• Rating: 9/10
• Rooms at Nobu Shoreditch start from $308 (£259) a night
• Check current rates and availability
The huge steel beams that jut out awkwardly from the Nobu hotel, in London’s Shoreditch, give the building an almost unfinished appearance. But this edgy architectural style makes it the perfect addition to the area, blending in with the graffitied alleys and hipster vibe that Shoreditch is known for. Modern, five-star Nobu is one of twelve hotels in the group that was co-founded by Robert De Niro, chef Nobu Matsuhisa and film producer Meir Teper and it looks like more are on the way with the second London hotel—Nobu Portman Square—having opened its doors recently in the nearby Marylebone district.
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| My room at Nobu Hotel |
What’s the vibe at Nobu Shoreditch?
Polished, simple and well designed with a slightly industrial feel. The low-lit reception area is decorated in muted greys, wooden panelling and marble, giving a very minimal, Japanese feel. Potted ferns and garden ornaments are dotted throughout the entrance, yet once inside, hallways to the 148 bedrooms and suites are suddenly super sleek with shiny gold surfaces and soft grey printed carpets. As with many large London hotels, including The Ned hotel and The Hoxton Southwark, it's easy to be anonymous at Nobu Shoreditch, it's not super personal but it’s certainly decorated well.
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| Hallway leading to the Nobu's bedrooms |
How are the rooms?
I’d describe my room as simple but sophisticated. The design throughout Nobu Shoreditch is polished with a focus on texture and tonal shades. My room featured a huge floor-to-ceiling window covered by sliding panels, one painted as if to look like an industrial concrete wall with accents of gold, the other made up of panelled white slats that enabled me to have daylight in the room as well as privacy. Two low orb lights hung from the ceiling and the headboard was made of a pretty gold-textured fabric that gave the room an elegant feel. The bathroom was pure bright white gorgeousness made all the more beautiful by the gold plated sink that looked very similar to the one I found in my room while staying at NEW hotel in Athens.
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| Gold sink of dreams |
What is there to eat and drink?
The room service menu is pretty impressive and extensive, I ordered a couple of sushi options and a dessert plate to my room, both were great, but breakfast the next morning was much less impressive. I tried the Nobu Continental breakfast, a selection of pastries, fruit, bread and juice but they were out of juice so I settled for coffee. When my tray arrived there were no pastries, just a selection of stodgy, slightly dry bread rolls, a bagel, a tiny pot of granola and some kind of cake, nothing was very appetising or tasty which is a shame for a brand known for it’s amazing food. Dishoom on the other hand, just a short stroll away is well worth booking in advance for their bacon naan roll and chai alone or there are a handful of luxury London breakfast spots in the surrounding area. I also ate dinner one night in the downstairs restaurant ordering a selection of sushi, sashimi, miso cod and scallops, all were very good and I’d recommend dining here rather than in-room.
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| My very underwhelming breakfast in bed |
Any highlights?
Aside from the breakfast—which needs improvement—the food was a real highlight, which is what I’d expect from a Nobu hotel. As a lover of sleek bathrooms, I of course adored the gold features in mine. The bed was comfortable and I liked the minimalistic design of the room too.
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| Room service sushi and dessert |
Anything they could improve on?
As mentioned previously, breakfast was a real disappointment—I hope Nobu has worked to improve this element since my visit.
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