Six of the best new London hotels
Art ‘Otel Battersea
The striking rooftop infinity pool at Art ’Otel Battersea, London.Credit: Matthew Shaw
Brimming with playful, colour-drenched interiors by Spanish artist Jaime Hayon, this funky hotel is part of a new neighbourhood anchored around Battersea Power Station, an impressively restored art deco landmark by the River Thames. Now containing an industrial-chic mall, the chimney-clad building is visible from some of the Art ’Otel’s 164 rooms and suites – plus its heated rooftop infinity pool and bar-restaurant by Michelin-acclaimed Portuguese chef Henrique Sa Pessoa. There’s a good Venetian-flavoured eatery by the ground-floor lobby, too. A new tube station services the area (it’s on the Northern Line), while Thames Clippers river buses also stop by.
From £200 ($371). Phone: +44 333 400 6152. See artotellondonbattersea.com
Chateau Denmark
Chateau Denmark imbues the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll across its 55 eclectic rooms.
A rock ‘n’ roll spirit infuses this hedonistic hotel scattered across 16 buildings in and around Denmark Street, a Soho strip that’s lined with guitar shops and studios where David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix and the Rolling Stones hung out and recorded. Mick Jagger’s portrait is among the zany, music-tinged pieces brightening Chateau Denmark’s corridors and 55 eclectic rooms and apartments. Sized up to 93-square-metres, some are large enough to stage private parties, with lavishly stocked mini bars, drinks trolleys and butlers on call to shake cocktails. The theatres, pubs and clubs of London’s West End are on the doorstep.
From £298 ($555). Phone: +44 20 3656 1000. See chateaudenmark.com
The Hoxton Shepherd’s Bush
Hip hotel brand The Hoxton brings a retro-modern vibe to west London.
One of the city’s hippest hotel brands has landed in a gritty, yet gentrifying slice of west London that was popular with Australian expats and backpackers in the 1990s and Noughties. Facing Shepherd’s Bush Green, near the infamous old Walkabout pub (now closed), The Hoxton has a retro-modern vibe with 237 rooms, a lobby made for lingering, a wraparound bar and Thai-Americana diner Chet’s. Around the corner, you have the multicultural Shepherd’s Bush market, a giant Westfield and tubes into central London. Notting Hill’s Portobello Road is about half-hour away on foot.
From around £139 ($258). Phone: +44 20 3540 3140. See thehoxton.com
The Other House
The Other House’s stately exterior hides a flamboyant interior.
South Kensington’s world-class museums are within strolling distance of this flamboyantly decorated address, tucked inside a row of converted Victorian terraced houses. Nice for both short and extended stays, The Other House has 237 Club Flats, comprising rooms and apartments, many with kitchenettes, spacious wardrobes and bountiful fabrics. Guest chill-out spaces include book-endowed lounges, tree-dotted atriums and a wellness zone with a pool and a gong-blessed meditation room. There’s also a street-side cafe and Owl & Monkey, a whimsical bar serving cocktails and sharing plates.
From £180 ($334). Phone: +44 20 3846 6000. See otherhouse.com
Lost Property St Paul’s
Lost Property draws inspiration from nearby London icon, St Paul’s Cathedral.
Part of the Hilton’s Curio Collection, which offers creative twists on your classic corporate hotels, Lost Property takes inspiration from its locale, 100 metres from St Paul’s Cathedral. That majestic domed building is one of the London icons depicted in the artwork of a hotel with 145 rooms, a coffeehouse (Tattle) and a bar-restaurant (Found) promising freshly foraged ingredients from the city’s markets. You’re a short hop from the River Thames here. Cross the Millennium Bridge for the Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe and other attractions on the South Bank.
From £204 (£378). Phone: +44 20 4553 0555. See lostpropertyhotel.com
One Hundred Shoreditch
One Hundred Shoreditch: the hotel’s basement bar Seed Library features drinks designed by top mixologist Ryan Chetiyawardana.
One Hundred Shoreditch occupies the former Ace Hotel, and like its predecessor, is a cool, inviting base in one of east London’s trendiest enclaves. Muted colour palettes, soft berber carpets and soothing tapestries characterise the 258 remodelled rooms and suites. In the hotel’s sculpture-peppered lobby, co-workers tap away by day and mingle over bites and drinks after hours. Top mixologist Ryan Chetiyawardana (aka Mr Lyan) runs the basement Seed Library and there’s a smart rooftop hangout with a heated terrace, DJs and views of London’s bulging skyline.
From £153 ($283). Phone: +44 20 7613 9800. See onehundredshoreditch.com
The writer was a guest of the hotels and Visit Britain.
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