M by Montcalm Shoreditch London Tech City

M by Motcalm is a cutting edge, detail-obsessed hotel. The architecture is ultra-modern and has all the wow-factor one would expect from a hotel just off Silicon Roundabout. The angular glass exterior, which juts out with impact into City Road, is inspired by the Nataraja painting by the abstract artist Bridget Riley. Expect a more relaxed look inside, with good-looking leather armchairs and upholstered sofas in the Plate Bake and Bar and simple polished floors throughout the lobby. Technology takes center stage here, so there are plenty of corporate guests tapping away on laptops in the quieter corners of the lobby. The gorgeous spa, reasonable rates, and generous free touches are to thank for the broad appeal, so leisure travelers also tend to congregate in the cafe-style downstairs restaurant. The vibe is unquestionably laid-back, despite the hustle and bustle right on the properties doorstep. 

M by Motcalm is in the heart of Shoreditch, East London, in the bustling technology district. Surrounded by start-ups and hip bars, it’s an exciting part of London. The immediate area has Peruvian seafood restaurants, traditional old-school pubs, and prohibition-style speakeasy bars. Old Street station is a short five-minute walk away along busy City Road. Guests have to head slightly further out to enjoy trendy Shoreditch High Street and Hoxton Square. It’s a 10-minute walk to Hoxton Square, where you’ll find cool bars, nearby Spitalfields Market, and some interesting art galleries. Shoreditch High Street is a 15-minute walk from the hotel and also has lots of nightlife and dining options. The city is easily accessible too, just 12 minutes away on the train. Guests wanting to see London’s top landmarks should be prepared to take a few trains. It’s 20 minutes to the Tower of London and Big Ben by train from Old Street station. The London Eye is about 25 minutes away by train, and Buckingham Palace takes a couple of extra minutes. Heathrow is the closest airport and takes around 50 minutes to get to by train or car. Gatwick is a longer journey taking an hour and 20 minutes by car. 

The rooms at M By Motcalm successfully embody the Tech City surroundings, with muted industrial gray walls and carpets, bespoke pieces of sleek, monochromatic furniture, and 37-inch HD LCD TVs with international cable and satellite channels. The leather headboards and elegant orchids add some softer touches to the sophisticated spaces, and some welcome bursts of texture and color. Of course, there are numerous tech features which make life easy here. Guests particularly like the touch-screen panels which control the curtains, mood lighting, temperature, and underfloor heating in the bathroom. Wi-Fi is free. The rooms feature numerous specialized details too, including the bath butler service and sleep concierge, who can draw guests a bath or provide a choice of pillows, aromatherapy oils, and calming music from the bedside tablet. Welcome fruit, glossy magazines, hairdryer, Krups coffee machine, a safe, and smartphone are all standard in the rooms. There are seating areas in the larger rooms, and even the entry-level Deluxe Double rooms have king-size beds and large desks. The bathrooms are particularly lovely, with polished marble from Spain and Turkey, plush velour robes, slippers, and Elemis bath products. Suites upgrade to Hermes products. Most rooms have baths, but even the ones that don’t have high-end Grohe rain showers. 

This hotel has an exhaustive list of features for business and leisure travelers. The aptly named Beauty and Melody Spa is endlessly calming, with a beautiful indoor pool, sauna, steam room, whirlpool, treatment rooms, and an adjoining fitness center with Matrix machines. The spa uses Thalgo marine products for their body and facial treatments and guests can get their nails or waxing done. It’s only right that a hotel in Shoreditch should have a trendy restaurant, and M by Motcalm has two. Downstairs, just off the lobby, is the popular Plate Bake and Bar. The artisanal bakery serves up bread, cakes, and pastries as well as the a la carte breakfast menu, which is particularly special. Breakfast is presented in an attractive market-style with wicker baskets of premium ham, various types of honey, and cheeses. During the day, it has a coffee-shop quality with lots of guests, locals, and business-people enjoying coffee and breakfast. Come the evening, it transforms into an ambient bar area with an after-work crowd. Upstairs, things are a little more formal but no less comfortable. Chef Arnaud Stevens, previously of The Gherkin, uses his classic French training to add a sophisticated edge to dishes. The open kitchen is particularly attractive. Local schools send students to intern or shadow the kitchen brigade, which is a nice community link. The Tech City location dictates the need for meeting rooms, and M by Montcalm’s are well-equipped. Ranging from 25 square meters to 163 square meters, the rooms (named Silicon, Cloud, Cyber) can host anything from small business meetings to banquets. There are some great views out over London’s East End and smart blue-gray decor. Of course, the Wi-Fi is high speed and there are state-of-the-art plasma screens and audio equipment too. For business guests, another bonus is the free shuttle service, which takes registered corporate guests to the city and back again. The service runs Monday to Friday between the hotel, Moorgate Station, Bank Station, Liverpool Street Station, and Shoreditch High Street. Check the service times and how to register as a corporate guest with the hotel. Lastly, the hotel has a Club Lounge for club guests, which has free snacks in the evening and some quiet workspace.