Moorgate is a bit of a cultural wasteland on weekends, and, depending on how you feel about finance bros and signet rings, maybe on weekdays too. But the City has started to shake off its stuffy image. Pop-up country-music bar Buck N’ Bull often takes over The Anthologist with line dancing and a mechanical bull, and axe throwing venues like Whistle Punks and Boom Battle Bar are becoming as synonymous with the area as trust funds and plague pits.
5* boutique hotel, South Place Hotel, is part of this facelift. Its name makes it sound like an arty Miami Beach transplant, and in some ways it is. The hotel hosts art residencies throughout the year, showcasing work from the likes of Real Hackney Dave. On the day of our visit, the lobby housed one IRL ‘love bomb’ - an eight-foot-tall bomb replica with ‘love’ painted in neon pink paint down its side.
The bedrooms also cater to a creative crowd, with bespoke pieces in each of the 80 rooms. Ours was home to record-shaped artwork of 80s new-wave band Altered Images, as well as a rather regal portrait of a faun. There’s also a lot for tech nerds to get excited about, from the Bang and Olufsen TV to the Dyson hairdryer that’s lit up in a cupboard like a rare gem in a heist movie.
The 5* touches come out in details like the vegan James Heely toiletries, an entire drawer dedicated to wine glasses and hotel room snacks from indie and eco-friendly brands like Two Farmers, Serious Pig, and Joe and Seph's. Then there's Michelin-starred seafood restaurant Angler, which offers a tasting menu that serves dishes like sea bass tartare and hand-picked Devon crab for £155pp.
What South Place Hotel does well is inject a little fun into the Square Mile. It’s quirky and corporate, functional and flamboyant, the sort of place that’ll appeal to financial analysts who Excel by day and DJ by night: It’s Soho House for Big Four.
Neighbourhood
Squished between St Paul’s and Spitalfields, South Place Hotel is less than a five-minute walk from Liverpool Street, a major transport hub that’s well-connected to the rest of the city and beyond. Close by, you’ll find Eataly, a 42,000 square foot Italian food hall, and Spitalfields Market, which sells handmade gifs, vintage clothing as well as street food.
Nearby
Working Women of the East End walking tour. Join a 2.5 hour walking tour around historical sites of the East End linked to Sylvia Pankhurst and the Match Strike. You’ll also learn the personal histories of Jack the Ripper’s victims.
TT. Visit the specialist liquor store on Kingsland Road which stocks local indie brands as well as rare heritage bottles. Make sure to check out its independent cinema, cellar bar and roof terrace.
Sky Garden. A free viewing platform on the 35th floor of the Walkie Talkie, the Sky Garden is London’s tallest public garden. It’s a lovely spot to enjoy a coffee with a view. If you want to splash the cash, it also has two restaurants and a bar.
Time Out tip
Tuck into the magazine selection in your room. The latest issue of Vogue ain’t cheap.
