On Arrival
Immediately impressive, the ANdAZ London is a long building adjoining Liverpool Street Station with almost as many entrances as there are façades and restaurants. The main entrance, however, can be found on Liverpool Street, under a metal and etched glass canopy, at the foot of a high façade of bricks and sculpted stonework.
Once through the revolving door you arrive in an immense lobby with, to the left, the long reception desk, to the right, slightly set back from the lobby traffic, a lounge-cum-library virtually enveloped in its own wooden cocoon. Opposite the entrance, to the rear of the lobby, stands a line of lifts. An impressive light shaft winds its way down from the top floor, accentuating the energy flow created by the sheer volume of the lobby.
This is a lively area, not least because it is home to regular exhibitions of contemporary art visited by a wide mix of people. An offshoot of these artistic encounters, and now the hotel’s signature, the red neon letters of “you make my heart go boom boom” stand out against the dark wood above reception, inviting you to up the beat and enjoy your stay to the full.
The public areas, long corridors and sizeable side staircases are all part and parcel of the hotel’s character. Full height in the heart of the building, an immense cream-coloured atrium stands proud over a lounge surrounded by palm trees. Four restaurants and several bars, each with its own special ambiance, share the ground floor of the building. The Terminus Bar and Grill is a lively brasserie with metal fittings, whilst the more intimate Miyabi is a traditional Japanese restaurant. The Champagne Bar is a classy, unrestrained cocktail bar and Fish Market, as the name suggests, serves up a selection of fish and seafood dishes against a particularly fitting marble décor. Finally, offering the ultimate gastronomic experience, the contemporary design of Aurora adds a lyrical touch to its massive columned pillars and magnificent stained-glass window.
The rooms
Although the layout can be very different, all the rooms are fairly big, functional and minimalist. White walls, for light, combine with thick carpets and light wood, for warmth. Although softer colours have been used in the most recently-refurbished rooms, the traditional colour-scheme is an invigorating, urban contrast of burgundy walls in the hall and dressing area with a blue-grey carpet in the room itself.
A full range of modern media equipment is on offer, including stereo hi-fi, video games console and DVD player, for which a wide range of CDs, DVDs and games is available. In the spacious work areas, designed with the business traveller in mind and equipped with high-speed cable Internet access, turn a panel and the desk transforms into a dressing table.
Firm beds are topped with a lovely soft duvet and a number of squishy white pillows. The urban theme continues in the bathrooms, with their small black and white monoblock floors, white enamel tiling and old-style taps, whilst the toilet has an eco-friendly suction-flush system modelled on the ones you find on planes.
Room types
There are four main types of room: the City Single, the Queen, the King (Double or Studio) and Suites (Great Eastern Suites or Open Suites), which differ according to bed-size and surface area of the room. Some have a sofa, some have an integrated sitting area and some have a separate lounge area.
Given the size of the building, the rooms overlook different streets but have efficient sound-proofing to shut out the frenzy of the quarter below. The rooms on the first floor benefit from good ceiling height whilst most of the brighter top-floor rooms have quirky porthole-style windows.
Facilities & services
The hotel gym is just one of the many facilities on offer. Guests have access to two concierges in the hotel lobby, CDs, DVDs and video games are delivered to order and, specifically at weekends, the evening turndown service is accompanied by a witty little note from the hotel manager with details of what is on in the hotel and its surrounding area. 24-hour room service is available and offers a wide selection of dishes from the various hotel restaurants during kitchen opening hours.
Starting at 147€
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