The best hotels in Hackney for a perfect east London stay

Where? Bethnal Green (which, we know, is technically in Tower Hamlets – but has Hackney soul)

With Edwardian architecture, art deco interiors, beguiling baroque corridors and memories of bygone bureaucracy, the Town Hall Hotel, once the Bethnal Green Town Hall, is the perfect slightly eccentric stay. Nothing here feels stretched for by stylists or led by committee. Instead it’s, somehow, homely (if home is somewhere where a phone call summons an excellent mortadella sandwich). There are three separate venues for food and drink, including the fine dining concept Da Terra that has two Michelin stars. As for amenities, there’s a heated, 14-metre-long pool with a glass roof, a poolside gym and an in-room spa service. In a building essentially created to take care of life’s boring stuff, there’s not a boring square inch inside.

Time Out tip: You’re a stone’s throw from the Young V&A, Victoria Park and our favourite slice shop, Bad Boy Pizza Society. 

Address: Patriot Square, Bethnal Green, London E2 9NF

Price: Starting from approximately £160 per night

Closest transport: Bethnal Green underground station

Where? Hoxton

Art'otels are hotels created as museums, each of them designed by an independent artist. At this slick Hoxton outpost, street art artist D*Face (Dean Stockton) adds serious character to the well-proportioned rooms, some of which have phenomenal views over Old Street. Dinner is Mediterranean-inspired and on the 25th floor (more great views), and breakfast is a sprawling buffet. Staff are keen to guide guests through the hotel’s facilities, knowledgeable about its art, and wellness options include a heated indoor pool, a sauna, steam room and spa. But most of all, you’re staying in the thick of Hoxton and Shoreditch. What could be better?

Time Out tip: For dinner, book ahead at Smoking Goat for Thai-inspired barbecue and wings, Manteca for pasta and meaty-ness, or Michelin-starred, plant-based restaurant Plates. 

Address: 1-3 Rivington Street, London, EC2A 3DT

Price: Starting from around £200

Closest transport: Old Street Station

Where? Shoreditch

You’d be forgiven for thinking the lobby of One Hundred Shoreditch was the office of some edgy millennial’s start-up, with its fizzy trap-house soundtrack, large statement sculptures and cool twenty-somethings tapping away on their laptops. Head upstairs, though, and it’s a very different story. The bedrooms – all whitewashed walls, feature tapestry hangings and pine – radiate an instant calm. The design is subtle, but carefully calculated, and there’s a choice of a buzzy rooftop for drinks, or the sultry Seed Library in the basement, a speakeasy-style cocktail bar by Mr Lyan. 

Time Out tip: Head to the Palladian church St Leonard’s nearby, with a spooky crypt filled with Tudor-era actors.

Address: 100 Shoreditch High Street, E1 6JQ, London 

Price: From £209 per night

Closest transport: Shoreditch High Street 

Neighbourhood: Stoke Newington

The Brownswood is found in a bit of a no-man’s-land between Manor House, Finsbury Park and Stoke Newington, making it a rather slept-on little pub (where you can pretty much always get a table). Even better, it’s got six well-priced rooms upstairs, and they’re nicely smart, with wood panelling, neutral tones and the occasional wall of exposed brick. Each comes with Roberts radios and proper coffee machines, and some even have a bath. Fancy. In summer, bask in the Brownswood’s simply huge garden, and in winter, do not miss their epic Sunday roast. 

Time Out tip: Stroll over to Time Out’s coolest street in London, Blackstock Road, for cheap lunch from the Happening Bagel Bakery, Uyghur dinner at Dilara and a night cap at Top Cuvée. 

Address: 271 Green Lanes, N4 2EX, London

Price: Around £150 per night

Closest transport: Manor House tube station

Where? Hackney Central

There are plenty of pubs in east London that try their hardest to look like proper old boozers. The Crown actually is one, with polished wood, stained glass and a bar full of regulars and locals. The Crown makes it look effortless. Upstairs, rooms are actually very tasteful, with exposed brick walls and a good amount of natural light. And of course, what you lack in infinity pools and spa treatments is more than made up for by instant access to pints, a crackling fire and one of the area’s best Sunday roasts.

Time Out tip: Head to Broadway Market any day of the week – if the market’s on, grab street food to sit in the park, otherwise head to the Cat and Mutton for pints and oysters. 

Address: 418 Mare Street, E8 1HP, London 

Price: Starting from around £150 per night

Closest transport: Hackney Central tube station

Neighbourhood: Dalston

Not every London trip requires something fancy. Sometimes you just need somewhere clean and efficient, and the Staycity Aparthotels in Dalston do exactly that, but in style. Studios and one-bedroom apartments are sweet, simple and contemporary, each with a compact kitchen, dining space and enough room to unpack and not live inside of a suitcase. It’s particularly well-suited to longer stays, travelling with family or anyone who’d rather spend their money discovering London’s restaurants and attractions instead of spa treatments and room service. 

Time Out tip: Spend a fun and chaotic night at Dalston Jazz Bar, open until 3am on the weekends. 

Address: 130 Kingsland High Street, E8 2LQ, London

Price: From £113 per night

Closest transport: Dalston Junction tube station is an eight-minute walk. 

Neighbourhood: Shoreditch 

A beloved budget option, Z Hotel Shoreditch proves that small doesn’t have to mean compromised. The rooms are undeniably compact – this is a hotel that expects you’ll be out exploring rather than practising yoga beside the bed – but they’re cleverly designed, with crisp white linens, smart storage, powerful rain showers and just enough space for everything to slot neatly into place. No frills here, but the hotel’s complimentary evening cheese and wine offering (a long-standing Z Hotels tradition) is a welcome bonus. Mostly, you’re sandwiched between Shoreditch, Hoxton and the City, and it doesn’t get much better than that, really. 

Time Out tip: Fancy a night in? Pick up a ramen from Bone Daddies next door and slurp it in bed – we don’t judge round here. 

Address: 136-144 City Road, EC1V 2RL, London 

Price: Around £100 per night

Closest transport: Old Street tube station

Plan your trip

📍 The best things to do in Hackney
🍕 The best restaurants in Hackney
🏨 The best hotels in Shoreditch
🍽️ The best restaurants in Shoreditch
📍 Ultimate guide to London hotels