Yotel London City - Review

Location: Clerkenwell
Price: £
Value for Money: 5/5
Overall: 4/5
Perfect for: London Staycation, Affordable Luxury

Staycations are my favourite way to explore the capital city of London. Although I don’t live too far out from central London, the prospect of a weekend spent exploring the city, and a relaxing overnight stay, always fill me with joy.

For my latest London staycation, I booked Yotel London City in Clerkenwell, and prepared myself for a weekend of laid-back fun.

Although Yotel is known as a budget hotel brand, the London City offering is so much more than this, in fact it is rated 4-star and this is clear as soon as you enter and are greeted by the friendly staff.

Yotel focuses on tech-driven guest experiences and this can be seen throughout yourself. The first example of this is the 24 hour contactless check-in, which is both friendly and quick.

Location:

I can’t think of a better location for a hotel like this, as it is sufficiently distanced from the endless bustle of the West End, but still walking distance from key tube, rail and bus stations. In fact, travelling to Yotel London City was ideal for us, as we jumped off the Thameslink at Farringdon station, and it's a few minutes walk to the hotel from there. You are also close to Barbican and Chancery Lanes station too.

Accommodation:

Yotel London City is a large hotel, even though it doesn’t seem like it on initial viewing. There are 212 rooms, or as Yotel likes to call them, Cabins, located over 6 floors.

We stayed in a Premium Queen room on the fifth floor which offered breath-taking views of St Paul’s Cathedral, the Shard, and the City skyline. The room was sufficient in size for my husband and I, and actually larger than I expected. Their clever design, including retractable beds, meant there was plenty of space to move around and store our bags.

Our room came equipped with all the standards including en suite shower and toilet, as well as tech-savvy additions such as TV, coloured lighting that can change to match your mood, multiple USB and power ports and high-speed wifi.

My favourite feature of our room was actually the stunning views! I loved falling asleep to the gentle lighting over St Paul’s Cathedral, as well as waking up to the morning sunshine shimmering off the Shard. This is what I come to London for.

Refreshingly, all rooms are fully-sound proof, so you don’t hear the traffic on the road, or other guests in the hotel, leading to a night of serene sleep.

Restaurant & Bar:

The ground floor at Yotel houses the on-site restaurant and bar, named Komyuniti, Japanese for community. This stylish space is made up of comfortable booths, cosy armchairs, and bar stools too. There is also a mezzanine level with assorted seating ideal for work, and play.

The cocktails here range from the classics to speciality and are all very well made. The food menu is inspired by street food and includes bar snacks and larger plates such as flatbreads, bao buns and skewers .

We enjoyed a few delicious cocktails in the bar the night we checked-in, and made the most of the relaxing space and company of the friendly staff too. This was a lovely way to wind-down the day before heading to bed.

Yotel London City also has a Grab + Go station by reception, where you can pick up a quick snack, drink, or essentials during your stay.

Breakfast:

Breakfast is also served in Komyuniti, and although it is normally served buffet style, currently your order is taken at the table. The menu is made up of teas, coffees, home-made granola, pastries and hot food including bagels and full breakfasts.

The staff were very friendly and happy to top up our tea and coffee whilst we enjoyed our leisurely breakfast. As check-out is 11am we could take our time with breakfast and not have to worry about rushing.

Facilities:

Yotel London City is well equipped for a stay in the city, as there is also a large gym open 24x7, meeting rooms catering for up to 20 people, and the large space on the ground floor ideal for work and socialising.

Overall:

What I particularly enjoyed about Yotel was the ease of the stay: check-in was quick and easy; the room was spotless and everything worked; the staff at the restaurant were friendly and attentive and check-out was a breeze.

Recently with the crisis the hospitality industry is facing, I’ve spent a lot of time waiting in queues to check-in, calling up reception because the room hasn’t been cleaned, and trying to catch the eye of a waiter in a restaurant running with a staffing shortage. However I didn’t experience any of this at Yotel, which was very refreshing!

What’s more, rooms here are immensely affordable, especially compared to other Central London hotels which offer much less comfort than Yotel. Prices can start from a little at £75, and there are a range of packages which make staying here even more affordable.

For anyone looking for an easy, convenient and comfortable staycation in London, I’d highly recommend Yotel London City.

Additional Facilities:

24-hour front desk
Free WiFi
Fitness centre
Restaurant and Bar
Meeting facilities
Lounge area
Sound-proof rooms

Address: 96-100 Clerkenwell Rd, London EC1M 5RJ
Phone: 020 3146 1310

COVID Note: Please make sure to check and abide by government travel guidelines. Please also respect the rules and regulations of the hotel to keep you and other guests safe. Thanks!

My stay was complimentary, all opinions are my own.

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