Review - The Hoxton Hotel

It's close enough to the city to be a business hotel and fully equipped with the right businessy hotel stuff. Forget the word 'budget' for a minute, this is an up-market down-town hotel situated in one of London's hottest post codes, and wipes the floor with many of London's posh four star hotels.

The most you'll pay for a room here is £149 a night, but it's got the modern and trendy Hotel Babylon feel to it. If you need stuffy, unifromed staff that call you madam or sir and carry your hand luggage to your room, then forget the Hoxton. The budget part of the description means some economising, but there's no sense of corner-cutting and you're unlikely to miss some of the areas they've made savings to pass on to customers.

The Hoxton dispenses of some of the niceties, for example there's no bath, no shaving mirror, no dressing gowns (you won't miss them), no Corby trouser press (but a good laundry service) and no mini-bar (although there is room service at ridiculously cheap rates). The room does have a proper safe, which a no-nonsense notice encourages you to use.

Actually - let me rephrase - there is a mini bar of sorts, and it's a highlight. Instead of stocking the fridge with crap at ridiculous prices, you have to buy your own stuff at the reception downstairs. The hotel does charge ridiculous prices - nearly everything (including beer) is cheaper than at the Costcutter across the road!

The hotel offers extras at retails prices rater than stupid hotel prices. A can of coke costs 50p, a bottle of beer is £1.20, a shaving kit is £1. National calls from your room are priced at 3p a minute. Use of the local gym is charged at £5 a day. For £7.50, you get all the films you want all day.

The bathroom is stocked with classic brands; Pears soap and Aveda shampoo and body wash and is surprisingly roomy and well lit for a room that's tucked away so well you barely notice it.

 

The rooms are extremely comfortable, a cosy bed wth a duck down duvet and frette linen, a modest chaise longue in the corner, atmospheric ambient lighting, a wet-room type power shower in the en-suite. The view over the city from the 5^th floor is not incredible, but it's a view across the city, taking in Tower 42 and the top of the Gherkin.

 

The room is equipped with a flat screen that handily tilts to virtually any angle you might want to watch it from and there is free wifi all over the hotel. If you haven't brought your laptop, there are several computers available downstairs.

 

 

Breakfast is provided free by Pret-A-Manger, owner Sinclair Beecham's signature venture. Customers are given a paper bag on check-in which they have to tick and hang on the door handle. You could of course have breakfast at the Grille, which isn't included in the room tariff but is excellent value at less than hotel prices.

If you've come to the Hoxton hotel you must take some time to hang out in the lounge. It's a well thought out, artistically decorated space whiich has the feel of a modern private members' bar. There are open fireplaces, comfortable leather chairs and locals popping in for a drink amongst the guests.

 

The service was almost flawless, with attentive but relaxed staff. I'm trying hard to pick out something - our double room had only one set of towels, but I'm sure this was down to an oversight rather than cost cutting.

 

One of the best things about the hotel is the flexible approach to room tariffs. It works on the Easyjet principle of book early, pay less; wothout the cattle-herding and horrendous customer service of course. The rooms range from £1 to an absolute maxium of £149 a night. this is just ridiculous as the rooms and service are definitely worht £149, so you won't be taking a gamble with the prices.

 

The pricing makes it a great place to plan a night out in Shoreditch with somewhere to crash, as long as you book iin advance. Weekends are considerably cheaper due to the lack of City business.

 

With its friendly atmosphere, welcoming and comfortable design and good service, it's the kind of hotel that you will have to come back to. If you're talking price compared to experience, the Hoxton is by far the best hotel I've ever stayed in. In fact, I ended up staying there over Christmas at £59 a night, with Christmas dinner served in the restaurant.

www.hoxtonhotels.com