Describing itself as a vibrant hotel with an East London vibe, Canopy by Hilton London City is a great central location to see the sights or even catch a West End show. Here’s what we thought of our stay…
Where is Canopy by Hilton London City?
The brilliant location makes this hotel – a two minute walk from Aldgate Underground Station, you’re one tube stop from London Liverpool Street and the Central Line, plus about a 10 minute walk to Tower Hill for the Circle and District line. It really is a great position to get here there and everywhere around London.
The impressive Tower Bridge and Spitalfields Market are also easy walking distance, as well as attractions such as The Gherkin and Walkie Talkie both half a mile away (infact we had a view of them from our window!).
Where will I sleep?
Although we were unable to check in upon arrival (we were a bit early) the staff were very friendly and welcoming, we left our bags with the concierge and went about exploring. Upon our return key pick up was a doddle and we got our bags and headed up.
There are a selection of rooms available at Canopy by Hilton, including Queen, King, Twins and family connecting rooms. There are also suites, accessible rooms and even pet friendly rooms.
We stayed in a King Junior Suite which was a lovely size and had great views over the city, being in a corner position. There were plenty of places to hang clothes, as well as drawers for storage, and room on the bathroom counters for toiletries. You’re also supplied with tea/coffee facilities (including a Nespresso machine), and a fridge.
We were really impressed by the layout and cleanliness of the room. I was particularly taken with the modern bathroom with huge walk in shower. This is a relatively new hotel and you can tell, the fixtures and fittings were all really good quality. Another perk were the cakes waiting for us, mug and a tin of tea to take away as a souvenir, as well as branded sleeping masks and sleep socks.
What is there to do at Canopy by Hilton London City?
Due to the location you can do pretty much everything you can think of around London from this hotel. We enjoyed an afternoon tea and a trip to the London Coliseum to see My Fair Lady in the evening.
Although it wasn’t open during our stay, Canopy London City also has a rooftop bar called Florattica which will be opening soon. Instead we enjoyed a drink at the ground floor bar, which has again been very tastefully decorated. There’s even a comfy nook with sofas and a fireplace where you can relax.
Other amenities include a fitness centre and on-site restaurant. Canopy also offer complimentary bike hire so you can explore!
The hotel is currently offering an art partnership with London Textile Museum, with guests offered complimentary access to @fashiontextilemuseum’s latest exhibition, 150 Years of the Royal School of Needlework: Crown to Catwalk (normally £12.65 for entry). The exhibition features works by great names of the Arts and Crafts movement, commissions produced for the British royal family, contemporary works created for top, international designers and pieces by the Royal School of Needlework’s talented students.
The exhibition closes on 4th of September – simply ask a member of staff for more information!
What is there to eat?
As mentioned Florattica will be opening soon, promising unique cocktails inspired bites as you take in London's unbeatable views.
However, Canopy London City’s current offering, Penny Squares, already offers a delicious menu of modern British dishes. Inspired by its East End location, the meals are rich with spice and flavour with dishes such as spiced soft-shell crab, crusted rack of lamb and black charcoal beef fillet. They also offer evening tastings.
Breakfast is also served in Penny Squares, as a self-serve buffet. There were a huge range of hot and cold options, including smoked salmon, hams breads and cheeses, cereals, porridge, fruits, and hot offerings from sausages and bacon, to fried eggs and hash browns. You could also order omelettes and eggs benedict, although there was an additional cost. If you hadn’t opted for breakfast included, we also noted that the bar offered some breakfast options.
Final thoughts
Overall we had a great stay at Canopy London City, the location was pretty hard to beat, the décor was well done and we had a lovely quiet room. You can see that they’ve kitted themselves out well both for the business traveller as well as tourists.
I’d definitely stay again, it’s ideal for a night at the theatre so you don’t have to worry about catching trains home. Plus I’d love to return when the rooftop bar is open, it’s going to be a fantastic addition to this hotel.