The Best Hotels to Book in Clerkenwell, London

With all the cosiness you’d expect from an inn and the sleek service of a top hotel, the Clerk and Well Pub and Rooms offers the best of both worlds. It has all the hallmarks of a great British pub – a delicious seasonal menu and an ample selection of ales, as well as pretty floral hanging baskets outside – and the quintessential decor. Rooms are decked out in a country style but with mod cons such as Nespresso machines and king-size beds. Right on Clerkenwell Road, it’s a short stroll from the Barbican and Old Street.

This cooler sibling of the Zetter Hotel, with only 13 bedrooms, overlooks St John’s Square. This boutique hotel in Clerkenwell has enough character to keep you talking about it for weeks after your stay. Enter via the cocktail lounge, and you’ll be greeted by an eclectic collection of trinkets and treasures that could rival the apartment of Sherlock Holmes. The bedrooms are equally eccentric – four-poster beds canopied with Union Jacks are surprisingly tasteful, and bold walls are dotted with unusual artwork. Far from being old-fashioned, each room has a flat-screen TV, free wifi and a Bose speaker. It’s also stocked with free drinks, snacks and Ren toiletries.

This converted Georgian townhouse certainly makes for an atmospheric stay, especially when kitted out with antique furnishings and plush fabrics. Each room at the Rookery Hotel has a unique character, so whether you’re after the dramatic elegance of the bright red Mary Lane or the Edwardian-themed quirkiness of the Rook’s Nest, there’s a guest room to suit every taste. If you manage to drag yourself out of the roll-top tub or four-poster bed, you’ll find some of the best restaurants and bars in Clerkenwell on your doorstep.

A short amble from the bustling Smithfield Market, Malmaison is a characterful jumble of 1970s-inspired decor, with crushed-velvet bedcovers and claret-coloured details. The caged neon lettering and retro diner-style booths at the Chez Mal Lounge are an Instagram-worthy backdrop when you’re dining on dishes such as Cumberland sausage and mash. After dinner, it won’t take long to nod off when you slip into Egyptian cotton sheets and lay your head on a plump feather pillow. Executive suites are also generous with space and luxuries – upping the ante with an oversized bath and mirrored shelves lined with bottles of some of the most beloved booze in the nation.

Sitting on the corner of Clerkenwell Road, the Zetter Hotel lavishes you with plush details in every room, including deep plum-velvet furnishings, bespoke floral upholstery and a selection of nostalgic Penguin books. The cool colour palettes are complemented by botanical artwork and geometric-patterned blankets – tuck yourself into the Egyptian cotton sheets and fall asleep to melodies from the stylish Marshall speakers at your bedside. To ensure your stay is a memorable one, don’t miss excellent seafood dishes such as the roast Gigha halibut, washed down with a glass of the finest fizz.