Montcalm Royal London House – City of London

Montcalm Royal London House opened in 2016 in a historic building that once served as the office of the Royal Mail. While the exterior is stately and traditional, the interiors exude a fresh, design-forward feel that's more typical of modern London. The lobby is a mix of mid-century and contemporary elements and features white chairs, parquet floors, and Avant Garde light fixtures. One of the hotel’s bars showcases an industrial chic look with exposed ceiling pipes. The main restaurant is decked out in zigzag-print tables and orange, lime green, and violet furniture. Guests often mingle on the restaurant’s rooftop lounge, which offers views of the surrounding cityscape. The indoor pool and hot tub are set in an atmospheric low-lighted space with a deck and lounge chairs. The hotel draws leisure travelers to its energetic vibe, bold design, top-notch dining, and amenities-filled rooms, while business guests come for the meeting rooms and proximity to local tech companies.  

The Montcalm Royal London House is at the northeast corner of Finsbury Square, which features a grass bowling green. Finsbury Circus, with its garden and bowling green is about five minutes on foot. The hotel is in central London in the Shoreditch/Spitalfields area, a hip and energetic hub of high tech companies, boutique shops, restaurants, bars, and nightclubs. The Finsbury Square (Stand F) bus stop is next to the hotel. Both the Moorgate and Liverpool Street Tube and National Rail stations are about five minutes away on foot. 

Attractions in the area include Bunhill Fields Burial and Gardens at a five-minute walk; the 18th-century Christ Church Spitalfields and Old Spitalfields Market at 10 minutes on foot; and Brick Lane with its historic buildings and curry houses at a little more than a 10-minute walk. St. Paul’s Cathedral is 10 minutes by bus. London Bridge and the Monument to the Great Fire of London are 10 minutes by tube. The area with Shakespeare’s Globe open-air theater, Tower of London, and Tower Bridge is a little more than 15 minutes by tube. The Montcalm Royal is about 45 minutes from Heathrow Airport by a combination of tube and Heathrow Express train, or about an hour to a little over two hours by car depending on traffic conditions.

The 253 guest rooms and suites at the Montcalm Royal London have a muted, contemporary look that lacks some of the pizzazz of the public spaces. The color palette is a neutral beige, tan, and gray. Orange and green throw pillows on the beds add the only color. Fresh scents and mood lighting add to the ambience, and the rooms have markers of quality in the dark-wood furniture, ergonomic leather desk chairs, and plush beds with pillow menus. Regular rooms range from 215 square feet (20 square meters) to 484 square feet (45 square meters), and suites are 344 square feet (32 square meters) and larger. The most affordable rooms are a bit of a tight squeeze. All of the rooms are packed with goodies: 55-inch flat-screen TVs, iPod docks, smartphones, refrigerated minibars, espresso machines, and free Wi-Fi. Suites have sitting areas, business suites come with laptops and printers, and both suites and Club Rooms allow access to a Club Lounge with hot drinks and appetizers. Stylish bathrooms are clad in marble and come with Elemis or Hermes toiletries, hairdryers, and showers or shower/tub combos with rainfall showerheads. Underfloor heating keeps bathrooms cozy all year-round. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame views of Finsbury Square or the surrounding area. The Palm Suite features a furnished terrace with city views. Guests celebrating special occasions have been gifted with macarons, balloons, and bottles of sparkling wine. 

The Montcalm Royal offers an excellent array of property amenities. The wellness center features a hot tub and an eight-meter indoor swimming pool with a waterfall feature at one end. It also has an eight-person sauna, six-person steam room, well-equipped fitness center, and spa (treatments for a fee) specializing in mineral-rich sea-based treatments. Situated on the 10th floor, the restaurant has gotten acclaim from previous guests for its lunch and dinner menu of seafood, steaks, and innovative English cuisine. Excellent a la carte and buffet breakfasts are both available for a fee, as is 24-hour room service. Outdoor dining is available on the rooftop deck with views of the London skyline. A DJ performs on weekend nights. The hotel also has two lobby-level bars: one has an in-house brewery and pub fare, and the other offers a more stylish but laid-back spot with inventive cocktails and small plates. The Montcalm also has meeting rooms, a business center, and 24-hour concierge service. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the building. There is no on-site parking, but nearby parking is available for an expensive fee.