Shoreditch – home of hipsters and the heart of London’s underground arts scene. From cocktails at The Book Club to flower-buying at Columbia Road Market, this neighbourhood offers a day out to suit every taste. The area has experienced a number of high-profile hotel openings in recent years thanks to its trendy reputation, offering respite from the central London crush and somewhere to recoup in style. Here’s our pick of the best hotels to stay at in Shoreditch.
Peppered with original artwork, Revo Radios and carefully curated vinyl and books, a stay at the Ace feels like a sneak peek inside a rock star’s house. Much grittier than its counterparts, the design team behind this hotel has worked hard to reflect the effortless cool of the neighbourhood. Build up an appetite on the gym’s very own climbing wall before heading downstairs for French toast and Moroccan eggs at the Hoi Polloi brasserie. It’s well worth taking a trip up to the rooftop bar – you’ll be rewarded with a sprawling private terrace and uninterrupted views of the East End.
Ever wondered what it would be like to stay in one of those loft apartments our favourite sitcom characters are known for frequenting? Well, now’s your chance to find out. Occupying a once-disused warehouse, The Curtain features all the exposed brickwork and industrial floor-to-ceiling windows you could possibly want. Brass light fittings, velvet curtains and roll-top baths in the rooms all speak of old New York glamour. The theme continues downstairs at Marcus Samuelsson’s Red Rooster restaurant, whose menu is a homage to the colourful chaos of Harlem and a favourite of former first family, the Obamas. A visit wouldn’t be complete without a dip in the rooftop pool or a Curtain gin cocktail among the hanging plants and emerald tiles of The Green Room bar. Opulent and hedonistic, a stay at The Curtain is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity you won’t want to miss.
Delivering a luxury boutique hotel experience since 2016, Courthouse Hotel Shoreditch flourishes on the site of a former court which once hosted a fruitless trial of the notorious Kray twins, four years before they were eventually sentenced to life imprisonment. In addition to its quirky, modern interior, the hotel retains remnants of the building’s former years of litigious service. Bowl a few strikes in one of the hotel’s bowling lanes before dining in Judge and Jury, a fine dining restaurant in what was previously Courtroom Number One. Then chill out with drinks on the rooftop terrace or relish a cocktail in one of five converted prison cells preserved in as private booths in the Jailhouse Bar.
Combining the grandeur of a Georgian mansion with the convenience of a modern luxury hotel, this eccentric addition to Shoreditch is perfect for those seeking to experience the quirkier side of London. Named after an 18-century interiors writer, at Batty Langley’s patrons can expect to find plenty of wood panelled walls, heavy drape curtains and antique four-poster beds. It’s worth a stay for the bathrooms alone, which feature restored period fittings such as vintage copper showers and cast iron roll top baths. Whether you’re taking afternoon tea in the drawing room or breakfast in the walled garden, the hospitality shown by the staff is certain to make you feel like an aristocrat.
Industrial simplicity meets understated elegance at Nobu Shoreditch, where Japan’s minimalism and craft can be witnessed first-hand. Overseen by Nobu Matsuhisa, the in-house restaurant bears both the name and menu of this legendary chef, plying visitors with delicacies such as miso black cod and toro sashimi. There’s a tasting menu too, for the particularly indecisive. Spend the day exploring neighbouring Brick Lane and Barbican before heading back to the spa for one of Nobu’s signature massages. Sophistication is the name of the game at Nobu, and it attracts the most discerning of visitors.
