The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Travel
Shoreditch curtain raiser with a touch of New York soul
The curtain’s up on Shoreditch’s latest hotel, a party palace with clubby rooms, a taco and tequila bar and a rooftop pool with an urban panorama. Don’t miss Red Rooster, a shrine to soul food from one of New York’s mostloved chefs.
Location 8/10
The Curtain (named not after the road it sits on, but the Elizabethan playhouse that once stood nearby) is in the thick of Shoreditch revelry. It’s a short walk to the area’s best bars, restaurants and clubs, and a bit further to tourist spots such as Spitalfields and Columbia Road flower market. Old Street underground station is 10 minutes away on foot.
Style & character
London. Tienda Roosteria, the laid-back taco restaurant next to reception, sets the scene for the fun ahead: tartan armchairs clash with eclectic artworks and wall-mounted stags wearing bandannas, while playful waiters serve margarita slushies topped with edible glitter to the beat of Nineties hip hop.
Service & facilities
friendly, unpretentious and upbeat. The waiters in particular strike the right note with attentiveness – not overbearing, but noticing as soon as you finish a cocktail.
The rooftop pool (more for dipping than swimming) is a welcome spot, while the 24-hour gym hosts Boom Cycle and yoga classes.
Rooms 8/10
Rooms are dark, masculine and have a clubby feel: hardwood floors, exposed brickwork, Chesterfield sofas and Seventies photography of musical icons. Most (except Courtyard rooms) have urban views. Tall beds are dressed in soft linens, while pops of emerald green and more tartan add colour. Classic marble bathrooms house an enclosed rainfall shower, which also doubles up as a steam room.
Upgrade to a Loft or Suite room and you’ll get a free-standing tub. The lurid gold curtains and resin bathtubs might not be to everyone’s taste, but overall the look is polished.
Food and drink 9/10
The star of the show is Red Rooster, which is the only other outpost of the Harlem-based restaurant of the same name. Chef Marcus Samuelsson, who was born in Ethiopia and raised in Sweden, takes his inspiration from America’s Deep South, with influences from his respective homelands.
Enjoy the likes of duck kitfo (tartar) and jerk pork and shrimp alongside sharing platters such as Obama short ribs (the former president is a fan), or the Bird Royale Feast (an entire fried chicken theatrically presented to your table with a sparkler). All are served to a soundtrack of live music five nights a week, plus a gospel choir during Sunday brunch.
Breakfast is up on the roof at all-day brasserie LIDO, with the option between a fresh continental buffet (lots of healthy options available), or hot dishes à la carte. Tienda Roosteria serves Mexican food throughout the day, from breakfast huevos rancheros through to late-night tacos.
Value for money Access for guests with disabilities?
The lift serves all floors; there are accessible rooms.
Family-friendly?
Cots (free) and roll-out beds (£65pn) are available, but the hotel has more of a grown-up vibe. 45 Curtain Road, London EC2A 3PT (020 3146 4545; telegraph.co.uk/ tt-thecurtain).