Quite possibly the coolest hotel chain around, The Hoxton brand blends an air of familiarity with a waft of the unique within each location. Their Holborn hotel is no exception – there are those universal features like a buzzing, open-plan lobby, low slung couches and cheery staff – but you also get little touches that make this spot its own. Rooms are stylish, the in-house restaurant is exceptional, and the location is pretty unbeatable too – plus they do a mean dirty samphire martini in the Lobby Bar.
Why stay at The Hoxton, Holborn?
While it doesn’t have a rooftop bar like the Hoxton hotels in Southwark and Shoreditch, I reckon the Holborn property is one of their best, particularly if you want to explore central on foot. You’ll walk in to people tapping away on laptops either at the coffee shop side of the lobby or the bar at the other end, and it feels buzzy, not overcrowded. The design is slick too: mid-century modern seats, bouclé armchairs and muted, abstract murals painted on the exposed brick walls. If you’re here on a date, the cosy little banquettes by the bar have got you covered.
What are the rooms like at The Hoxton, Holborn?
Like all of their hotels, the room sizes vary. They make no secret of it, either – the entry level ‘shoebox’ room is definitely compact, but fine for one person (particularly if they use the lobby as their living room of sorts). The space obviously increases the more you pay – my Cosy Up room felt deceptively large, thanks to the longer hallway, wraparound windows and rooftop space outside – a bit of a shame you can’t use this as a balcony, but it does mean loads of light pours in (though not through the blackout curtains, thankfully).
I loved the battered leather headboard, dark navy walls and gold-framed prints, and the giant circular backlit mirror was a nice departure from the usual slimline ones you find – a plug socket nearby would have been handy, though. I also loved the wallpaper with illustrations from Dickens’s novels (he lived in Holborn as a child).
The shower was a decent size, with space around the sink for toiletries and their own brand of toiletries. I had a tiny foldout desk with a kettle, tea and coffee bags and cool Hoxton mugs – I also liked the tiny tray labelled ‘Old Bag’ for your teabag (how I loathe scurrying to a bin with my hand catching drippings of tea). Considering how central the hotel is, and its location on the busy High Holborn, my room was blissfully silent all night long.
Which is the food like at The Hoxton, Holborn?
Far better than it has a right to be. Though the restaurant Rondo was markedly quieter than the Lobby Bar (where they also do bar snacks like burgers, stracciatella with grilled peaches and brown crab tortellini), the food they were turning out of the kitchen was exceptional. The starters were simple but cracking – we had bright green asparagus with truffle butter and a crispy egg, and perfectly seared scallops with a zesty, light broth and butterbeans. And while a rib eye might seem like a basic order, this one was as close to perfect as a steak can be, with a smoky char, slippery marbling and a bit of a kick from a caper oregano sauce. My only misstep was the agave confit new potatoes – while they reminded me of Canarian wrinkled potatoes, I wasn’t a fan of the sweetness.
Hotel breakfasts can get a bit samey, and though I’ll never tire of fluffy pancakes, there were some novel additions to the Rondo options come morning – their superfood bowl, with shredded kale, edamame, sprouted seeds and smoked almonds, has haunted my thoughts ever since I ate it (and I’ve since replicated it three times at home). They do a great avocado toast, with blistered cherry tomatoes on top, and cold pressed juices and breakfast shots from Squish.
During the summer, they’ll often do pop-ups in the coffee bar – when I visited, it was Scoupe, with killer ice creams, Roebuck sparkling wine and cocktails inspired by classic lollies, including a vodka-spiked take on a Solero.
What is the service like at The Hoxton, Holborn?
If you’re ever worked in service, you’ll know how hard it is to appear enthusiastic at all times, but the staff here seem to genuinely be happy to be at work. They’re chatty, particularly at check-in, and have a great knowledge of the local area, too. Service feels seamless between the lobby area and restaurants, and there’s a good vibe behind the bar.
What are the facilities like at The Hoxton, Holborn?
There’s no gym, spa or pool here, but you don’t really miss them. What you do get is an excellent Field Guide, courtesy of a QR code in your room – from there, you can chat to the team via Whatsapp, order room service, or check out what’s on in the hotel (and their other London properties). There’s also a Neighbourhood guide with a downloadable Google map, marked with all the coolest spots nearby. They also have a jogging route that doubles up as a sightseeing tour, and a weekly running club in association with Adidas. Like the other Hoxton properties, they have a little noticeboard where staff and guests can leave handwritten tips on the local area.
What’s the area like around The Hoxton, Holborn?
A wee bit frantic, but handy for almost anything you’d want in Central London. You can walk to Soho in a little over five minutes, Somerset House is just down the road, and the Central and Piccadilly lines are barely two minutes away at Holborn. Plus, there are some cool little spots nearby – Lincoln’s Inn Fields is gorgeous on a sunny day, and the free Sir John Soane's Museum is just around the corner, where you can poke around the lavish home of its namesake, left exactly as it was when he died in 1837.
Why you should you book a stay at The Hoxton, Holborn
If you’re looking for a solid all-rounder in central London, then this is it. The rates aren’t always the bargain they once were, but you know that you’re getting a quality place to stay that balances a cool stylishness without ever feeling aloof. Sure, the rooms may not be giant, but when they look this good, who needs to be swinging any cats?
DETAILS
Address: 199-206 High Holborn, London
Price per night: Starting from £200 per night
Closest transport: Holborn tube is a two-minute walk away