Lincoln Plaza London is one very different Hilton, the interior is like no other Hilton I know, modern and some would say boutique, not the corporate look of its cousins.
The 120-room new-build hotel (opened December 2018) is designed to echo the sleek architectural cues of Canary Wharf, drawing inspiration from the area’s rich industrial heritage. The building has a 3D style cube design to it which is very striking in the summer sun.
In the lobby, guests are welcomed by polished concrete floors, a steel feature wall and steel-framed windows, allowing daylight to flood into the space. Its contemporary design is authentic to the surrounding area, where guests can visit the eclectic boutiques and enjoy the variety of entertainment around the hotel, including the nearby Westfield Stratford City, which is now one of the largest leisure and shopping destinations in Europe.
On check in we were greeted by the very friendly staff who explained about the facilities and showed us where we would be dining that night at Mr. Todiwala’s Kitchen, a Pan-Indian restaurant from celebrated chef Cyrus Todiwala. We then took the lift to our floor.We stayed on the top floor which was so quiet, this was helped by the fact that nobody was working on the numerous building sites around the hotel and Canary Wharf is a bit of a ghost town at weekends.
The room was a good size, the bed was so comfortable but with very soft pillows (could do with a pillow menu), the air conditioning was a blessing (it is not the friendliest air-con system, and I would suggest they place an instruction sticker just above the control unit as it takes 5 minutes to get going), the mini bar was well stocked (great Gin by Surrey based One Gin), the shower was powerful with products smelling good (Kent based company: Stone Street) and the whole room spotlessly clean. All rooms have 46-inch TVs, a minibar, a hot drink station with coffee machines, high-quality tea bags and pretty china, and a large wardrobe with a hairdryer, iron, robes and slippers. The hotel does address some sustainability concerns by banning plastic coffee cups and straws, buying ethically sourced coffee from Mozzo and partnering with profit-for-purpose toilet paper company Who Gives a Crap. One downfall would be a lack of a plug near a mirror to use hair appliances.There is a “themed bar” serving ‘navy-strength’ cocktails, rooms named after roles on a boat and a copy of ‘Jackspeak’ – a dictionary of sailor slang – in every room. We came here after dinner and we were looked after by a great team: Michele, Agatha and Csilla who helped suggest drinks and gave great chat. The bar is situated upstairs and has a lovely terrace area for those summer nights and an extensive cocktail menu using rums and gins. A nice touch is the water that the staff keep topping up your glass with and the delicious snacks such as olives. The area is open till 2am to residents of the hotel and is a nice area to chill out on sofas or sit at the bar and chat to the staff. The area did get busier as the evening went on but the music was a volume that you could still hear yourself think and enjoy a conversation! The cocktails are to die for! You would have to spend quite a few nights there to try them all but what’s great is the team will ask what you like: sweet flavour’s etc. your favourite spirit etc. and then make a magical potion! The evening here was great fun and I would highly recommend the Bajan Berry Cocktail!
Also provided at the hotel is meeting rooms and the leisure facilities here include a pool and fitness suite which are both modern and easy to access. Lots of people were indulging in a Sunday swim when I headed to breakfast!The Food Store downstairs in the lobby is a great idea, where you can not only eat the food you can also buy the ingredients. The staff were all very helpful and smartly dressed in blue jeans and matching shirts. It was a lovely bright vibrant place to have Sunday breakfast with a great choice from porridge to smashed avocados! For the all-inclusive breakfast you get to choose a hot and cold drink alongside a small continental dish and a main hot dish. You can also dine at The Food Store during the day where esteemed Executive Chef, Rumel Pinnock, serves an all-day dining Menu.
All in all, I thought it was an excellent stay for business or pleasure a fantastic welcome, professionalism and kindness. Great for Canary Wharf, okay for The O2 Arena, Excel and the City – a real hidden gem.
Lincoln Plaza London, Curio Collection by Hilton
2 Lincoln Plaza
Canary Wharf
London
E14 9BD
