Last week I needed to be in London for a trend seminar. So looking for an inspiring spot to stay, I bumped into The Hoxton Hotel-an award winning a boutique hotelsituated in the heart of Shoreditch.

The Hoxton Hotel bar and lobby was packed with young Shoreditch hipsters, lobby-working locals and relaxed visitors from all over Europe. The very helpful and most friendly staff (all mixed nationalities, nice!) surprised me with an unexpected ‘upgrade’ to one of the “very demanded, but o so sold-out” theme rooms.

We got the ‘Hoxton Manor’, a quite small but very fun room on the top floor. The theme of this one tries to catch the unique feel of the Shoreditch area: the use of traditional, honest materials, such as brick, timber and ceramic are wittily blended with classic English eccentricity and an arty styling. Do not take this room seriously, see it as a step into the past, with 80 ties inspired street art and wall stickers, a super-sized bed with heavenly soft pillows, sheets and a leather covered bed surrounding, to-as they bring it-“misbehave in”.

Do not expect an ‘English’ breakfast in the morning. Choose for a quick ‘hit and run’ meal using a small brown bag to hang on your door before you get to sleep. In the morning the same bag is filled with 1 banana, 1 jar of fresh milk and a yogurt. Tea or coffee you make in your room and off you go.

More a long and lazy breakfast type? Join in for some color full and healthy smoothies, delicious egg variations and real English side dishes.

The Hoxton has only seven individually irresistible concept rooms, but as I said they are very wanted, so be quick! Check out their website for the other ones!

The Hoxton best trumps? Big couches out front in the lobby, an open fire to relax at night, a fun photo booth, huge Mac screens, delicious ‘eggs Benedict royal for breakfast, fun practical rooms, crisp white sheets, free wifi and a great starting point in one of London’s most hip and happening area’s.

Ah, and did I mention the fact that just around the corner, there is a beautiful art piece by Belgian-Ghent based street artist Roa? This was the start of a fabulous ‘Roa’ walk the next day (report later on The Squid Stories and my Instagram post on this matter was immediately liked and fav’ed by The Hoxton Hotel conversation manager. Great interaction, guys! 

Later when we walked the neighborhood, we popped into a small art Gallery called ‘ The Pure Evil Gallery’, where we spotted on some porcelain plates the same painting as the one above our bed at The Hoxton. Seemed that our ‘Hoxton Manor room’ was designed and decorated by the owner of the gallery, Charlie also know as the street artist Pure Evil. Really nice guy! 

81 Great Eastern Street
London EC2A 3HU
United Kingdom

020 7550 1000 (Reservations line open 24h a day)
0203 355 7701

info@hoxtonhotels.com

©ALL photos by Kate Stockman_THE SQUID STORIES

The Hoxton is only a 5 minute walk to the Old Street tube station Northern Line that is 2 stops away from Euston (very convenient to take the train into London).