Nestled in the heart of East London’s buzzing creative district, Virgin Hotels London-Shoreditch is a bold and stylish addition to the capital’s hospitality scene, marking Virgin Hotel’s first foray into the London market, the eighth Virgin Hotels location which brings the brand home to its birthplace, where it all started for Sir Richard and the Virgin Group. Located on Curtain Road in the vibrant Shoreditch neighbourhood, the hotel occupies a building rich with history – formerly The Curtain, a private member’s club, the property later became the Mondrian Shoreditch under Ennismore’s management before transitioning to Virgin Hotel’s portfolio.
The Room
The 120-bedroom hotel has 14 suites which draw inspiration from the 1970s; we stayed in one of the spacious Deluxe Chamber One Bedroom Suites which features a separate living area with bespoke artwork by Studio Graphite, a plush sleeping zone with a king-sized bed and bespoke timber wardrobes, and floor-to-ceiling windows throughout. A roll top bathtub and lavish marble bathroom with steam shower add an extra touch of luxury. Additional amenities include a full HD TV, Lavazza Blue expresso machine, complimentary in-room tea tray, Marshall speaker, and a (chargeable) curated minibar. The in-room smart TV allows guests to effortlessly place room service orders, request amenities, and access hotel information directly from the screen.
Virgin Hotels London-Shoreditch welcomes dogs to stay for free, regardless of size or breed. Our room was equipped with a snuggly dog bed, dog bowls, and a doggy welcome bag which contained a tennis ball, poo bags, and some treats. Guests are requested to keep dogs on a lead while in public spaces.
The Food
We dined at Hidden Grooves, their brand-new hi-fi listening bar which pays homage to Virgin’s musical roots, designed to resemble a 1970s living room, featuring vintage furniture and music memorabilia. Inspired by Japanese listening bars and the early Virgin Records era, the venue offers a studio-album-themed cocktail menu, light bites and an extensive vinyl collection, with music played on sound systems built by London-based Project Audio. Charlotte was warmly welcomed by the team, and it was sweet that they had also included her name on the welcome card.
We tried some of their signature cocktails such as Medusa’s Kiss, herbal twist on the classic gimlet served in a jellyfish-shaped glass and topped with a citrus-scented aromatic bubble, Black Groove, a dark reinterpretation of the classic Espresso Martini, topped with an edible print mimicking a vinyl record label, and Gabriel’s Cloud, a reimagined daiquiri served under a mint and lemon cloud that is meant to ‘rain’ into the glass. There were some glitches in terms of execution and presentation, but I appreciate the thought process that has gone into the concoctions which will hopefully be tweaked and improved over time. From their selection of small plates, I particularly enjoyed the seasonal crudités with green goddess dressing, Korean fried cauliflower with roasted sesame & chilli, and the beef sliders.
The following morning, I ordered breakfast from their in-room dining menu, which was efficiently prepared and brought up in less than 30 minutes.
Getting There
The hotel is well-connected by public transport, making it easily accessible from various parts of London. Liverpool Street Station is approximately a 10-minute walk away with access to multiple Underground lines including the Central, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan, and Elizabeth line, whilst Shoreditch High Street Station is about a 6-minute walk away. There are also multiple bus routes that serve the area with stops near Shoreditch High Street Station.
A word of thanks to Virgin Hotels London-Shoreditch for hosting us.
View rooms at Virgin Hotels London-Shoreditch here.
- My experience at Virgin Hotels London-Shoreditch was complimentary – all views and photos are my own.
