For over a decade, Holborn was my “work home.” You all know what I mean. It’s that part of town where you work and the place where, ultimately, you spend more time than anywhere else. In short, it becomes your neighbourhood. Now, in all the years I worked and played in Holborn, never in my wildest dreams would I label this area as cool. It was anything but. Holborn was a sort of sleepy suit community that sat between Covent Garden and The City. That’s where the magic ends. Only, there’s been a change… a massive one.
Only a few months ago now, the world was introduced to the Hoxton Holborn. If you are scratching your head and thinking you were pretty sure that the Hoxton Hotel is in Shoreditch, you wouldn’t be on your own there. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve scheduled meetings at the Hoxton Holborn only to find that my client is actually sitting in Shoreditch waiting for me to appear. Annoying but then hipness doesn’t have any rulebooks. And the Hoxton Holborn is officially hip. In fact, it might just be too hip for me. It’s incredible to think that one minute Holborn is just Holborn and then the next it becomes the epicentre of cool. But, that’s exactly what happened.
The moment the Hoxton Holborn opened, all the cool creatives in the Holborn area flocked to the lobby bar, restaurant and coffee shop like bees to honey. Who are these people and where were they hiding all this time? That’s a question we’ll never have an answer to, but who cares… they’re here and they’re hip.
Now, how does one as unhip as myself fall into the Hoxton Holborn? Well, it all started when I was invited to participate in a series of talks in The Apartment at the Hoxton Holborn. These were blogger talks and they were, well, super successful. We packed them in and once again I was left stunned by the cool factor. Seems the coolest of cool for FFG readers decided to turn up for a one-on-one and a cocktail. All a pleasant surprise indeed.
Well, the magic didn’t end with my talk. I actually had a chance to stay the night in hipster town and it was everything you’d expect from such a super cool establishment. From vintage reads in the room to ancient stadium seating in the hallways, every single element of your stay at the Hoxton Holborn is curated like a well put together exhibition for the Saatchi gallery. While the rooms aren’t the most massive in London, their character packs a powerful punch. And, surprisingly, the room rates won’t leave you bankrupt – a first for the London cool factor.
Here’s a look at the Hoxton Holborn, or my experience at least…
Fashion Foie Gras was a guest of the Hoxton Holborn.
