Lots of London’s top hotels are characterised by silver service and slightly fusty interiors. But what if a five-star hotel was oriented towards young people? That, to me, is the concept which the Virgin Hotel in Shoreditch has decided to run with.
It may be Richard Branson’s first London hotel but the vibe is much more New York. Located on the corner of Curtain Road in Shoreditch, the hotel officially opened earlier this year and occupies a warehouse-style red brick building which could be in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District.
This is an influencer’s paradise. Next to the lobby is (breathe with me) a purpose-built “selfie room” covered with floor to ceiling mirrors, which give a Yayoi Kusama-esque infinity effect to the giant, Virgin red poppies which fill the room – Instagram dynamite. When I was checking in, there was a small queue of perfectly coiffed young women clutching their iPhones, waiting to get the perfect shot.
The bedrooms are filled with natural light thanks to enormous, steel-framed Crittall windows, and the design feels like a Lower East Side loft, with exposed brickwork and mid century modern furniture. We stayed in a deluxe chamber, which featured a spacious living area and a freestanding bathtub, from which I gazed across the road upon the very east London sight of a graffiti-covered, Brutalist nine storey car park. There are pops of Virgin red across the hotel, from the zippy Smeg minifridge in the bedrooms to the moody, red light district lighting in the lift.
This is a hotel for people who like it loud. After depositing our things we made our way up to the rooftop bar and pool, where music was blasting and golden hour drinks were just getting going. Just like at a Soho House, this is the kind of pool where no one actually swims – it’s more of a cocktail sip and toe dip.
The hotel’s ground floor bar, Hidden Grooves, is much more refined than its distant rooftop neighbour. Kitted out with a hi-fi system and wall-to-wall records, it has the feel of a Japanese listening bar. It’s loud, but not noisy: a DJ was spinning well chosen vinyls and the sound quality is crystal clear, meaning you don’t have to shout over the music.
The cocktails are inspired by different Virgin Records album covers and are beautifully presented. I was reduced to childlike joy by the extremely photogenic Medusa’s Kiss, a riff on the gimlet which came in a jellyfish shaped coupe, topped with a “citrus scented aromatic bubble” which the bartender blew up in front of me from some special gizmo. There are also nice diner-style small plates like beef sliders and wedge salad.
Once the gears are suitably oiled, East London’s buzziest nightlife venues are all lying in wait around the corner. The hotel is also within walking distance of some of London’s best restaurants. Italian nose-to-tail Manteca is on the same road, while cult favourites like Singburi, Brat and Smoking Goat are minutes away.
In the morning we headed back up to the rooftop bar for the inclusive breakfast, where to our relief the Ibiza house music was not still pumping. Perhaps guests sleep through breakfast or prefer heading out into Shoreditch for brunch as it was peacefully empty. This is not the lavish offering of a classic five-star. I always think you can judge a hotel breakfast by the quality of the orange juice – this one was from concentrate. Such economies are reflected in the price per night, which is around half of most luxury hotels in London.
This is a good time hotel. It’s perfectly located for partying hard, eating well and shopping at east London’s coolest brands. It’s not the classic five-star experience, but it’s much more young and fun. Plus, it’ll all look enviable on the Instagram grid afterwards.
Double rooms start from around £300 per night. Book here
