Town Hall Hotel, London: Muted glamour in Bethnal Green

"Мир делится на два класса — одни веруют в невероятное, другие совершают невозможное." Оскар Уайлд

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Book your stay

IN BRIEF

First impression: Majestic in a Grand Budapest Hotel kind of way.


Staff: Friendly, efficient but hands-off.


Food and drink: There’s Michelin-starred Da Terra, and the much-photographed Corner Room with its industrial lights and plentiful plants.


Bed and Bath: Simple and stylised with mid-century modern accents that feel both dated and cool.


The crowd: A mix of Converse-wearing families and laptop-wielding creatives, as well as wedding parties – this is an impressive space and has become a popular venue.


In a nutshell: A historic design hotel that beats staying at one of the chains nearby.

Town Hall Hotel, London: Muted glamour in Bethnal Green

Lobby at The Town Hall, Bethnal Green

Set the scene


Many remember the 1970s through bottle-green or brown-tinted glasses, and although Bethnal Green’s town hall went out of commission in that decade – trading in its seriousness as a municipal building to star as a location in film shoots – it has much the same feel. Built in 1910, the handsome Edwardian structure dominates the street it occupies. The Art Deco entrance with its veiny columns, a green-and-white marble floor that frames a majestic staircase, and a peppering of post-war furniture, a boxy vintage TV and Smeg fridge filled with fresh milk for guests to take to their rooms, all add to the lobby’s film-set look. Wood is dark, doors are rough and ready, and carpeted corridors on the way to the bedrooms still carry the heaviness of bureaucracy.

What’s the story?


Singapore-based hotelier Loh Lik Peng, whose Unlisted Collection includes seven properties and 23 restaurants around the world, has a habit of selecting impressive structures in unusual locations and transforming them into boutique hotels, choosing neighbourhoods that define cities, from The Bund in Shanghai to Sydney’s Chippendale district. So it’s no surprise the East End became the home of his first London hotel. With its Portland-stone façade that escaped the bombing of World War II unscathed, it’s easy to see why he fell in love with the former town hall.

Town Hall Hotel, London: Muted glamour in Bethnal Green

Hotel Room at The Town Hall, Bethnal Green

Justin De Souza

What can we expect in our room?


There are 97 rooms and although the decor of some can feel a tad tired, they all have nice mid-century touches and are all immaculately clean and spacious. Linen is crisp and white, towels are fluffy, and bath products are luxurious – organic skincare brand Grown Alchemist makes for a relaxing soak, while a Musetti coffee-maker, silk tea-bags and complimentary macarons in the fridge are all delightful, unexpected additions.

How about the food and drink?


Loh Lik Peng might not be a household name but you’re sure to recognise some of the chefs and institutions he’s had a hand in making. He’s played a huge role in Jason Atherton’s rise as one of the world’s most renowned gastronomic names, while his own portfolio includes multi-Michelin-starred fine-dining establishments. There’s Restaurant Zén, Nouri and Cheek Bistro in Singapore, and now Da Terra at the Town Hall Hotel, where Argentine chef Paulo Airaudo and Brazilian Rafael Cagali, who both have Italian roots, bring creative Latin American flavours to East London inspired by the Mediterranean cooking they know so well. More informal is the Corner Room with its rustic wooden tables and chairs, hanging botanicals and dramatic light display that visitors will have seen photographed before. A daily changing dinner menu follows the seasonal zeitgeist, though you’ll almost always find the much-loved burrata and sweet pomegranate to start. At breakfast it becomes a sun-filled space nestled beside a courtroom that retains its original green-leather pews, where you’ll find in-the-know locals and other hotel guests tucking into homemade pastries and berry compotes, perfect granary toast and eggs any way you want.

Town Hall Hotel, London: Muted glamour in Bethnal Green

Corner Room at The Town Hall, Bethnal Green

Justin De Souza

Anything to say about the service?


Apart from at check-in, there’s very little interaction with staff (you can drop your keys off in a box when you leave), and the vastness of the space amplifies a sense of total anonymity. Should you need help, house-keeping is highly efficient, while wake-up calls are friendly and reliable.

What sort of person stays here?


Brides, grooms and all their visiting relatives celebrating loudly, plus a healthy sprinkling of creatives who want to be in East London. It’s an affordable option that gives guests a slither of history with their stay, and rightly attracts an eclectic mix of visitors.

How does it fit into the neighbourhood?


Unlike neighbouring Shoreditch, Bethnal Green retains a grittiness that even it’s smartest bars, eateries, galleries and spas lean into – a quality that’s just as true of the Town Hall Hotel. Restaurants are slotted under the railway arches at Paradise Row, while exhibitions take place above a popular pub at The Approach Gallery. The Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club now hosts drag and burlesque nights, and urban-wellness retreat Masaj provides the perfect remedy to city living from three shipping containers at the Gossamer City Project. Local haunt Bistrotheque hides in an industrial warehouse on a cobbled side street, and on buzzy Hackney Road, late-night hangout The Laughing Heart has revolutionised the definition of a wine bar. There’s plenty to see and do, but if Bank or Liverpool Street are where you need to be, the hotel offers a free shuttle-bus service to these locations every weekday morning.

Town Hall Hotel, London: Muted glamour in Bethnal Green

De Montfort Suite at The Town Hall, Bethnal Green

Anything else?


Yoga classes in the De Montfort Suite bring the local community and hotel guests together every Monday evening and Wednesday morning, while a heated, sky-lit basement pool is ideal for a dip after a day of exploring. If you’re feeling a little lonely, ask reception for a goldfish whose company you can enjoy for the duration of your stay.

And anything you’d change?


The room’s airline-sized television is on a wall too far away. Also the questionable sheepskin rug.

Is it worth staying here?


Definitely, for its baroque detailing and muted grandiosity, the restaurants and amazing location.

Book your stay

Address: Town Hall Hotel, 8 Patriot Square, London E2 9NF


Telephone: +44 20 7871 0460


Website: booking.com

Like this? Now read:

Top new restaurants in East London

Top new restaurants in East London

The 30 best hotels in London

The 30 best hotels in London

Things to do in East London

The perfect weekend in East London: an itinerary