“Have you ever stayed at a Hoxton before?” asked the charming hotel receptionist. “I’ve stayed at all of them,” I said proudly, sounding like a middle-aged Hoxton groupie. We’d just arrived at the Hoxton’s first US outpost – in the chic neighbourhood of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Actually, I won’t be able to keep my record of staying in every Hoxton for long because the hotel group is expanding rapidly. To date it ...keep reading
Forget Paris in the springtime. Paris in the autumn is far more fun – especially when it gives you the chance to stay at the latest addition to the Hoxton fold. The Hoxton Paris is less than a mile from the Gare du Nord, a half-hour walk if you’re trailing a suitcase on wheels. So after getting the first Eurostar out of London on a dreary Tuesday morning we were ...keep reading
The news that The Hoxton has opened a new hotel in Amsterdam was a good enough excuse for me. I was looking for a place to celebrate a scarily big wedding anniversary so the combination of The Hoxton, a stunning city and a sunny spell in May sealed the deal. And yes, The Hoxton’s new outpost in Amsterdam is every bit as brilliant as its two London siblings. It opened a year ...keep reading
I can’t think of a better way to spend a wintery Saturday afternoon than lunch at The Pig on the Beach at Studland, followed by a bracing walk to Old Harry Rocks. The Pig on the Beach opened its doors in June last year and has been garlanded with praise ever since. A gorgeous 23-bedroom country house, with stunning views across the Dorset coastline, it received 1,100 room bookings within ...keep reading
As the days get shorter and Christmas beckons (it’s a scary two months away) it was great to discover that the Hoxton Group has just opened a new hotel in Holborn. I couldn’t wait to try it and was thrilled to discover that it’s every bit as good as its Shoreditch sibling and a lot more central. The Hoxton in High Holborn is a two-minute walk from Holborn tube station ...keep reading
I’m on a quest to find London hotels that are stylish, comfortable and won’t break the bank. With that in mind, I usually head to the Hoxton in Shoreditch. The only trouble is that it is so well known (roll on the opening of the new Hoxton in Holborn) that you can’t always get a room. So, in the interests of research, I’ve tried out two new hotels – CitizenM in ...keep reading
I’ve just discovered my all-time favourite B&B. Surprisingly, it’s not in a secluded Gloucestershire valley or halfway up a Cumbrian mountainside. It’s actually in Southampton – which is brilliant for catching the Isle of White ferry or setting off on a cruise to sunnier climes, but not exactly known as a holiday destination. The Pig in the Wall is the sister establishment to the Pig in the Forest, a five ...keep reading
If you’re looking for a chic hotel in Paris that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg then Mama Shelter could be the place for you. I’d been wanting to stay there for ages and last weekend I finally got the chance. Situated near the Père Lachaise cemetery in the 20th district (or as Parsians would say, the vingtième), it’s not the most central location. The metro is a brisk ten-minute walk and then ...keep reading
In my days as an on-the-road reporter I used to stay in hotels quite a lot. Now my hotel stays are as rare as my trips to the gym. But this week I hotfooted it to east London to spend two days with my daughter. After scouring scores of websites we eventually plumped to check into The Hoxton in Great Eastern Street. As well as being just round the corner from ...keep reading