Ace Hotel London Shoreditch

The Ace Hotel is a hipster hangout spot tailored to the young -- whether in age or attitude -- and artsy. The hotel's plain-white facade is made to look brighter by a brick entryway studded in theater-style marquee lights and finished with a mass of potted plants, a nod to the florist shop attached to the building. The lobby has the social ambience as a hostel, but with a lot more style. In addition to a rotating gallery space and a functional photo booth, the lobby has a full bar, a coffee shop, several sitting areas, and a long, communal oak worktable often occupied by guests on Macs. But since these areas are open to the public, they can get quite packed. Throughout the hotel, an array of industrial materials pair well with vintage furniture to create decor with character. Wood floors might meet white-washed brick walls, while a mix of vintage couches, wooden chairs, and cast-iron stools create eclectic seating areas. The reception desk showcases record sleeves and sells hotel merchandise, such as stylish tote bags and hats. Miranda, the downstairs club and event space, has a packed calendar, so this is a great hotel for guests who are ready to hang out and have fun. 

The Ace Hotel is located on busy Shoreditch High Street, which found fame as an artsy nightlife spot for young artists and students. Brick Lane, which is packed with restaurants and some hip boutiques, is about a 10-minute walk from the hotel. Residential and business properties sit along many of the nearby smaller streets, while the nearby Shoreditch High Street offers commuter trains that head into central London. The Liverpool Street Underground Station is a slightly longer walk from the hotel. The Tower of London could feasibly be reached in a 30-minute walk, but for most other major sights, public transportation is the best bet -- most sights require a 23- to 40-minute trip. There's no on-site parking.

• Five-minute walk to Shoreditch High Street
• 15-minute walk to Liverpool Street Underground Station
• 20 minutes to Shard Skyscraper via public transportation
• 23 minutes to St. Paul's Cathedral via public transportation
• 30 minutes to the Palace of Westminster via public transportation
• 30 minutes to Tate Modern via public transportation
• 35 minutes to Trafalgar Square via public transportation
• 35 minutes to the British Museum via public transportation
• 40 minutes to Victoria and Albert Museum via public transportation
• 40 minutes to Buckingham Palace via public transportation
• One hour to Heathrow Airport via public transportation
• One hour to Gatwick Airport via public transportation

The Ace's 258 rooms go for simplicity, with gray carpeting, white walls, black ceilings, and blue bedding. Standard Rooms have a look reminiscent of stylish college dorm rooms, with low beds, wooden crate-style side tables, and metal shelving units with plastic crates as drawers. Clipboards and cork boards hang on the walls, while large photos or abstract wall murals provide an artistic flourish. But even Standard Rooms are pretty roomy, with nice couches along the windows and small tables and chairs, while larger rooms have round, oak dining tables. Bathrooms are spacious and streamlined, with black-tile floors and white-tile walls. They include shower/tub combos, robes, hairdryers, and dispensers doling out toiletries.

All rooms are air-conditioned and include flat-screen TVs, safes, irons and ironing boards, Revo radios, and free Wi-Fi, in addition to well-stocked minibars. Upgraded rooms include extras like daybeds, record players and records, and acoustic guitars, while some of the Suites have spacious living areas, retro fridges, mid-century modern furniture, or, in the case of the Ace Suite, a huge wrap-around balcony. Room service is available 24 hours a day. Guests have complained about noise from the busy Shoreditch High Street outside, and guests on the first floor might hear or feel noise vibrations during gigs or music events. 

The Ace Hotel London Shoreditch encourages guests to hang out and mingle, starting with the lobby's sitting areas and workstations. Other spaces that are equally inviting include the Gallery Bar, the Bulldog Edition coffee shop, and Hoi Polloi, which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. (Breakfast is not included in the room rate.) Lovage is the on-site juice and salad bar with a "High Street Window" -- a window for ordering directly from the street. Down from the lobby is the Miranda Room, a basement club with live music, DJs, and other events. 

The hotel also has several event rooms on the top floor that can be booked for parties or meetings, and can hold up to 120 people. A pleasant fitness area (not open to the public) includes a small sauna and a gym with mostly cardio equipment and a full rack of free weights. Bikes are available to rent free from the hotel. 

The front desk operates 24 hours a day, and staff can arrange laundry/dry cleaning service, offer ticket assistance, and perform other concierge services. Room service is available 24 hours. Wi-Fi is free throughout.