The Rookery hotel is located just north of the City, London's financial district in Clerkenwell (pronounced 'Clarkenwell' if you're visiting). In Dickensian London it was a notorious locale for London's underbelly, but the Dot-Com boom made the Clerkenwell Road London's own 'Silicon Alley'. This led to Shoreditch and Hoxton at the east end and Clerkenwell and Smithfield at the west end getting 'up-scaled' and before you know it, these dead zones north of the City became the epitome of re-gentrified, urban cool (hmm, kinda). Inside The Rookery polished wood panelling, stone-flagged floors, open fireplaces and liberally sprinkled antiques lend the hotel an historical atmosphere. There are 33 rooms, all en-suite, with free broadband, Wifi access and air-con. All the rooms are named after former residents of the building, throughout its two-and-a-half century lifespan. Four posters, roll top baths and heated brass towel rails are the kinds of detail which greatly contribute to the romance of a successful city-break.

The Rookery was realised by joining three restored 18th-century townhouses, which created a unique hotel with buckets of charm, some comfortable distance from the concrete and glass chains dotted around major airports. It has an honesty bar, which is the only one I've come across, outside small award winning B&Bs dotted around the UK (apart from at its sister hotel, Hazlitt's in Soho). There are three public rooms: the drawing room, library and conservatory, with a small gravelled garden at the rear. Like many boutique hotels it has no restaurant, but does provide room service and breakfast, which are served in the rooms.

There is no shortage of bars, pubs and restaurants in this corner of London. St. John, Smiths of Smithfield, Jerusalem Tavern or Ye Olde Mitre are near enough to walk. The neighbourhood is also convenient, in that it straddles the two halves of London. The City (Square Mile) is a bounty of historical interest and architecture (with arguably the best pubs) and the West End is perfect for theatre and shopping trips. Clerkenwell is between them, in a quiet enclave that might end up becoming your new favourite part of London.

Check the Laterooms booking application in the right sidebar, as I've seen offers approaching 50% off The Rookery rooms, on select days. Worth a try if it fits in with your schedule.

Hotel Facilities: Bar, Concierge, Dry cleaning, Meeting rooms
Check in time is 3:00 pm Check out time is 12 noon.

The Rookery Hotel, Peter's Lane, Cowcross Street, London, EC1M 6DS

Nearest Tube: Farringdon or Barbican

Call: 020 7336 0931

A short guide to The Rookery from Hotels.tv, via YouTube

 

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