myhotel Bloomsbury – hotel review
Ben Dowell hangs out with the creative and media types at one of London's elegant and casual haunts
This part of town is media heaven. The elegant Charlotte Street is nearby, with its many restaurant, as is the Charlotte Street Hotel – a prime venue for film and TV screenings and media networking lunches. Top dot com companies like eBay and the Huffington Post are also headquartered nearby. And the location has such a rich cultural heritage that there was a whole turn of the century group of intellectuals named after it. So it is little wonder that there is a lovely and busy boutique hotel, within spitting distance from the short stay specialists myhotel.
Myhotel aims to offer bespoke experiences attuned to the location and it does not fail here, exuding just the kind of tasteful cool you would expect from an area like this.
The rooms are hugely comfortable, with tastefully neutral furnishings, a pan-Asian touch and a massive wall-mounted TV, offering the perfect haven for the overstressed professional. It is a cool and good looking place, but never loses the feel that it has just swanned in from a meeting and just wants to kick its shoes off. (Perhaps to listen to the chillout music already playing in the room when you arrive.)
When you do venture out, the choice of entertainment is extraordinary – with West End Theatres, the British Museum, loads of pubs and restaurants and clubs nearby, two nights will never be enough.
Given the bustling nature of the surroundings, the double glazing is very good – a point which must be borne in mind given that we are near Tottenham Court Road. But, fortunately I couldn’t hear a thing even on a busy Friday night during World Cup season.
The beds are hugely comfortable and the service is relaxed and unobtrusive. It is priced fairly – rooms cost from £99 for a single to £350 for a suite. It is also achingly hip. But in a good way.
Eating and drinking
We didn’t sample the dinner, but we were offered a continental breakfast. Delicious coffee and orange juice, this is very much a bready affair – toast, plain croissants and chocolate croissants – so not really one for dieters or those with a wheat intolerance. Fortunately we ticked neither of those boxes and tucked right in, and given that it was all sourced from a nearby Gail's artisan bakery it was certainly delicious enough. The dining room with its wooden tables and laid back feel was in keeping with the relaxed vibe of the place, and the granola with yoghurt could have come straight out of Californian hotel.
Hotel address: 11-13 Bayley Street, Bedford Square, London WC1B 3HD
Radio Times Travel rating: 9/10
Radio Times Travel stayed as a guest of the hotel in 2014. For more details about this hotel and to find the latest room prices, please visit the official website.
Visit London with Radio Times Travel, see here for more details
Comments, questions and tips
Overall rating
Download RT App today!
summer
Immediate’s iconic brands reach 21m people every month – that’s more than a third of the UK’s adults – through its world-class magazines, innovative digital products and exciting live eventsImmediate’s iconic brands reach 21m people every month – that’s more than a third of the UK’s adults – through its world-class magazines, innovative digital products and exciting live eventsImmediate’s iconic brands reach 21m people every month – that’s more than a third of the UK’s adults – through its world-class magazines, innovative digital products and exciting live events