Ruby Lucy, London

BACKGROUND The Munich-based Ruby Group was founded in 2013 and operates eight hotels across Germany, Austria and now the UK, as well as co-working spaces in Munich and Dusseldorf. The brand aims to be a “contemporary, affordable form of luxury for modern, cost- and styleconscious customers”. Ruby Lucy opened in Waterloo in January, with a second London hotel due to follow in Notting Hill in 2023.

W H AT ’ S IT LIKE? Immediately striking, once you have found it. The hotel is behind a stretch of new buildings designed in slightly different styles, supposedly to fit in with the many types of structures housing shops and cafes along this historic street. Depending on which direction you approach from, you will first spot the bar area that doubles as reception or the barber’s shop next door. The interiors are quite dark and are inspired “by the area’s bustling fairs and markets, entertainment and theatre scene” – a carnival theme runs throughout, with circus drums, juggling pins, and even a couple of swings facing the entrance. I was here at the end of August and so Covid-19 protocols were in place, including a one-way entry and exit system and touch-free check-in and payments.

WHERE IS IT? On Lower Marsh, a wellknown market street just behind Waterloo station. If you stay over the weekend then in usual times the area is very vibrant, with food stalls and shops selling everything from bric-a-brac to top-notch coffee.