Limehouse Library Hotel London - Review
A literary landmark based in London’s east end, the Limehouse Library Hotel has long been on my list of places to stay in the capital. The stars aligned when I was invited to attend the bCreator Awards towards the end of 2024, and as the event was hosted nearby, I finally decided to book my stay.
As the name suggests, the Limehouse Library Hotel is based in an historic library which dates back more than a century. Its initial construction was completed in 1901, and the Limehouse Library then served the local area for more than 100 years before sadly closing in 2003.
The building stood empty for the following 18 years, before undergoing a complete renovation and reopening as a hotel. Fortunately, the building’s new design retains lots of the original library’s features, including the signage and ornamentation on the outside.
Upon exploring the hotel, I was pleased to find that the building still has its own library - albeit much smaller than the original - where guests can sit and read at their leisure. Beautifully decorated, its shelves are stocked with books written by the authors, politicians, scientists and philosophers who inspired the decor of the hotel’s rooms.
As you step into the hotel, one of the first things you’ll see is an enormous gallery wall by the main entrance, with portraits illustrating these individuals. It’s captivating to look at and seems to be a popular space to take photos.
Naturally, I was now excited to get up to my room and see how it had been designed, and who it was inspired by. As we were staying for just one night, we booked a Superior Double Room, which was the cheapest available option for couples and cost just £206 for a midweek stay. Considering that we were in London, this felt very reasonable.
As previously mentioned, all of the rooms are inspired by historical figures, and ours was based on the philosopher Immanual Kant - who lived between 1724 and 1804. Although I hadn’t heard of him before, there was some useful information to read about his work in our room. Unfortunately I didn’t feel that the theming was particularly strong, and as you can see from the photos our room mostly resembled a typical hotel room. A look at the website shows that some of the other rooms are more elaborately decorated, so perhaps we were just unlucky.
Outside of the theming, I found our hotel room to be very clean and modern. The bed was comfortable, and the bathroom had a large overhead shower which is always a plus. I particularly liked the colour of the tiles and bowl at the sink, which were eye catching shades of blue/green.
Heading back downstairs, we briefly explored the hotel’s communal spaces, which include a restaurant and bar. Both were colourful and exquisitely decorated, with carefully curated knickknacks covered the surfaces. The decor overall felt somewhat exotic, perhaps inspired by Turkey or Morocco, and reminded me of relaxing in a kindly grandparent’s living room. While we didn’t have time to sample the restaurant or bar during our own stay, the spaces looked wonderful and I definitely want to visit the rooftop bar during my next visit.
For relaxation purposes, the hotel also has with its own on-site spa which is equipped with a traditional Turkish bath (hammam). Bookable treatments include foam, Swedish and deep tissue massages, and entry to the baths itself is bookable for a small fee. Guests at the hotel have access to reduced fees, but the spa is also open to the general public. As with many other hotels, there is a fully stocked gym available for use free of charge, as well as a sauna.
How to find the Limehouse Library Hotel
Using public transport, the closest station to the hotel is Limehouse, which is served by the DLR and local rail services. As we were travelling from central London, we found it easiest to take the Jubilee Line from Waterloo to Canary Wharf, and then jump on a bus. The journey was very easy overall and there are lots of route options depending on where you are travelling from.
The full address for the hotel is: Limehouse Library, 638 Commercial Rd, London E14 7HS
How much will a stay at the Limehouse Library Hotel cost?
Pricing for the hotel varies depending on the type of room that you are looking to book.
We spent £206 on our Superior Double Room, which we booked several months in advance. Although prices will vary, they tend to be cheaper the further ahead you can book.
Other available rooms include Superior Single/Twin Rooms, Deluxe Twin/Double/King Rooms, Family Rooms, Duplex Suite, Deluxe Suite and the Duplex Limehouse Suite.
Should you stay at the Limehouse Library Hotel?
Whether you’re a book lover or not, I can wholeheartedly recommend staying at this hotel. The building has been beautifully renovated throughout, with comfortable rooms and plenty of wellness and catering facilities.
Bibliophiles will particularly enjoy the building’s history and the lovely library, which provides a quiet space to relax with a book.
Follow this link to book your own stay.
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