Hipster and trendy are the two best words for me to describe the Ace Hotel Shoreditch. A contemporary and quirky hotel in the heart of London’s chic Shoreditch area. Perfectly located for the iconic Brick Lane Market and the numerous hip bars and restaurants, you wouldn’t want a better spot to stay for the night. A hotel complete with 24hour gym, rooftop bar, a lobby bar, modern brasserie, onsite coffee shop, and enough seating that you can tuck yourself away to get on with your work. Greeted by a botanical lovers dream on the porch, the large open space of the Ace Hotel Shoreditch, is going to catch your eye from the getgo.

I stayed here whilst in the city on business, and even though I had ample opportunity to head out to the local places to eat and drink, I decided to reside within the hotel. This means I got a true Ace Hotel Shoreditch experience.

On one hand I loved it, but on the other hand, I’m not so sure I thought it was worth the price. In my review, I am going to break down the pros and cons of my experience… I’ve read other reviews and I’m starting to think – maybe I caught them on a bad day?

The Hotel

When you arrive you can easily see how vast this hotel is and why so many people are drawn to it. With large open plan areas, ideal for hotel guests to relax, and locals to come and work, you can easily find a spot to beaver away through your emails. There is a coffee shop down in the lobby area where you can grab your necessary breakfast croissant and morning caffeine pick-me-up, meaning it is perfect for anyone to stop most of the day and plow through work.

The decor throughout is quite dark but minimal, complete with the stylish industrial design, including botanical touches but the likes of exposed brick and art murals. For me personally, I find this can be quite cold if you’re not careful. Regardless of how much I liked the decor it put me off slightly, as for me, I like a hotel to make me feel warm. Iit just felt too spread out and a little too contemporary.

Bedrooms at the Ace Hotel Shoreditch

The bedrooms were spacious but minimal, ideal for a stay if you need the essentials but not to spend leisure time. Plenty of nooks and crannies to unload your suitcase whilst you stayed, but again, due to the simplistic nature of the room, it felt somewhat empty. The carpet felt the same coarse type you’d find in a student accommodation, perhaps due to the ease of cleaning it? Even if it wasn’t of the same price range, it somehow made the room feel too cold.

As my room was looking out to the high street despite the windows being double glazed, you could still hear people outside. I’d suggest some earplugs if you are facing the street when you stay here, a small price to pay for being in the heart of the action.

The Extras

Whilst the hotel has a lot of charm, the room didn’t feel like five-star standard but more of a four-star level. I didn’t like all ‘extras’ were out on display, basically, all the things that are neatly tucked away in the mini-bar or on request at reception were out on the desk. Perhaps this was purposely done as a temptation for guests, due to it just being there ready to take but obviously at a price… and an expensive one.

A little tip, Tesco is 2 minutes walk away where you can pay half the price for exactly the same thing. You did, however, get free tea and coffee, like most hotels, but other five-star hotels have left out fresh fruit and champagne on arrival, the sort of quality you’d be looking for when staying in five-star accommodation for the price you’d be paying.

Bathroom

The bathroom was a good layout, with sleek black tiles and quality free products for bathing. However, on display there was a basket of extra products you could purchase should you wish to. A very cozy dressing gown was hung up for you as you entered the hotel room and plenty of space in case you were there to work, ideal for me on this occasion as that is what I was there for.

Bed

The bed was comfy, low to the ground and again of a high-quality standard, as were most things in the hotel room, apart from my opinion on the carpet. There was a DAB radio and a flat-screen TV perfectly positioned in front of the bed. Maybe this is just me, but I’ve stayed in and reviewed hotels for a living, I just didn’t like how bare the room was and full of additional purchase products.

Breakfast and Dining

As mentioned there is a coffee shop downstairs, but if you’re on a B&B rate you can take yourself to the complete contrast art deco dining room downstairs, Hoi Polloi. This was quite adorable and very refreshing actually, the menu was like no other hotel I’d stayed in, absolutely top quality and one of my firm favourites from my stay. I took a good 30 minutes going back and forth over what to have, as the menu is packed with options to kick-start your day. As you’re in Shoreditch, all the up and coming must-have culinary delights are featured. Things like smashed avocado on sour bread and chia seed Bircher muesli bowls were there as an option.

Overall

Room prices are around £259 B&B per night in a standard and double deluxe at £279, which granted actually isn’t bad for the location. It is always very clean and tidy, with staff being friendly and attentive. You’re paying for the location essentially and I found the cost quite hard to justify, particularly where the lack of welcome or complimentary items was concerned. I’m not saying that to be sassy, but that is very common across all hotels of the same rating.

If you’re in London on business you can get a quirky designed hotel like Premier Inn Hub Brick Lane for half the price. That being said, the location is amazing, you’re in the heart of the action and if you’re a big fan of interior design then this is perfect. This hotel appears to have been tailored around those who are on business or on the go, it just makes life easy for our fast-paced living, especially with a 24hour gym on site.

I walked away feeling a bit sad actually, I’d always wanted to stay here as it looked incredible but it somehow disappointed me. Perhaps I need to return and try again because I’ve seen online and my room didn’t look as energetic as others. Some even came with a guitar – and as I stayed in, I could have easily entertained myself playing guitar! I also noticed once I’d come home that there were numerous events and I can take my dog should I want to as they’re pet friendly. Who knows, maybe I had an ‘off’ visit – the jury is out as I’m still conflicted on my own thoughts.