AFFORDABLE meets stylish at a trio of new London hotels from leading European operator ACCOR.
It has just opened its first Pullman branded hotel in the UK, the Pullman London St Pancras – a transformation of the former Novotel on the site, convenient for both Kings Cross and Euston mainline stations.
This upscale venture is strikingly designed to reflect that railway/bustling city heritage and features 312 bedrooms, with panoramic views of the London skyline, a restaurant/bar named the Golden Arrow and a 446-seat tiered theatre for arts and corporate use.
The 92-seater Golden Arrow is named after the famous all-first-class Pullman train service of the 1920s which connected London to Paris. It showcases an open kitchen and “Vinoteca by Pullman” wine selection.
Pullman London St Pancras (top picture, view from the Golden Arrow restaurant)
The light-filled and welcoming Novotel Blackfriars, which opened at the beginning of October, boasts 182 contemporary and spacious bedrooms and is convenient for the cultural hub of the South Bank.
Innovation is packed into this 4-star hotel. On arrival guests are greeted by self-check-in desks; a video wall featuring digital art; an interactive virtual concierge system; the latest Microsoft Surface table and iMac corner in the lobby; iPad table in the restaurant; TV-dining tables in the restaurant; touch-key room access and electronic shower privacy screens; bedroom media hub and iPod docks; interactive smartboards in two meeting rooms; Nintendo Wii in the conference area; and a dramatic video wall alongside the hotel swimming pool.
The 84-cover Elements restaurant offers modern British-European cuisine from a theatre-kitchen, while two tables with accompanying TVs cater for lone diners an innovative iPad table houses eight iPad for guests to use during their meal. The hotel offers 39 family rooms that enable kids to stay for free
The Novotel and ibis share thre same new-build on Blakcfriars Road
Its neighbour, the ibis Blackfriars, is also a new-build, packed with hi-tech extras. Its 297 bedrooms all feature a new ergonomically-engineered Sweet Bed by ibis, designed to deliver the ultimate good night’s sleep.
An ingenious app, TweetArt, which can be downloaded on arrival at the hotel, will allow diners to post a message about their dinner. The words will then be turned into art, before being projected onto the wall, and shared across social networks and other ibis hotels.
Fact file
Pullman St Pancras, 100-110 Euston Road, London NW1 2AJ (0207 6669 022, www.pullmanhotels.com). Nearest Tube: Kings Cross
Novotel Blackfriars, 46 Blackfriars Road, London SE1 8NZ (020 7265 6000, www.novotel.com/7942). Rooms from £125. Southwark Tube.
ibis Blackfriars, 49 Blackfriars Road, London SE1 8NZ (0207 6600835, www.ibis.com) Rooms from £87. Southwark Tube.
