The London hotel that reminded me what a decent facial should be

Metro Checks In to Montcalm East, a modern five-star hotel in the heart of east London.

When I was invited to review a hotel on a Monday night in Shoreditch, my first instinct was to map the distance to my office.

The location on City Road, just north of Old Street Station, shaved thirty minutes off my usual commute. For that alone, I was excited.

You see, critiquing for a living is inclined to make you a cynic.

Having laid my head in a litany of city centre hotels, I arrived at this one with preconceptions: the rooms would be small, the food mediocre, the spa tiny and basic.

I was wrong. This laid-back Marriot Autograph hotel is generous in size, delicious in flavour, and all-out excellent when it comes to wellness. Book a facial and ask for Mikaela, but more on that later.

Location, location, location

Trendy, tech-y and bursting with colour, Shoreditch is a playground where street art and some of London’s best restaurants meet Scandi start-up studios and glossy office blocks.

The Montcalm sits just outside the main cut and thrust, 10 minutes by bus from the Barbican and a few stops from central London on the Tube.

It’s popular among American business executives who make transatlantic commutes to the Amazon and TikTok offices nearby. Handily, for them, London City Airport is about 20 minutes in a taxi (without traffic).

What’s the vibe?

It’s an interesting building, the Montcalm. Sort of like the New York Flat Iron had a futuristic facelift, it cuts a striking figure with sharp triangular glass panels that look as if they’re about to slice the road in two.

Like all Marriot Autograph hotels (which are said to be quality, unique and independent-ish: it’s a franchise), the Montcalm has a signature.

Photography, a theme that runs throughout, from the artsy photo books on the tables in the lobby to the monochrome portraits that adorn the walls of the bedrooms.

Upstairs in the mezzanine breakfast area, there’s a photo lab where you can book Polaroid sessions. Deepak Panicker, the Montcalm’s genial manager, tells me it’s popular with girl gangs and hen dos.

There’s even an in-house photography resident – usually a student from Ravensbourne University London – who runs monthly workshops. Commitment to the bit.

Beyond that, the interiors are modern with futuristic accents. The lobby is inviting; the corridors with LED light dashes and black varnish, less so.

What are the rooms like?

This is east London, and this is the hotel industry, so naturally all nine room categories have names like ‘Feeling Superior’ and ‘Anything But Standard’.

Decor is dark and tech-heavy. The lighting system is overcomplicated and the intensity of the bathroom ring light guaranteed to reveal wrinkles you never knew you had, but the rooms spacious and comfortable thanks to generous floor space, weighty duvets and Hypnos and Respa mattresses.

All 288 of them have Nespresso machines and smart televisions (though mine took several minutes to turn on), plus bathrooms with rainfall showers, Soapsmith toiletries and underfloor heating. A lovely touch.

Service and facilities?

Staff are warm and helpful from the off, with easy smiles and no fuss.

Nothing is too much trouble. We’re talking about a five-star, so there is a turndown service: earplugs, eye masks, and sea salt chocolates await when you retire after dinner or drinks.

The star of the show, however, is the aforementioned Yatra spa. Underground and inspired by the Sanskrit word for ‘journey’, it has a decent-sized pool, a jacuzzi, a sauna, steam room and relaxing daybeds.

Treatments are available. I can only speak to the signature facial, but that is definitely worth your time.

Having recently paid €250 for a criminally underwhelming session at a Dublin clinic, Mikaela and her butter-soft hands reminded me what every good facial should be: relaxing, hydrating, and mixed with massage. (One hour for £165.)

Food and drink?

Marlowe, the hotel’s restaurant, is spread across the ground and first floor, where it hosts breakfast.

There is a hot and cold buffet (fried eggs, sausages, pastries, yoghurt, fruit and cereals) and a small à la carte menu, which includes avocado on toast and blueberry pancakes.

Tasty, plentiful, and full of businesspeople loading up for a busy day.

Dinner is where the restaurant really shines. Having read mixed reviews online, I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy everything I ordered. The king prawns were succulent, the anchovy toast zingy.

I enjoyed the AF sparkling English white, served with a smile.

How much is a night?

For a five-star hotel, you can spend a night for a reasonable price.

Rooms start from £177. Breakfast is an additional £24.50.

Source link