Nowhere else looks like the Town Hall Hotel. Which is one of the reasons we love it so much. The Art Deco design of the place, combined with its unshakeable utilitarian air, is a truly charming combination and it really does feel like a night spent in a different century. Indeed, looking at any kind of social media while on the premesis feels aggressively discordant. Yes, it’s a luxurious, boutique-y kind of place but it’s the Town Hall Hotel’s strangeness which I love. In a world of tasteful blandness and design-by-committee there’s something invigorating about this place’s genuine eccentricities. The endless, baffling but beautiful corridors. The ‘Twin Peaks’-meets-‘White Lotus’ vibes. The fact that you can do wolf-painting workshops in the wood-panneled Council Chamber. Food and drink is handled by three separate venues including the Michelin-starred Da Terra and the more informal Brazilian/Italian joint Elis. The bar, Silk Weaver, also, has a lovely vibe.
Neighbourhood
Slap-bang in the middle of Bethnal Green, the Town Hall is ideal for anyone seeking out a cool, cultural break in the capital. You’re slap-bang next to Columbia Road Flower Market, Spitalfields and Brick Lane. Fun everywhere you look, basically. For anyone wanting a life-affirming stroll, then the fantastic Victoria Park is but a 10-minute jaunt away. South Hackney is a fantastic place, isn’t it?
Nearby
Satan’s Whiskers: If you like your hip hop with a distinctly 90s flavour, then this casual cocktail bar could be the one for you. An ever-changing menu keeps things fresh.
Ombra: Five years ago the Milanese chef Mitshel Ibrahim turned what was a popular Bethnal Green Italian joint into one of the area’s must-visit eateries.
The Young V&A: Known, until recently, as the Museum of Childhood, this venue has always been a crowd pleaser. Re-opening with a big refurb in the summer of 2023.
Time Out tip: If you want to splash out, treat yourself to one of the two Jan Hendzel suites on the first floor made entirely from British timber and locally sourced fabrics.