Southwark and Southbank, United States
Central London location next to a tube station and walking distance to sights
Bright, contemporary rooms and apartments
Most rooms have luxurious marble bathrooms with rainfall showerheads
Above an affordable fast-casual cafe
Free coffee, tea, and cookies in rooms
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Off-site parking (for a fee)
Undergoing renovation as of 2015
Not all rooms have en-suite bathrooms
Some bathrooms have dingy tile and are in need of renovation
No elevators
Breakfast not included in room rates
No fitness or business centers
The modern, three-pearl London City Hotel sits inside a narrow town house that's elbow-to-elbow with a tube station and within walking distance to many tourist attractions. Its 18 bright rooms range from snug singles to smart, full-service apartments for up to four people. Most of the bathrooms, with an elegant marble-tile finish and rainfall showerheads, are more luxurious than the hotel's price tag would suggest. But rooms in lower categories have more basic or even shared bathrooms. The property was undergoing renovation as of summer of 2015, but its pared-down contemporary aesthetic, featuring Marimekko prints and IKEA-style furniture was polished to begin with. There is no elevator, however. Guests in need of an elevator could try the Premier Inn London Southwark - Tate Modern, a chain hotel that's less homey but offers good rates.
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Scene
An attractive town house hotel above a busy cafe
The London City Hotel's exterior, an unembellished town house with a sturdy brown brick facade and white trim, perfectly conveys the paired-down charm of this property. At the bustling street level is the Cafe Riva, a fast casual restaurant with blond-wood Scandinavian decor lit warmly with pendant lamps. The hotel lobby has a couple of potted plants, but it's otherwise plain, with a small blond-wood counter and tiny built-in bench offering limited seating. Brown carpeted hallways lead to brightly lit stairways and rooms. Overall, it's a good, no-frills choice for visitors who want a simple, clean, and bright mid-range option.
Location
By a tube station and within walking distance of some top tourist attractions
The London City Hotel is in Southwark, adjacent to the Borough Tube Station, in a lively neighborhood with modest shops and pubs. It takes about 10 minutes to walk to the foodie paradise Borough Market, London Bridge, and The Shard, a skyscraper with a viewing gallery. The Tate Modern is a 15-minute walk away. Other sights require a longer hike or public transportation. The Tower Bridge is 20 minutes away on foot or 13 by public transportation, the London Eye and the Tower of London are 16 and 17 minutes away by public transportation respectively. Heathrow Airport is a 45-minute drive or about an hour by tube. Gatwick Airport takes around an hour to reach by car or train.
Rooms
Comfortable rooms with a good mix of neutral and bright Scandinavian styling
Rooms at the London City Hotel have neutral color schemes with pops of florals and solids. Single Rooms are tiny, with beds wedged in very close to the bathroom, but the arrangement may strike guests as cozy rather than claustrophobic due to the thoughtful cream-colored fabrics and bright-red throws and curtains. In the bigger rooms, the accent pillows feature Marimekko prints and have neutral carpet and upholstery in earth tones of olive, charcoal, and sandstone. Accent tables and desks have glass tops on streamlined light wood bases. Rooms come with electric kettles, tea and coffee, cookies, flat-screen TVs, irons and ironing boards, and high-tech Bluetooth Wireless Network Interface Controllers with speakers by the bedsides. Most bathrooms feel luxurious, walled in either dark or light oatmeal marble tile with angular, white porcelain fixtures, and glass walk-in showers with rainfall showerheads. But some of the rooms in lower categories have older bathrooms with dingy tile. And rooms in the lowest categories have a shared bathroom. The hotel also has off-site apartments (a five-minute walk away), which come with full-service kitchens with washers and dryers.
Features
Some welcome conveniences in a convenient location
The hotel has a 24-hour reception area with a large map of the London Underground on the wall and a rack of tourism brochures. The restaurant below the hotel offers breakfast and lunch (not included in room rates), and there are plenty of other pubs and restaurants in this busy neighborhood. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property and the hotel can arrange airport transfers for a fee. Parking is available in a lot a five-minute walk away, for a fee. There's no elevator, but guests can request a ground-floor room that opens to the cafe.
