The Andaz Hotel is one of the finest in London and the perfect destination for either a staycation in the East End, as we did, business, or visiting both vibrant Shoreditch and the City of London. A beautiful, spacious, and historic 5* hotel right in the heart of the City next to Liverpool Street, it features the best of the boutique hotel style with unique amenities, services, and attention to detail, yet carries all of the comforts one can find in a larger establishment. Familiar with the London hotel scene, even I was surprised, at the exceptional level of care that the Andaz Hotel delivered.
Opened as the Great Eastern Hotel in 1884, the Andaz remains one of London’s only original hotels and is housed in a beautiful redbrick Victorian building designed by the architects of London’s famed Houses of Parliament. Inside, one is greeted by a contrasting duality of sleek, chic modernist style interiors in the lobby (there is no standard check-in desk, but hosts on call waiting to greet you and welcome you into the hotel: a lovely, personal touch). Yet the stairways, restaurants and bars within the Andaz are beautifully ornate with wide expanses of space, high ceilings, chandeliers and art. The overwhelming sense is one of immediate comfort and ease. There is no sense of contemporary pretense with excessive minimalism, nor a sense of returning to a bygone era out of touch with the modern-day. Rather, the Andaz is an apt blend of London in its modern glory with a nod to its elegance and history.Within the hotel are 7 fantastic bars and restaurants – venues that one would enjoy as a separate occasion to staying in the hotel. Indeed, the resident champagne bar is famous in Shoreditch for offering a warm and intimate atmosphere with an extensive champagne list and delicious food, whilst Eastway features a bustling Brasserie redolent of New York’s Manhatten eateries filled with families, couples, and friends. The Andaz’s location within the heart of the City however, ensures that it is as well equipped for business encounters as it is for the more informal, and features 14 distinct spaces for events and meetings.
After being greeted by our lovely host, we were informed of the thoughtful amenities within the Andaz that render it above par in the London hotel stakes. Determined to make its guests feel at home and cared for, each bedroom comes with a complimentary minibar, and the slippers, pillowcase, yakuta, mug and minibar snacks are free to home after your stay. The hotel has a complimentary pool table to relax and unwind with on the first floor, over a few drinks. And indeed, those drinks are available as complimentary in the lobby from 5pm until 10pm each evening. But it doesn’t just stop at complimentary wine and canapes each evening – the Andaz also offers complimentary cocktails every Wednesday from 5pm – 10pm, as well as complimentary breakfast canapes in the lobby from 6am – 8am for the early risers, a complimentary health club, business centre (open all day and night, of course), and, importantly, a strong wifi connection.The combination of all of these amenities, along with the gracious hosts and sense of ease in the building’s dimly lit, graceful interiors, ensures a sense of luxury and calm – a welcome respite in the hustle and bustle of London’s frenetic East End.
Our room, on the third floor, was exceptionally large with significant floor space (which rendered it almost like a living room, rather than a bedroom), huge double bed, vast expanse of bathroom space with a shower and separate bath tub, desk, couch, plenty of dim lighting and excellently thought out business amenities (including multiple plugs throughout the room for convenience and a sound system). Of course there was complimentary tea and coffee here too, and the complimentary minibar with its juices and snacks, was a welcome indulgence.For dinner, we headed to the Eastway Brasserie, which is adjacent to Andaz. We were quite pleased by the venue which is modern with a beautiful and sleek décor, whilst retaining a homely sensibility. The dim lights and the warm atmosphere made for a relaxing experience throughout the dinner. The friendly and professional staff welcomed us and gave us a in depth overview of the a la carte menu. For the starters our knowledgeable waitress recommended the Eastway Selection which contained chicken skewers, garlic prawns, chorizo, crispy brie.
This was the perfect choice, and we were pleased to discover that common starters such as chorizo and chicken skewers were given a unique twist and the composition of the various starters were well thought out. The garlic prawns were marinated in an exquisite herb seasoning, whilst the contrast of the perfect crisp and the sublimely creamy and flavourful brief was a perfect way to round up the starter.The generous portion kept us fully satisfied until the main course of ribeye steak with a few simple sides to share. We were thoroughly impressed by the masterful chefs at Eastway once we sampled the steaks which can only be described as near perfection. The tenderness, texture and delicious flavour left nothing to be desired. The overall presentation of the meal was simple but well executed. This is the perfect choice for two steak lovers, and the meat was of outstanding quality.
For the desert, the selection of ice creams and the tiramisu to share seemed a perfect way to end the meal. The Tiramisu was rich and very creamy, with wonderful texture.
The professional and warm staff made sure that we were tended to throughout the dinner whilst also allowing us personal space to enjoy the experience. In combination with the stellar quality of food and the relaxing surroundings, we can thoroughly and warmly recommend Eastway for a lavish dinner experience. It is the perfect place if you want to impress someone for dinner or a business meeting. After dinner, we headed out for some drinks in the buzzing East End before retiring back to our comfortable rooms for a good nights sleep.In the morning an extensive buffet awaited us, offering so many breakfast options that it made it difficult to choose only one option. We sampled the English breakfast first, which had a wide range of options and which was very satisfying. The selection of different types of eggs was a nice surprise, the scrambled eggs were particularly wonderful in terms of the airy and light texture. The juice selection was another treat, interesting flavour combinations and the level of freshness was unparalleled. The service was a huge added plus, the staff made sure that we always had a hot, tasty cup of coffee on the table and were more than happy to customize and combine the buffet with menu options. The buffet was an absolutely wonderful treat, and makes for a perfect long and lazy breakfast with family or friends. The homemade granola, is definitely worth a try – as are the freshly homemade bread rolls. Delicious.
Overall, the Andaz was a wonderful stay and one that I would highly recommend for anyone looking for a staycation in the heart of London – or visiting the city. A spectacular hotel, yet a true home away from home.
Andaz London Liverpool Street
40 Liverpool Street
London
EC2M 7QN
