• Rating: 9/10
• Rooms at The Ned start from $375 (£315) a night
• Check current rates and availability
Set among the grand, imposing buildings of the City of London, is the former Midland Bank, a Grade-I building that has now been transformed into five-star hotel; The Ned. Many of the original features remain, vaulted ceilings, glimmering verdite-covered columns and ornate marble radiator grills, but that doesn’t mean the place is lost in the past. In the years since its opening in 2017, The Ned has become the place to stay in London, thanks to its well-decorated rooms, dreamy rooftop pool and great selection of restaurants and bars.
 |
| My bathroom at The Ned |
What’s the vibe?
A stark contrast to the tiny Lost Poet hotel and Covent Garden's Henrietta hotel, The Ned is grand, elaborate and at weekends, busy! Entering the building from the main entrance on Poultry, you’re met with the sight and sound of an imposing grand piano. Live music and the buzz of the place pull you in, restaurants and bars are situated in every corner, ceilings are high, it can feel chaotic at times—but once you check in, it becomes a whole lot calmer and that’s when the real fun begins.
How are the rooms at The Ned?
I've slept at The Ned three times—twice in Heritage rooms and once in a Studio Suite—all had immaculate décor with huge canopy beds surrounded by thick drapes, retro phones and radios on lace covered side tables. Dark wood detailing gives each room a stately home feel. Bright, patterned rugs have that intentionally worn out shabby look and the mini bars are delightful, featuring cut crystal cocktail shakers and a selection of speciality alcohol from Our/London and The Duppy Share.
 |
| The first Heritage room I stayed in |
Bathrooms are all roll top baths, marble sinks, walk-in rain showers and full size cowshed products, the perfect tonic to a busy London day.
 |
| Dirty Martini in the bathtub |
The hotel has an epic 250 rooms, ranging from crash pads and compact cozy spaces to terrace and family suites—some of the higher priced options include access to the rooftop and spa areas.
What is there to eat and drink at The Ned?
The hotel has ten restaurants and four bars, I haven’t tried them all but highlights so far include the roof terrace for breakfast and Kaia for dinner—the Black Cod with Tarragon Miso is my absolute favourite. Other dinner spots worth trying are Cecconi’s for pasta and Malibu Kitchen for sea bass ceviche and sea bream tacos. With so many places to eat in one place, it seems a waste to get room service but I always like to try breakfast in my room at least once. I ordered the English breakfast with grapefruit juice and flat white and wasn’t disappointed. It's also worth checking out one of the many places on my list of luxury London breakfast spots if you're staying for a few days, there really are some great options to choose from.
 |
| Breakfast in bed at The Ned |
As for bars, the cocktails at The Nickel Bar are strong and delicious. A drink on the roof terrace as the sun sets is also hard to beat.
Any highlights?
Yes! Too many to mention. The pool in the basement is a real treat and often empty—a relaxing space to spend a few hours on the weekend after a sauna or steam. Up on the roof terrace, you’ll find a smaller pool, but it’s worth taking a dip on a sunny day for the views alone and because rooftop pools in London are hard to come by. Another highlight is the old bank vault that's now a bar, it’s colossal 20-tonne door made by Chatwood Safe Company is one of only two ever made. Head there to sip expertly blended cocktails whilst surrounded by 3000 safety deposit boxes that once held an amazing $398 (£335) million between them. Interestingly, this vault was the inspiration for the one featured in the 1964 James Bond film, Goldfinger too.
Anything they could improve on?
Communal areas can sometimes get quite busy and loud.
Follow @thened
Check rates at Booking.com
Post a Comment