‘The group knows exactly what it’s doing when setting new trends’

The latest hotel in the Soho House group, has all the grandeur you’d expect – and non-members are welcome

It has been a bumper year for the Soho House group. This year has seen openings in Brooklyn, Amsterdam and Garraf (30 minutes outside Barcelona), among others, bringing its global portfolio of hotels to 17 worldwide. Mumbai, its first property in Asia, is opening in November. But it is London, the group’s home, that has received the most love of late, with a trio of openings: first, the refurbishment of Kettner’s Townhouse, the heritage restaurant with rooms in Soho, followed by White City House, the behemoth members’ club in the former BBC headquarters and, finally, this week, Redchurch Townhouse, a boutique hotel a street away from the ever-popular – and ever-crowded rooftop pool – at Shoreditch House.

In fact, around half of the 37 bedrooms that now make up Redchurch Townhouse were once used for “overspill” from their neighbour, when the club’s own bedrooms were booked up.

Now, however, the Townhouse’s rooms will host guests in their own right, booked separately from Shoreditch House as a standalone hotel, with no members-only spaces.

The brick and concrete facade is tucked away on Whitby Street, sharing the small lane with a spin cycle studio and a house covered in graffiti, which is a popular spot for street art tours.

On arrival in the lobby, there’s an instant break from the more classic, countrified styles adopted by other properties in the Soho House stable, with terrazzo flooring, a simple navy velvet sofa, and a green marble-topped reception desk. Prior to opening, the desk had to undergo a repair after a particularly riotous fashion week party resulted in two people breaking the desk after climbing atop it for an impromptu photo opportunity.

The tone is, therefore, set for what will surely continue to be a sociable spot for those in the know, especially as it houses the first Cecconi’s restaurant in east London (open to non-members). The menu is classic,

Redchurch Townhouse

casual, trattoria territory: cicchetti served on silver platters with greaseproof paper, chunky pizzas from the wood-fired oven and floralpatterned bowls laden with pasta, including their signature “Spaghetti lobster”. You can order a solo portion or a “bowl” for the table.

It’s all very Forties la dolce vita, except for the artwork, which celebrates 40 artists under 40, all from east London. The neon red light by Sarah Maple on the way to the bathrooms – which declares, sarcastically, “Bloody Neons” – is a tongue-in-cheek reminder that the group knows exactly what it’s doing when it comes to setting trends.

From Cecconi’s, it’s just a pastainduced roll into the lifts and you’re in bed within 30 seconds. The compact rooms are more for crashing than lounging (especially the Tiny rooms). Their palette is neutral; their reference point the Fifties and the Seventies – think olive green or ochre. All of the metro-tiled bathrooms, except for the property’s one suite (known as the Playroom, which has a free-standing tub), have showers only, which hide a range of full-sized Cowshed products behind thinly ribbed glass.

The vibe evokes that residentialretro-repro style so copied by other brands and so desired by the public that the group launched its own furniture company, Soho Home, which sells copies of furniture and can now be bought at its pop-up showroom (open until January) just a few doors down from Redchurch Townhouse.

The opening is fitting: the arrival of Shoreditch House nearly 10 years ago revitalised the entire street and surrounding area, paving the way for some of the city’s finest restaurants and boutiques to open – and now their newest hotel. If you want to live in a Soho House-tinged world, head to Redchurch Street. And you don’t even need to be a member.

The vibe evokes that residential-retro-repro style that is copied and so desired by the public

Tiny rooms from £170, rising to £345 for Large rooms, excluding breakfast. Redchurch Townhouse, 25-27 Whitby Street, London (redchurchtownhouse.com).

ITALIAN FLAVOURCecconi’s restaurant at Redchurch Townhouse