JC STAYS THE GANTRY,

V DESPITE OMICRON having made its big entrance, there was jubilation in the air as we checked in to Stratford’s newest hotel, The Gantry. West Ham had unexpectedly beat London rivals, Chelsea, and as we strolled around the area — part of London’s regenerated E20 postcode — the overjoyed singing of delighted fans rang out from behind their masks.

From our 15th floor hotel room, we could even see a corner of the former Olympic stadium, the current home to east London’s jubilant Hammers.

The new hotel, a boutique-style, 291-room property forming part of Hilton’s Curio Collection is a stone’s throw from Stratford International station, in the heart of the area which has been transformed over the past decade of regeneration. On the edge of what had once been the beating heart of Jewish London, it’s now only a seven-minute train ride from St Pancras or a trip down the length of the Jubilee line from our current heartland of north-west London.

The 18-floor hotel sits opposite what was originally built as accommodation for the Olympic athletes, now packed with smart apartments housing young families and City workers with addresses like Victory Square and Celebration Avenue. There are views over the Olympic Park, the Velodrome and the (hard-to-miss) Westfield Stratford shopping centre.

One of four elevators whisked us to our deluxe room, equipped with king-size bed, Nespresso machine and his’n’her slippers and robes. The décor is modern and minimalist — in keeping with the edgy east London vibe. Farrow and Ball-style, smoky blue panelling lines the wall between bathroom and bedroom and chunky copper light fittings are almost mini works of art.

A push-button operated, walk-in rain shower combined with deliciously citrussy toiletries made it difficult to drag myself out of the bathroom, but floor-to-ceiling windows framing the City of London skyline helped. Day or night it was a constantly moving spectacle — the city in motion.

Eyebrows had been raised when we mentioned our Stratford minibreak. At first, most assumed we were catching up on culture at the home of the Bard, then bemused when we put them right about which Stratford we were visiting. But there is plenty of culture to be found here too — small galleries, a theatre, cinemas and, over the next few years, Sadler’s Wells and the V&A will be opening eastern outposts in the International Quarter London (IQL).

Add that to the exciting Abba Voyage show arriving in 2022 — a few minutes’ walk from the hotel — and regular sporting events at the Olympics’ legacy of sporting venues, and you have several reasons to be visiting this part of the world, as well the obvious opportunity for retail therapy.

The styling of the hotel taps into the area’s vibe. Union Social — a restaurant and bar on the first floor — offers bar snacks; healthy salads and some light bites, as well as a menu of cocktails (and mocktails) from their resident mixologist. When the weather is clement, there is also an al fresco bar with DJ vibes.

In the morning, the restaurant morphs into a breakfast room, with a variety of options delivered to your table. No breakfast buffet here, but friendly, speedy service from a young, denim-clad staff.

There’s a basement gym packed with shiny weights, kettle bells, machines and screens. Early next year, a gourmet grocery store is due to open at street level, and on the 18th floor, a destination bar and fine dining restaurant.

When we tired of the urban jungle, there was plenty of green space within a few minutes of the hotel. The regeneration project paid more than lip service to ecological and environmental concerns with plenty of landscaped and wild-looking plants and trees. The air smelt fresh, clean and calming, while a memorial garden for Covid victims provided food for thought.

Had we brought our children (a tween and a teen) for our brief visit, there would have been plenty to occupy them (or younger children) too — from playgrounds to the high-speed slide on the Arcelor Mittal tower and concerts at the O2 and Olympic stadium.

And with restrictions on foreign travel looking likely to stick around for the immediate future, a trip to the (not so far) east could be the break from reality we all need.

VICTORIA PREVER

Rates: Rooms at The Gantry cost from £209 including breakfast thegantrylondon.com