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Tucked in the old docks of the Thames on London’s South Bank lies Sea Containers Hotel. This unique hotel offers a mix of sensational bars, a basement gym and spa, and glamourous décor. The impeccable service was a treat, and the location was even better than expected.
Location
It’s impossible to mention the location of the Sea Containers London Hotel without talking about its breathtaking riverfront aspect. The hotel lies on the banks of the iconic River Thames in the heart of London’s fabulous South Bank area.
You are minutes on foot from the Tate Modern and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. Carry on your riverside stroll, passing buzzing Gabriel’s Wharf and the book market hiding under Waterloo Bridge, and reach the London Eye. Then, cross one of the many bridges, and the likes of Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, and Covent Garden can be reached in 10 to 15 minutes.
London Waterloo Railway and underground station is a 10-minute walk away, with Southwark and Blackfriars stations both being a couple of minutes nearer, but the beauty of this location is just how much you can explore on foot.
Style & Character
The charm of Sea Containers is the feeling that you’re aboard a 1920s transatlantic cruise liner whilst also stumbling upon a cosmopolitan London hotel!
Housed in the old Sea Containers building, when the hotel arrived, so did a vibrant burst of color and energy! Sitting on the outdoor terrace in the summer months, people and boat watching would be an amazing way to while away the hours.
You can’t miss the striking giant curved copper-clad wall that takes you from the reception to the restaurants. Throughout the hotel, there’s an elegance and a luxurious vibe, but the pops of color and unusual use of materials and artworks ensure it doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that renowned British sense of humor shines through.
Rooms
The 359 guest rooms were created by award-winning designer Tom Dixon, whose palate of choice here is a calming sea of greys with flashes of hot pink; not too many to be overpowering but just enough to be fabulous.
The custom-designed furniture is also Tom Dixon. The beds are super comfortable, the oversized showers are rainfall and the lights dim to create the perfect relaxed mood.
All the usuals like air-con, a minibar, and a Nespresso machine were present too, as were USD sockets and Malin+Goetz toiletries. Request a river view room to enjoy fabulous views across London, which are particularly impressive by night.
The hotel also offers spacious rooms with two double beds, something of a rarity in five-star hotels in London! They are amazing value, too, and would be my top tip for those traveling with families.
Patio Rooms include huge ivy-clad terraces outside your room with lots of seating; these would be amazing for entertaining or for a group traveling together and would make the ideal pre-party hangout!
The Ship Shape Suite includes its own mini gym with a bath to ease your muscles post-workout. My absolute favorite, if budget permits, would be the Riverview Balcony Suite with wall-to-wall windows and a stunning furnished balcony with epic views across the River Thames; it would be amazing for a memorable trip.
Service & Facilities
The hotel’s basement is home to the Agua Spa playground; a range of treatments are available across their six treatment suites, with their bathhouse-style thermal suite being very popular. It also has a post-treatment relaxation area. You can even rent the whole space if you are celebrating or just want to unwind with friends in peace. The fully equipped fitness center is open 24/7 and is located on the spa’s basement level.
Perhaps the most original of their facilities is Curson, their 56-seat, ultra-stylish cinema! Showing a mix of current releases and classics, you can watch the show with a glass of wine in hand and then head to the bar next door afterward to dissect the movie with your companions!
The hotel is pet-friendly and has parking, complimentary Wi-Fi, luggage storage, and room service.
We were charmed by the service from start to finish. The welcome at check-in was warm, friendly, and informative. We visited both the bars and the main restaurant and found the service to be attentive throughout.
Special mention, though, has to go to the team at Lyan-ess; their cocktail knowledge was impressive and helpful; they made our birthday celebration truly memorable and greeted us with recognition when we returned later; they provided really excellent service.
Food & Drink
You’ll find a riverside restaurant, an award-winning experimental cocktail bar, and a rooftop bar at Sea Containers. I would strongly recommend, as we did, that you visit them all!
Sea Containers Restaurant is contemporary and casual, located right on the riverfront with floor-to-ceiling bifold windows and a large outdoor terrace; you feel like you are on that cruise liner. Feast on seasonal ingredient-led cuisine focusing on sharing plates and enjoying food together. This is also the location for a generous breakfast buffet, which set us on our way the following day.
The cocktail bar Lyan-ess is truly a hidden gem on the South Bank. With master mixologist Mr Lyan at the helm, something truly special is created here. Located on the ground floor, it was beautiful inside but was also excellent for some early evening people-watching as London started its evening in style. The DJ played and we felt ourselves relax into the evening.
The cocktail menu is innovative, but we didn’t expect the actual physical menu to be so creative! Not only were all the cocktails fully explained – no second-rate list of obscure ingredients here – but anything not entirely typical was fully explained in an amusing-to-read glossary section, leaving us way more confident we were making the right informed choices!
We loved it! And just to be sure, we chatted with the knowledgeable staff who very quickly worked out our tastes. The cocktails were completely divine, and we tucked into a delicious series of light bites to complement and enhance the flavors.
The 12th-floor rooftop is home to 12th Knot, an exclusive rooftop lounge with panoramic views over the River Thames. The terrace travels the length of the bar and would be buzzing in the summer months as it was popular enough on a chilly March evening!
Conclusion
We thoroughly enjoyed our time at Sea Containers; it’s a trendy, luxury hotel with excellent service, great rooms, fabulous facilities, and the perfect riverside location. For us the bars and restaurants came out on top, and I think we’ll become regulars at them all!
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