Go Gaga over hotel’s present and mysterious past
FIONNOULA BOURKE
was a guest of the Andaz London Liverpool Street, where prices start from £169 for one night in a
Queen Room.
Visit
hyatt.com
Andaz Liverpool Street by numbers 267 15
14
rooms – suites – event spaces, including The Masonic Temple – restaurants and bars and health club & spa.
one
five
Spittalfields vintage hatter, Colin, took great pride in showing our party how the different communities are represented on Fournier Street. It is home to a Christian church at the top – Whitechapel, from which the area got its name – a Jewish synagogue halfway down, and a Muslim mosque, popular with the Bangladeshi community, at the bottom.
He charmed us with tales about hats, and how the first top hat was made in the area. It made the news of the day – passers-by were so shocked by the sight that it caused such a ruckus on Liverpool Street and the wearer ended up with a fine for breaching the peace.
Brick Lane is another hotspot for international communities and features the renowned 24 hour Beigel Shop, which sells the best ever salted beef beigel for just £2.40 and a cup of coffee for 80p.
Andaz celebrates cultures from around the world too, especially at the hotel’s elegant sushi restaurant Miyako. Our party was privileged to enjoy a masterclass in the art of creating sushi alongside Miyako chefs, with some saki sampling along the way.
It’s amazing what you can do when presented with the finest of ingredients, and some very patient and knowledgeable tutors!
The Andaz is a fantastic lifestyle hotel that offers a wealth of experiences, combining the building’s rich heritage from the late 19th century when The Great Eastern Hotel occupied the site to today’s modern aesthetic.