Review of Town Hall Hotel & Apartments, by Nadia Latif

For all its hipster credentials, East London has not yet received its fair share of design-led boltholes. Hotelier Loh Lik Peng is set to change this with his latest venture, the Town Hall Hotel in Bethnal Green. Located one tube stop away from Liverpool Street Station, it lies close to trendy Columbia Road, numerous bars, restaurants and galleries and of course the infamous Brick Lane.

The grand Edwardian facade hides a sensitively-restored Art Deco interior. Commissioned pieces from promising young London artists adorn the walls. Rare Architecture, who headed the renovation work, have kept many of the building’s original features, like the sweeping central staircase and sculptures by Henry Poole, adding cutting-edge furnishings from the likes of Viabizzuno and Parisian designer Tzuri Gueta alongside retro pieces from the 50s and 60s.

Portuguese chef Nuno Mendes has been drafted in to head up the kitchen in Viajante, which serves slick fusion cuisine worthy of its trendy surrounds, and more casual brasserie-style dishes at The Corner Room bistro. There’s an adjoining cocktail bar, indoor pool, gym and a truly stunning meeting space, the Council Chamber. In-room massages and tailored spa treatments can be organised by the concierge.

Each of Town Hall’s 98 guestrooms and apartments share the same clean-lined, contemporary decor as its communal areas. Most have kitchenettes (complete with Corian work surfaces) that are perfect for the independently-minded traveller, and come beautifully appointed with Egyptian cotton linens, flat screen technology and complimentary wifi.

The star of the show is undoubtedly the De Montfort Suite, a triple height homage to contemporary style with a state-of-the-art kitchen for private dining, extensive living space, original stained glass windows and decorative plasterwork. It surely takes the crown as the trendiest suite in London.