Two Places To Rest Weary Feet

Swindon Advertiser 15th June 2007

Pauline Leighton finds two hotels at either end of the scale for affordability to put her feet up after the Moonwalk in London.

There are ways to spend the weekend in London…and doing the 26-mile moonwalk in the middle of the night is not one I would recommend, however worthy it might be!

To be fair, our break in the capital wasn’t just about the walk to raise cash for breast cancer research. We had tickets to see former punk princess Patti Smith at the Roadhouse too, and wonderful she was.

As were the hotels. We combined the weekend with a ‘budget’ and an upmarket venue.

The idea was to compare the two, but frankly, both were very classy establishments.

Budget section was the Hoxton Urban Lodge. It has been open just over a year and classes itself a new concept in budget hotels.

It works on the same basis as budget airlines – the earlier you book, the cheaper the room. Some guests even manage to stay there for £1 a night!

Light takeaway breakfast of a piece of fruit and a yoghurt delivered to your room and you’ll find fresh milk and a litre of mineral water in your fridge.

The hotel is in walking distance of Old Street and Liverpool Street tube stations, and smack bang in the middle of the financial heart of London. But you don’t need to be on business to stay there.

The rooms are superbly equipped – hairdryers, flat screen TV’s, gorgeous big beds and duck down duvets. You won’t find an orchid on your pillow, but you won’t care. Particularly when you visit the Grille restaurant.

It’s not part of the deal, and yes, you are situated within shouting distance of numerous wonderful London eateries, but this restaurant is value for money with an upmarket feel. Much like the hotel really.

Daily specials include lamb stew and dumplings and roast of the day…but after 5.30pm you can enjoy a lobster thermidor or a Chateaubriand and at £22 and £36 respectively, that’s not breaking the bank.