Arbor City Hotel

Arbor City Hotel is housed in a relatively nondescript building whose modern brick facade gives little clue to its trendy interiors. The hotel opened in 2015, attracting couples and business guests with its fun and stylish decor. The lobby is spacious with white tiled floors and a large orange wraparound couch near a wall-mounted electronic fireplace. The trio of front desks is complemented by an illuminated wall with a nature mural. The restaurant, accessed from the lobby through glass doors, has a similar style, with sleek white tables paired with wooden chairs in orange or lime green padding. Floor-to-ceiling windows and hanging lamps create a bright and inviting scene. The theater room is just as colorful, peppered with yellow and green accents, and has a modern '70s vibe with retro-style velour chairs, colorful zebra print carpet, and golden lighting. 

The hotel is located in the neighborhood of White Chapel in London’s East End, which is steeped in history. Though it’s a bit far from the city center, there’s a tube station that’s a three-minute walk from the hotel and a bus stop that’s less than a minute away. Just a few minutes’ walk north, Osborn Street turns into Brick Lane, a popular area filled with famous curry restaurants and galleries. Some attractions can be reached on foot, like Old Spitafields Market (nine minutes), the Tower of London (20 minutes), and Tower Bridge (20 minutes). Other top sights can easily be reached by public transportation, such as St. Paul's Cathedral (15 minutes), Big Ben (17 minutes), Westminster Abbey (20 minutes), the London Eye (23 minutes), Buckingham Palace (27 minutes), and the British Museum (35 minutes). Both Heathrow International Airport and Gatwick Airport are about an hour away by car or public transit, while London City Airport is a 20- to 30-minute drive or 35 minutes by public transportation.

All of the Arbor City's guest rooms are decorated in dark wood furnishings, green and black carpet, and a photo mural or art piece showing a vivid forest landscape. The beds are comfy and topped with white linens, orange throw pillows, and plaid gray blankets. It’s a modern design that fits the hotel’s trendy style. Flat-screen TVs, Nespresso machines, kettles, mini-fridges, air-conditioning, irons and ironing boards, and free Wi-Fi are standard among the rooms. USB chargers next to the beds are a convenient touch. Bathrooms are sleek with gray tiles, and have toiletries, hairdryers, and glass showers or shower/tub combos with waterfall showerheads. Some bathrooms are far more cramped than others, and some have trendy vessel sinks. Rooms range from Doubles to Suites, though Suites might not be as spacious as expected -- they lack separate living spaces, but do have loveseats and Murphy Beds.

One of the highlights here is the hotel's restaurant, the Lane Restaurant and Bar, which serves traditional English cuisine in a sleek and contemporary space. There’s a breakfast buffet served in the mornings for a fee, while the traditional English breakfast costs a bit more. Room service is available 24/7. The hotel lacks a gym, though guests can relax in the theater lounge, which has a number of seating areas, a flat-screen TV, and an outdoor patio. The hotel also caters to business travelers with six fully equipped meeting rooms and free Wi-Fi throughout. Parking is available for a fee.