Batty Langley's

Rooms

The 29 individually decorated rooms and suites are across four storeys (yes, there's a lift!). Each is named for local historical characters who plied various trades, such as silk merchant James Stillwell, portrait painter Charles Jervas, musician Obadiah Shuttleworth, actress Peg Woffington, and petty thief Ann Flynn.

We stayed in a Deluxe Double (anarchist William Godwin), which has a very comfortable canopy bed, double vintage wardrobes, and a copper power shower plus a roll-top bath in the spacious bathroom. Pleasingly, the room opposite is named for his wife, pioneering feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, and both chambers can interconnect on request.

Club Double, Superior Double and Deluxe Double rooms (in ascending size order) have 17th-century carved oak beds or Georgian four-poster beds. The Deluxe Double with Terrace (architect Batty Langley himself) has a four-poster, the Junior Suites have sofa-beds in their sitting rooms and work well for families.

The two top suites are utterly unique. Lavish Kitty Fisher (a courtesan) comes with a terrace, a sitting room with sofabed and an original Victorian bathing machine, while blue-hued two-level Earl of Bolingbroke has a huge canopy bed, a large terrace with long views over city rooftops plus an antique marble bath.

Features include:

• Bathrobes
• Hairdryer
• Minibar
• Safe box
• WiFi

Eating

Breakfast (not included in the rates) is the only meal served – complete the menu card the night before – and can be taken in-room or downstairs in the Tapestry Room or Library. Besides a main dish – perhaps fruit crunch, bakers basket, bacon sandwich or smoked salmon bagel – you can add smoothies, porridge or cereal too. Drinks include freshly squeezed juices and hot chocolate; if celebrating or recuperating, Bucks Fizz or Bloody Marys are available. There’s also a 24-hour room service menu and food deliveries can be easily arranged; the hotel can supply cutlery and crockery.

The hardest thing about eating out is the sheer choice. Shoreditch has every type of eatery and watering hole, from Michelin-starred restaurants to pop-ups in the Boxpark food court, from honest pub grub to hole-in-the-wall bars. You'll find cuisines from British modern to French, Turkish and beyond. Head to Kingsland High Road for Vietnamese noodle cafes, or to Brick Lane (aka Banglatown) for the full gamut of curry houses. Spitalfields Market is renowned for its food trucks and stalls as well as its popular open-plan diners. Eataly, on Bishopsgate, showcases the flavours of Italy across nine restaurants and bars.

Features include:

• Bar
• Breakfast
• Restaurants nearby
• Room service

Activities

• Take a guided tour of this fascinating neighbourhood or construct your own: perhaps focusing on the layers of history (Tower of London, Jack the Ripper, Huguenots, the Battle of Cable Street)
  
• Explore the markets (Petticoat Lane, Spitalfields, Columbia Road, Truman Brewery) or the street art (especially around Shoreditch)
  
• Brick Lane is home to curry restaurants, trendy bars, pop-up galleries, vintage shopping, and the famous 24-hour Beigal Bakery
  
• Arts and design lovers can visit the Whitechapel Gallery, the Museum of the Home in Hoxton, or the Barbican Centre - East London’s largest cultural complex showcasing music, theatre, art and film
  
• It's 5 mins' walk to Bishopsgate, the boundary of the City of London: here discover the medieval Guildhall, or secret Roman sites like the Temple of Mithras
  
• Or walk from St Paul's Cathedral across the Millennium Bridge to Tate Modern, then along the Thames Path for iconic river and Tower Bridge views

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Boat trips
• Historical sites
• Museums / galleries
• Nightlife
• Private guided tours
• Shopping / markets

Kids

Although most guests are couples, friends and some business travellers, Batty Langley's works well for families interested in discovering the East End and the City. And excellent local transport connections mean you can be in the West End within 20 minutes.

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years), Teens (over 12)

Family friendly accommodation:

The Junior Suites and Kitty Fisher Suite (Junior Suite with Balcony) are the best rooms for families as they have sofa beds in their small sitting rooms. There are 4 sets of interconnecting rooms too (2 Club Doubles, 2 x 1 Club Double + 1 Deluxe Double, 1 Club Double + 1 Deluxe Double with Terrace).

Distances:

• Airport: 60 minutes (Heathrow)
• Hospital: 15 minutes (Whitechapel)
• Shops: 2 minutes

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Batty Langley's is in the historic Spitalfields area in East London, northeast of the City of London, and a 7-minute walk from London Liverpool Street Station.

By Air
London City (12km) is the closest airport, but most scheduled airlines fly into Heathrow (31km) or Gatwick (50km), while budget airlines often use Stansted or Luton (both 55km). All airports have train links into London; or you can take a taxi or arrange a private transfer with the hotel.

By Train
Liverpool Street Station is within walking distance, while Paddington, Marylebone, King’s Cross, Euston, Waterloo, Victoria and St Pancras (Eurostar terminal) are all an easy Tube ride away.

By Car
You really don't need a car in central London, and parking is a nightmare. Much better to use public transport, a ride-hailing app or your feet! If you're set on driving, the hotel has a list of local car parks and EV charging points.