On the cusp of south London, just over from Blackfriars Bridge, is the Bankside Hotel which opened up in 2019. It’s a great location, with Tate Modern, Southbank Centre, National Theatre, Shakespeare’s Globe and Borough Market all in the area, so perfect for visiting friends or parents who want to check out the sights.
Art and design is a huge focus at Bankside; the industrial-chic interiors pay homage to the history of the area whilst still remaining inviting, and the lobby is home to a curated collection of multi-disciplinary art put together by designer Dayna Lee, who’s ‘art school without the dust’ approach sees spaces filled with works old and new.
The hotel has 161 rooms ranging from a modest double to their biggest suite. One night in a spacious starter suite meant we had St Paul’s in our eyeline from the floor-to-ceiling windows, along with Grown Alchemist bathroom products, remote-controlled blackout blinds, Chromecast, and a Nespresso coffee machine. And with breakfast in bed, including granola, yoghurt and berries, a selection of pastries and coffee, we were able to enjoy a proper leisurely morning in the room.
Sustainability is just as important to Bankside as art and it’s great to hear of the efforts they go to in order to do their bit, maintaining recycling levels of at least 98% of waste generated. They have several tables made from recycled plastic bottles and are introducing beehives to their rooftop in the spring to make their own honey to use in the bar and restaurant. With locally sourced products they’re not only lowering their carbon footprint but supporting social enterprises too; the hand wash and lotion is made by The Soap Co who employ people who are blind, disabled or otherwise disadvantaged, and 15% of their revenue from Volcano Coffee Works sales goes to Crisis. There’s no bottled water in the rooms but water refilling points with jugs on each floor along with vending machines for snacks, alcohol and also sparkling underpants and an emergency engagement ring, you know, just in case.
Sadly there isn’t a spa to relax and unwind in, but we did enjoy the use of their gym, which open 24 hours in case you get the urge to throw kettlebells around in the middle of the night. There is also a Peloton bike in there so you can tune into a live class if you fancy a ride, and if you wanna work out in the comfort of your room, you can thanks to the in-room training kit with mini bands and sliders created by celebrity personal trainer Dalton Wong.
Rates at Bankside start from £279 for a Modest Double Guest Room based on two sharing.
2 Blackfriars Rd, Upper Ground, South Bank, London SE1 9JU
banksidehotel.com