Nestled in London’s vibrant East End, this Ace Hotel blends vintage flair and local charm, enticing both freelancers and night owls alike.
100 Shoreditch High St, London E1 6JQ, UK Get directions
"There’s something fishy about Goddard & Gibbs. Unsurprising, given it’s a seafood restaurant. But, also, not particularly welcome. The flashy restaurant is one of a couple in One Hundred Shoreditch—the enormous site that was formerly The Ace Hotel—and it’s somewhere that’s best avoided unless you’re floating about the area looking for a shiny sanctuary. The room is typically impressive in a Made In Chelsea relationship showdown-type way but the food is sadly all at sea. A sourdough crumpet is the pick of the bunch, though the flavour of the bread dominates the delicate cured mackerel, while the less said about flabby calamari and a Cornish fish stew that tastes of two parts tinned tomatoes and one part of tremendous under-seasoning, the better. That said, they mix a perfectly serviceable martini and we wonder how much one can cock-up fish and chips. Find out for yourself if you’re after a last resort, lifeboat type of restaurant." - Jake Missing
"The cool credentials of the Ace Hotel group (with properties in New York, Portland , Palm Springs, and Los Angeles ) show little sign of retreat. Even the unprepossessing exterior of this outpost—hidden within the shell of a former Crowne Plaza hotel in the heart of London’s burgeoning East End—hasn’t deterred the crowds. Young, friendly staff in Ace-branded baseball hats, drainpipe jeans, and Converse trainers welcome you upon arrival. Dotted around the lobby are vintage-style, fixed-gear Tokyobikes and a retro-inspired photo booth. Elsewhere, reclaimed furniture and polished concrete walls abound. A long, bench-style table sees freelancers hunched over Macs during the day, in a space that evolves to welcome a passing array of local mums and business types, before DJs take over and the downstairs bar starts shaking. Perhaps that’s where the brand’s success lies—in evolution—because despite creating a string of much-imitated hotels, no single one is the same. The Shoreditch addition is no exception, brandishing a unique, local character that still manages to play an Ace card."
"That Flower Shop, Shoreditch. A small shop wall to wall with colour and fragrance. This tiny haven in Shoreditch High Street has been a saviour on many a forgotten birthday! The florists here have a great eye for detail and can create bouquets perfect for any occasion."
