8th September 2008
Comfy but corporate
I stayed at this four star hotel on New Years Eve, as I was attending a group dinner at the Globe Restaurant on the top floor that night. (Great view, laughably inept service but friendly and apologetic.)
Wanting to book a room for later that same day, I initially rang the main reservations number for the Crown Plaza hotel group - a hub for bookings, based goodness knows where. I was told that the Shoreditch hotel was fully booked that night, but a hunch made me ring the hotel reception directly to check. Bingo! They were very surprised to hear that they were fully booked, and were pleased to offer me a room. You might want to try this trick yourself if you're booking at short notice and can't find any reduced rate deals online.
On arrival, I was a bit miffed to discover that I'd been allocated a smoking room. At my request, they moved me to a non-smoking double in a quiet location at the back of the building. The room itself was spacious and comfortable, although set up for business use which, as a New Years party-goer, I didn't need. Coming down for my coat just before midnight, I found my card-key had stopped working, so was obliged to see in the New Year out on the seventh floor rooftop terrace shivering like a jelly. Reception were later able to sort this out for me - the key, that is, not the shivering.
Breakfast the next morning, notwithstanding my hangover, was a delicious buffet affair. There was the traditional hot selection, toast, cereals, juices, and a continental selection of bread, cheeses and ham, plus croissants and pastries. I hardly knew where to start. Attracting the waiter's attention for more black coffee proved difficult though.
Note that their literature likes to suggest that the closest tube station is (the very attractive) Liverpool Street. The closest is actually (the hideously ugly) Old Street, which is worth knowing if you're lugging a suitcase.
All in all a comfortable if corporate hotel, with polite staff and a great view from the restaurant. The lack of single rooms is a travesty though - not only are none available, a room is the same price whether there's one or two of you using it. Mine was just over £205.
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