Hot List Hotels 2010
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Bermondsey Square
Tower Bridge Road
London
England
SE1 3UN
Tel: 44 870 111 2525
Fax: 44 870 111 2526
Tube: London Bridge, Borough, or Bermondsey
Don't judge a hotel by its cover. The sustainable tin and plank facade of this 79-room newcomer with exterior lights strung out as on clotheslines can initially seem a downer. But inside, the hotel's jaunty '60s-esque aesthetic is amusingly tongue-in-cheek. Eccentrically cantilevered red hanging lamp shades and Scandinavian crystal chandeliers team with a red cushioned Eero Aarnio plastic bubble chair suspended by the entrance. A papier-mâché Scottie garbed in bright Mondrian stripes stands guard by reception desk where the female staff carry on the theme in retro outfits. The modest size of the basic rooms is maximized by an ingenious layout, snazzy neon orange and turquoise decorative accents, and a stylish—if few frills—bathroom containing a shower with a massive Grohe showerhead (but no tub). Alfie's Bar and Kitchen serves breakfast all day, as well as local staples like fish or bangers and chips and treacle pie and custard. While you're within easy reach of a Thames-side stroll to much of the city's great arts institutions, don't overlook Bermondsey Street itself, where historic buildings now house stylish boutiques and the Fabric & Fashion Museum, which this year focuses on the swinging sixties.
Which room to book: If you're not going for the penthouse loft with a hot tub for eight, go for one of the Deluxe rooms on a high floor overlooking the action on the square; 603 is recommended.
Information may have changed since date of publication. Please confirm details with individual establishments before planning your trip.
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