It has to be said, we haven’t exactly had a consistent summer this year and that’s saying something for Britain. We might just have the answer…
While the weather may be warmer and invariably wetter, you cannot escape the gloom that is the UK right now. The cost of living crisis has rendered holiday’s abroad just that touch out of reach, especially when even your usual grocery shop has shot up to the price of a weekend in Paris.
Add to that the grim news of plane delays and cancellations with holiday makers stranded all over the world, vacationing at home has never seemed more attractive.
My partner and I had the pleasure of staying at a little diamond of a hotel right in the heart of London’s East End, Hyatt Place London City East. On the surface it looks and feels like a bijoux independent operation but it’s actually pert of the Hyatt group so you KNOW you’re going to get spoilt.
The Hyatt Place London City East does exactly what it says on the tin, you feel like you’re at the centre of the eclectic hustle and bustle of the East End, where you are a stone’s throw from the panoply of market stalls and restaurants on Brick Lane.
As a gay couple, my partner and I try to err on the side of caution when it comes to some areas of London and sadly the East End is no different. Due to our cautiousness, the Hyatt Place is like a little oasis of calm and acceptance, our own cosy haven for the weekend.
If you don’t want to go out exploring, I have to say their rooftop bar PocketSquare and the restaurant Zoom East are some of the best places I have eaten or drunk at in London in a long time. The attention to detail in their bespoke cocktail collection is astounding, with glasses and recipes created just for them. I’m not even much of a cocktail drinker but the décor transports you to futuristic speakeasy and the bar snacks are simply perfect morsels to whet your appetite before you head down to the restaurant.
Downstairs in Zoom East, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were going to get a pan-Asian extravaganza but no, the restaurant is one of the most authentic, modern Italian cuisine’s I’ve experienced in years. All the classical starters you’d expect but with a metropolitan twist and mains that do NOT leave you hungry, believe me (and my partner is one of those chaps who can put the pasta away!).
With a hotel in a central location you are never going to have a vast suite at your disposal but that’s the point. The rooms are bright, modern and airy with balconies available which are the perfect backdrop to the London City lights at their best. Who can ask for more than a giant comfy bed, drinks on the veranda and bathroom cum wetroom to die for?
My only gripe would be the parking situation. If you are there on a weekend there is free local spaces but I was told by staff to steer clear of the local NCP and they were right. Once again the parking behemoth have shown themselves to be scruple-less charlatans but that certainly isn’t the hotel’s fault with the staff just full of ideas to help out.
A special mention must go to the staff actually who were second to none, and I’ve stayed in some of the most incredible hotels in the world where customer care is supposed to be paramount. At the Hyatt Place London City East, the staff were SO kind and helpful to my partner and I it was truly refreshing.
For a city break, a base for a working week or a secret getaway, I could not recommend the Hyatt Place London City East enough in terms of quality, inclusivity and overall experience.
Click here for more information on Hyatt Place London City East
