Batty Langley's
Hotel · Spitalfields
12 Folgate St, London E1 6BX, United Kingdom
Highlights
Historic boutique hotel blending 18th-century charm and modern comfort
Historic boutique hotel blending 18th-century charm and modern comfort
"The vibe: Vintage East End Location: East London Top amenities: The calm courtyard Best for: City of London meetings and East London's nightlife The area of East London around Spitalfields Market is one of the coolest parts of the capital—but Batty Langley’s eschews hipster chic to whisk you back across the cobbled street to the 18 th century, when this whopping brick building (at first glance it looks like a cross between a townhouse, a warehouse, and a trendy office block) was constructed. The 18 th century is also when the hotel’s namesake, Batty Langley, was working as an eccentric landscape gardener and architect. Perhaps to honor his legacy, all 29 rooms (named after different East End characters throughout the centuries) are individually designed and a little…different. While they’re technically period style—think four-poster beds, lavish dark palettes, and what appear to be traditional portraits on the walls—they’re done up in a knowing, modern way. Unexpected features include a toilet hidden behind a bookshelf and a jolly period-style portrait grinning at the building’s current occupants: you. The lounge with its honesty bar leads onto a little courtyard, while in-room TVs are hidden—instead, you’re encouraged to browse one of the thousands of books in the library." - Julia Buckley
"How did it strike you on arrival?In a forbidding 18th-century brick building near Spitalfields market in the East End, with a discreet sign over the door, Batty Langley’s looks part warehouse, part hipster office building. Although it’s nothing like that inside. What’s the crowd like?True East London hipsters can’t afford this, so it’s mainly super-cool foreigners who know this is the area to be. The good stuff: Tell us about your room.All 29 rooms are individually designed and slightly eccentric ("batty," as the English would say)—a knowing, modern take on antique style, with unexpected features like a toilet hidden behind a bookshelf or a jolly period-style portrait grinning at the modern-day occupants. We’re craving some deep, restorative sleep. They got us?For the ultimate Batty experience, try for a four-poster bed. How about the little things, like mini bar, or shower goodies. Any of that find its way into your suitcase?There are TVs in the rooms, but they’re gloriously hidden—and finding them can take some time. Please tell us the bathroom won’t let us down.Rolling with that eccentric theme, the bathrooms feature antique-style fittings such as "throne" toilets and cast-iron or marble baths. The products, however, are 21st-century REN. Maybe the most important topic of all: Wi-Fi. What’s the word?Free Wi-Fi. Room service: Worth it?The menu is thoroughly British and artisan-sourced. Try the pot roast chicken with root vegetable casserole ($20). Anything stand out about other services and features? Whether it’s childcare, gyms, spas, even parking—whatever stuck with you.The honesty bar in the “Tapestry” lounge is a home-from-home touch. There’s no restaurant, other than room service. What was most memorable—or heartbreaking—about your stay?The little courtyard garden is perfect for a cup of tea in summer months, and the Library—with 3,500 books—is delectable in the winter. Bottom line: worth it, and why?The blend of eccentric cool, both ancient and modern, is like nowhere else." - Julia Buckley
"It's joyous to be strolling through these residential red-brick streets which have survived 300 years of redevelopment and the Blitz. Spitalfields, renowned for its rich cultural mix, has seen constant change over centuries. Once a medieval priory, the land was developed for Huguenot weavers exiled from France in the late seventeenth-century; big windows in these handsome Georgian townhouses allowed light in for the looms. The Huguenots were followed by Jewish refugees, then Bengali immigrants who carry on the garment trade to this day. Thanks to the Spitalfields Historic Buildings Trust, this historic quarter has been preserved and revitalised. Two of those preservation pioneers went on to create this beautiful boutique hotel behind the facades of two adjacent houses behind Old Spitalfields Market. Its 29 supremely comfortable rooms and suites are named for local Georgian notables, from aristocrats to vagabonds (Batty Langley himself was an architect), and feature restored antiques, oil paintings and original four-posters. Authentic furniture has been cleverly adapted for modern living – beds were enlarged, wardrobes altered, flatscreen TVs hidden behind mirrors – and the bathrooms are excellent. There are parlours and snugs for drinks and relaxing by the fire, and an internal courtyard. Whether you're fancy-free or a family you'll fit right in at Batty Langley's. Highs The concept: a quirky and top-notch reinvention of heritage townhouses, dating from 1724 The location: slap bang in the heart of London's most dynamic district, with bars, restaurants, markets, boutiques, galleries, and good public transport links The service: welcoming unpretentious staff who are a mine of local knowledge and maintain the hotel immaculately The design detail: Georgian-style interiors cleverly incorporate modern conveniences from USB ports to power showers Lows Spitalfields is bustling and occasionally noisy, but the hotel itself is tranquil, with double glazing in all rooms No restaurant on site – breakfast is served to your room at a time of your choosing – so you'll have to eat out; there's lots of choice on your doorstep. 24-hour room service and food delivery is easily arranged No twin rooms, but the Junior Suites have good sofa-beds Parking isn't easy, but truly there's no need to bring a car into E2" - Nadine Mellor
"A period hotel named after a 17th-century writer might sound stuffy, but this eccentric boutique has a warm, quirky vibe that suits the arty crowd that stay here. This is as far away from a bland, chain hotel as it’s possible to be; rooms are swathed in deep golds and reds with four-posters and grand oil paintings. This isn’t the place for cutting-edge cocktails or Michelin-starred dining; there’s no restaurant (although the room service menu is excellent). Instead, it’s about holeing up in the heart of the city, taking breakfast in bed or afternoon tea in the courtyard and savouring the sense of being cocooned from the frenetic streets outside. " - Sarah Barrell
Christopher Boyle
Pyramar
Erin Krusee
Caroline Langley-Jones
Elaine Reynolds
Claire Lewis
Richard Allum
Adam Smith
Dave C.
Jules B.
Danielle D.
Becki K.
Nicole V.
Lisa M.
