Hotel of the week
WHERE AND WHY: Set in the heart of the hipster mecca of Shoreditch in East London, the five-star Mondrian has risen from the ashes of the long-established Curtain Hotel, which closed mid-lockdown, and is now the global chain’s European flagship.
The 120-room hotel is perfectly in tune with its fashionable location, feeling effortlessly cool with its exposed brick walls and artwork.
Rooms are understated but luxurious and ours featured a steam shower, which was a real treat. Guests can enjoy breakfast at rooftop restaurant Altitude, while taking in stunning views of the gleaming towers of the City on one side and the graffiti-daubed bohemia of Shoreditch on the other. And if you fancy a post-brekkie dip, it has its own rooftop plunge pool.
ON THE MENU The Mondrian’s street-level bar, Christina’s, serves a tempting selection of sandos, precisely constructed Japanese sandwiches. It also offers an eclectic cocktail menu featuring many local suppliers and is the perfect place for a pre-dinner tipple before heading to the jewel in the hotel’s culinary crown – Bibo.
The vibrant basement tapas diner is the first London venture of three-michelin-star chef Dani Garcia. It delivers high-end yet reasonably priced classics in a casual, buzzy atmosphere. We went for a selection of six tapas plates (ranging from £6 to £18 each).
The standouts were the incredibly tender oxtail in a brioche bun and the glazed aubergine with yogurt and roasted broccoli. The iberico ham was delicious too. We rounded it off with a huge slab of cheesecake.
WHILE YOU’RE THERE Nearby Brick Lane, known for its curry houses, is crammed with vintage shops, galleries, bars and restaurants. Vinyl lovers are spoilt for choice with the excellent Rough Trade East for new releases and a lovingly curated second-hand record stall at Brick Lane’s vintage market.
Spitalfields Market is a stone’s throw away with its diverse mix of independent boutiques and excellent street food.
A little further afield is Columbia Road, which holds a famous flower market on Sunday mornings. From here we wandered to London Fields, a small park in Hackney fringed with artisan shops and cafes, where we enjoyed a drink on the sunny terrace of The Pub On The Park.
WAKE-UP CALL Rooms at Mondrian Shoreditch London start from £299 a nigh with breakfast. mondrianshoreditch.com