First look: The Hoxton, Southwark makes a play for London’s coolest hotel south of the river

The Hoxton hotel group has enjoyed mass expansion over the past few years.

After opening its first two outposts in London in Shoreditch (2006) and Holborn (2014), the brand has rapidly expanded to Amsterdam (2015), Paris (2017), Williamsburg, Portland and Chicago (all 2018).

Now, the Hoxton has come home. Swinging open its doors on Blackfriars Road, The Hoxton Southwark is south London’s newest (and coolest) hotel.

Where is it?

The lobby at The Hoxton, Southwark (The Hoxton)

Even more centrally located than its older siblings in Holborn and Shoreditch, Hoxton’s Southwark outpost is primed for tourists as it’s halfway between London icons like Tower Bridge and the London Eye. Tate Modern is also just seven minutes’ walk from here as is the National Theatre, and St. Paul’s Cathedral is just across the river.

Londoner’s looking for an after work tipple at the lobby bar or who want to enjoy the views from the rooftop restaurant will also find The Hoxton Southwark easy to get to as it’s just a four-minute walk from the well-connected Southwark station.

Style

If it weren’t for the lush greenery lining the entrance, it would have been easy to walk by the Hoxton. Boasting a subtle exterior, with its beige brick walls and chequered warehouse-style windows, this unassuming façade lifts as soon as you walk into the lobby.

Concrete ceilings and exposed brick walls is trademark Hoxton décor – and the Southwark outpost is no different. The expansive lobby – which doubles as a bar, lounge and also houses the ground floor restaurant Albie at the far end – is clad in framed artwork, plush velvet sofas and chairs and dotted with towering potted plants. Checking in, you’re surrounded by city workers enjoying a post work tipple and freelancers tapping away at their laptops, and you’re greeted by a reception team member wearing a t-shirt that simply says ‘Hox’. The vibe here is cosy cool and there’s a palpable energy buzzing through the space.

Upstairs, the 192 rooms come in signature Hoxton categories – ‘Shoebox’, ‘Snug’, ‘Cosy’, ‘Roomy’ and ‘Biggy’ – all of which are full of natural light beaming through the factory-esque windows. This sets the industrial aesthetic, inspired by Southwark’s rich trading history.

Art lines the walls here, all curated by Jealous Gallery, and the colours of the muted green walls, parquet floors and ruby red velvet headboards play off against each other to create a charming scene. The room is as practical as it is beautiful, with hooks, coat hangers, a marble-topped table and chairs, a kettle and plugs next to the mirror for when you need to use the hair dryer.

Expect colourful tiles in the bathroom, and walk-in rainfall showers. Hoxton’s own-brand Blank products feature in the shower and there are plush and fluffy towels to dry yourself with after as well.

A bathroom at The Hoxton, Southwark (The Hoxton)

Ennismore Design Studio is responsible for interiors at The Hoxton, placing an emphasis on British-led design with antique and bespoke fixtures dotted throughout the hotel.

Upstairs, the Seabird restaurant is yet to open but, during a sneak peak, we can confirm the restaurant is large and the terrace, with its marble-topped tables and heaters come winter, will be the place to go to enjoy sundowners after work. Albie on the ground floor serves food through the restaurant, lobby and bar. The lighting here is low and the interiors are a continuation of the lobby, with art-clad walls, wicker-back chairs and stools overlooking the kitchen.

Food & Drink

The Hoxton Southwark boasts two restaurants: Albie, the all-day dining restaurant on its ground floor and the Seabird seafood rooftop restaurant, which is set to open later in September. With its stunning views across the capital (and the rumour it will serve up 16 different kinds of oysters) the latter is set to be your new date night go-to.

The first thing you notice about Albie is how loud it is. Albie is part of an open plan space that combines the restaurant, lobby, reception and bar area all in one, so there’s a lot of background noise. However, this creates a buzzy and eclectic atmosphere and it doesn’t take long to relax into it.

Albie Restaurant (The Hoxton)

Dinner guests can choose between the laid back all-day menu, with ‘Hox Classics’ like fish and chips, croque monsieur and a vegan burger, or the more refined dinner menu which draws inspiration from the Italian and French Riviera and includes the likes of sea bream, beef tartare and rigatoni pasta.

We opted for the focaccia (£2), burrata (£12) and courgette flower (£10) for our starters – and they did not disappoint. The salted focaccia paired perfectly with the creaminess of the buratta, while the lavender honey drizzled on the courgette flower was the perfect accompaniment to the soft goat’s cheese inside.

For the main event, we shared the rack of Welsh lamb (£50) which was served with chargrilled vegetables and cooked to perfection. The meals were light enough which meant there was room for dessert, so we opted for the gâteau opera (£8) and the menton lemon tart (£8). While the gâteau was decadent, the portion was just right and the lemon tart was warm, smooth and ever so light.

Albie also proves to be a new go-to for vegans and vegetarians in the capital – as half of the menu caters for plant-based eaters.

All guests will receive a complimentary ‘breakfast bag’ containing some fruit, juice and a protein bar, which will be left on hooks outside rooms at either 7, 8 or 9am. If you’re still hungry, which you probably will be, you can pay for a more sizeable breakfast downstairs at Albie.

Which room?

With all the Hoxton’s trademark rooms available – ‘Shoebox’, ‘Snug’, ‘Cosy’, ‘Roomy’ and ‘Biggy’ – there’s something for every budget. ‘Cosy’ is the standard size but if you like a little more space opt for ‘Roomy’ and relish in its super king-size bed, waterfall shower and wall-to-wall windows.

A ‘Cosy’ room at The Hoxton, Southwark (The Hoxton)