Weekend at the Hoxton Hotel - Review

As ex-Londonites me and my other half love the capital and we can be in town in just over an hour from Bristol. And now we are no longer living there full time (and dealing with the usual gripes of tube delays and exorbitant living costs) we can enjoy the best bits of what has to be one of the world's most dynamic, constantly evolving cities without the aforementioned hassles. One area that has changed significantly since we lived in London is the East End, an area we had only dipped into for the odd night out in Old Street in the past. So for a recent visit we decided to base ourselves in this area, staying at the Hoxton Hotel on Great Eastern Street. 

This is a fantastic, well-priced hotel in a great location in walking distance of local highlights such as the restaurants and bars of Shoreditch, and the interesting mix of independents, well-known brands, restaurants and gastro pubs of Spitalfields. While clearly positioned as a hip boutique-style hotel, The Hoxton has none of the pretence that similarly positioned London hotels can suffer from, where you can sometimes feel alienated by the relentless pursuit of cool that often results in stiff, unfriendly service and rooms that put style over function and comfort. 

The Hoxton, in comparison, is an ultra-friendly, laid-back place with a nicely buzzing atmosphere and rooms that offer some of the best value to be had in this part of the capital. We paid £99 for a double, standard room, including the Hoxton 'Lite' breakfast, a cute breakfast bag delivered straight to your room and including yogurt, fruit and juice. There are frequent promotions - in the recent summer sale £69 rooms were up for grabs, and if you can book months in advance you'll find really affordable rates. 

We particularly liked the 'hub'-like atmosphere throughout the day, with lots going on but not so much that the place felt chaotic or noisy. There's a well-priced restaurant and bar on site - it serves a mean rose and lychee champagne cocktail - and there is a gorgeous courtyard area where you can enjoy a drink or bite to eat. 

Why else do I recommend the Hoxton? Friendly, efficient staff and a seamless check-in process. This was the first hotel we'd arrived at to find we could check in immediately - I've spent a lot of time in hotel lobbies while the reception staff faff about with reservations and calls to housekeeping; valuable time that could be spent sight-seeing or relaxing!

To find out more about this great hotel, visit the website here

PS - if you're looking to be closer to the West End the Hoxton Hotel is opening a sister branch in Holborn in May 2014 - read more here.