***UPDATE: THE CURTAIN HOTEL WAS IMPACTED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND CLOSED ITS DOORS FOR THE LAST TIME IN SEPTEMBER 2020. THE BUILDING HAS SINCE BEEN TAKEN OVER BY THE MONDRIAN HOTEL GROUP & IS NOW KNOWN AS THE MONDRIAN SHOREDITCH—REVIEW TO FOLLOW SOON***
With its perfect location right in the centre of Shoreditch (close to the Nobu Shoreditch hotel), rooftop pool and terrace, plus fun selection of bars and artwork, luxury hotel, The Curtain, certainly has a lot going for it. Opening in May 2017, the hotel is still fairly new to the area, but the building itself was four years in the making. From the outside the six-storey hotel and members club doesn’t actually look all that impressive (and feels more NYC than LDN), but slide into the glass fronted reception and it's a totally different story.
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| My favourite print from the hotel |
What’s the vibe at The Curtain?
Just like the area it’s situated in, The Curtain is full of art, which I love. One of my favourite pieces is a restyled print of Princess Diana and Charles kissing that’s been given a sexy update, find it on the way to the downstairs bar. There’s also a load of cool custom artwork from legendary British music photographer Mick Rock hung on walls throughout the place. Aside from the art, the hotel has a New York City loft feel, especially in the bedrooms, (more on those below). The Curtain seems to pull in a mixed crowd of couples, friends, a few scenesters and club members, it's a cool place to hang out whether you're staying or not and I do like the interior decor in the communal areas. Occasionally, I felt the place was let down by the staff working on the terrace, who had a tendency to forget orders and at times, their manners too.
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| The 'city' room |
How are the rooms at The Curtain?
Just like The Ned hotel in nearby Bank, the Curtain isn’t really an intimate hotel, there are always people coming and going, whether they're staying over or eating in one of the restaurants. There’s an impressive 120 rooms throughout, ranging from ‘courtyard’ and ‘city’ to much bigger suites. On separate occasions I’ve stayed in both a city room and the junior suite, both were styled in a similar manner of exposed brick walls and hardwood flooring and although sophisticated and modern, I felt they both had quite a masculine feel. The city room was quite compact but had enough room for a king size bed, mini bar and snug seating area, plus each room came with a drinks tray complete with cocktail shaker and good selection of spirits. Bathrooms are simple with touches of white marble and steam showers and you’re able to use all parts of the hotel when sleeping over.
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| Each room comes with a cocktail tray |
What is there to eat and drink?
Luxury London breakfast spots are in abundance throughout the city, but breakfast on the roof terrace at The Curtain's bistro, Lido, is hard to beat for the views alone. Included in my stay was a selection of usual breakfast items—fruit, pastries and cereal—or you can order extras from the menu. Of if you fancy heading out into town They also serve sandwiches, salads and larger meals throughout the day for hotel guests and members. Downstairs you’ll find Red Rooster Shoreditch, a relaxed restaurant I’m yet to try. According to their website they ‘celebrate the roots of American cuisine’ serving up delights such as Shrimp ‘n’ grits and Obama short-ribs, a full-on sharing platter for two that was on the menu for Obama’s visit to the Harlem branch a few years back. My favourite bar, Billy’s is the one tucked away in the basement, it’s for members only but it’s the most intimate spot in the whole hotel with candles and low-lit corners that are perfect for a secret smooch.
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| The roof-top pool |
Any highlights?
Although not really big enough to properly swim, the pool on the roof is a real treat, especially on a hot August day and I really love the roof terrace for breakfast (minus the too-cool-for-school staff). The drinks tray in each room includes a cocktail recipe; mine was for Dry Gin Martinis, my favourite, but if you’re not up for mixing your own drinks, you can order from the nightly bartender and cocktail trolley, who’ll swing by your room each night. The second time I stayed at The curtain we were having a very rare heat wave in London and I needed to do some work, discovering the air-conditioned co-working space that’s open for members and hotel guests seriously saved the day.
Anything they could improve on?
Friendlier staff!
Rooms at The Curtain start at $190 (£160) a night.
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