Shoreditch Rooms

Hip yet affordable members’ club with rooms in vibrant Shoreditch, with rooftop pool, famous bar and Cowshed spa

As we waited to check-in at Shoreditch House - a converted biscuit warehouse in East London - we spied a Magic 8 Ball on a shelf. “Will we have a good time here?” I asked it. “No doubt”, was the unequivocal response. Quirky details like these are all part of the Soho House group’s charm - despite their cool urban ethos they don’t take themselves too seriously, which makes for a fun stay. Shoreditch House is their latest offering - a long-time members’ club with a buzzy bar, now home to 26 cool rooms in a new wing. The decor is industrial chic, yet comfy and cosy - exposed brickwork and large skylight windows married with velvet easy chairs, battered leather sofas, vintage books and arcade games. And you couldn’t be better placed to enjoy the charms of the East End - Spitalfields, Brick Lane and Columbia Flower Market.

Everything at Shoreditch House is gently understated, from the New England-style rooms to the shabby-chic Cowshed Spa. The views from its rooftop bar, restaurant and pool are the envy of London, and on the lower floors you’ll find the much-hyped lounge bar, which gets stylishly raucous at weekends. Stay, and you instantly become a member for the night, so you can rub shoulders with the design, music and fashion elite, but not have to schlep it home on the Tube. Prices are reasonable for central London and rooms are surprisingly roomy, despite their Tiny, Small and Small Plus name tags. The Magic 8 Ball never lies.

Highs

• Excellent location on the edge of the City (Zone 1); Shoreditch High Street station is opposite and the Mayor’s bike hire scheme is over the road
• Gorgeous communal areas: the Garden, the roof terrace, the uber-trendy bars - Soho House properties are places to be seen and network, so they're popular with celebs
• A fabulous array of dining, drinking and socialising options, both on-site and all around. Shoreditch is one of London’s trendiest neighbourhoods
• Lots of extras: Cowshed products and hair straighteners in your room, and a ‘borrow me’ table at reception, loaded with magazines, Scrabble sets and mobile phone chargers
• Lovely room decor - white wooden shutters, seagrass flooring, cosy wool throws, vintage digital radios

Lows

• A great location in London does mean street noise from buses etc, but window glass is thick and ear plugs are provided
• Rooms are not huge and bathrooms pretty small, but they are well planned and make good use of the space
• You have to take the lift to reception, then another lift to get to the bars and restaurants - but this does keep noise interruption at a minimum
• No wardrobe or drawers to unpack into
• Because it's so popular, the "From" rates are rarely applied (expect to pay around twice that) - and you'll need to book well in advance