and freshen up.
And what a room it was....... after we first navigated one of the six rather funky lifts which take you straight to your floor, or where you want to go, at a tap of your room key.
Our ninth-floor room’s art credentials hit you the moment you walked in the door, with the same image from the lobby of a couple embracing also repeated inside, alongside a very strong red and black theme tying together the room with the corridors.
The stunning view of the skyline (we were lucky enough to be facing towards the South Bank) hits you right away as a brilliant focal point at the small (locked) balcony at the end of the room.
The very comfortable king-sized bed was placed near to it and at the other end of the room was plenty of wardrobe and bag storage, a mini bar (if wanted), tea, coffee and water facilities and all of the usual things you come to expect in a hotel room including an iron and ironing board.
Our generously-sized television was on the wall opposite the bed, and the bathroom was HUGE, with sliding doors, a walk-in shower and brilliant artwork on the shower screen created by an array of light settings available. Oh, and there are electric curtains too!
We happily sorted out our belongings before heading out for the day taking in The British Museum and Camden Market before heading back to our room to change, although not before checking out the view from the hotel’s gym on the 26th floor. Two Banksy originals are preserved and on public display just outside the hotel and were also well work a look on our way out.
Now, London has so many places to choose from when it comes to food but at the end of a long day it great sometimes just to relax where you are staying. And so we had a table booked at the hotel’s brilliant ground floor restaurant The Brush Ground Cafe which meant we did not have to go anywhere.
Here we enjoyed a sublime three-course meal which did not disappoint. For starters I had a devine salt beef scotch egg (£8), while my partner had a beef tartar, confit egg and sourdough (£15) which he said was truly amazing.
Main course for me was the restaurant’s brilliant take on fish and chips which was the Atlantic halibut and fries (£32) which had bubbles of batter across the top and was served with crushed minted peas and tartare sauce and tastes simply amazing.
My partner went for the half a roast chicken served with garlic and red onion jus (£22) which he said was one of the best sauces he had ever tasted.
And for desert I had the most generously portioned vanilla creme brulee I have ever had anywhere (£7) which was amazing, while my partner had Isle of Wight Blue Cheese and biscuits (£12) which he also very much enjoyed.
Full to the brim, we headed up to the first floor to the hotel’s cocktail bar which had musical entertainment that evening and was the perfect place to relax and enjoy the rest of our evening.
The next morning we headed down for breakfast at the cafe which allowed us choices from each section of the menu (drinks, pastries, fruit and a hot breakfast) which certainly set us up for the day.
We were struck by the number of families which we saw at breakfast time, and with the hotel’s family rooms and children’s menu it is easy to see why so many people thought it was a great place to stay with the kids. I’m also reliably informed that family-friendly films are shown every Saturday morning which is another great bonus.
Our second busy day in London involved plans to take in the South Bank and to see the changing of the guard which meant that unfortunately we didn't have the time to pay a visit to the hotel’s pool, spa or art gallery which hosts exclusive works from Signature Artist D*Face and other local and emerging artists.
So that’s a great excuse for us to make a return visit as our stay was completely faultless and we will most certainly be back!
- The hotel is located on Rivington Street, close to Old Street Underground station
- It has 357 art-inspired guest bedrooms and suites all with unique skyline views.
- There are 48 luxury suites, perfect for families and for those seeking a larger space to explore London from as well as interconnecting rooms
- Food and drink facilities include The Brush Grand Café, an All Day Grand Cafe, Lounge & Cocktail Bar including an outdoor terrace
- The hotel has an indoor swimming pool, sauna, steam room and gym
- art’otel London Hoxton is brought to life by D*Face, recognised as one of the most prolific contemporary urban artists of his generation
- More facilities are on the cards for this fabulous location, including meeting rooms for those mixing business with pleasure
Rooms at art’otel London Hoxton start at £329 per night for Best Flexible Rate. For more information about art’otel London Hoxton, visit artotellondonhoxton.com, with rooms also available via booking.com
