Floating amongst the swimmers and canoeists in the Royal Victoria Dock, London, Good Hotel makes for an imposing yet pretty structure. Resembling a flora-adorned shipping container, the walkway from land to hotel will transport you to a relaxed, friendly environment, perfect for a few nights getaway.
However, it’s not just a good night’s sleep and abundant river views that this hotel offers. Rather than making outlandish profits year on year, Good Hotel instead chooses to invest in communities, both locally and abroad.
The hotel’s purpose
The socially conscious, international hotel chain is all about creating a premium hospitality experience with a cause. At Good Hotel, the profits go into a plethora of causes, including educating children in Guatemala, and retraining locals right here in London, to offer jobs to those who have been unemployed long term. The hotel’s pioneering scheme was even featured on BBC documentary The Hidden World of Hospitality, led by Tom Kerridge, in 2023.
Their altruistic attitude means every night’s stay equals a good deed done – the money you spend goes towards making a positive difference in the community. In fact, one night’s stay at the hotel equals one week of schooling for those they help in Guatemala; and each room in the hotel is named after a child who has been helped in this way. It’s a lovely touch; on my visit, I stayed in the Antony room.
Unrivalled views
From the on-the-river views in the guest rooms to the seasonal rooftop bar, the Good Hotel’s crowning glory is arguably its vistas. Offering stunning views of the O2, the Emirates Air Line, and the Canary Wharf skyline, it’s a great spot to while away a few hours. At night, the area glistens as much as the water on which the hotel sits, while by day, you feel like you’re at a lake oasis, rather than in the heart of East London.
Dining at Good Hotel, London
To the right of the lobby, you’ll find the Living Room – a bar, restaurant, and breakfast buffet spot. The space is decorated with large portraits of the area’s local women’s football team and their supporters; it gave a very homely, community feel to the space, and I felt rather relaxed dining here.
The food menu at Good Hotel is a succinct, tapas-style menu, with a clear Spanish influence. I opted for my favourite Spanish omelette, which here was perfectly round, and simple goodness at its best. I also enjoyed the gambas al aijilo kataifi; the crunchy kataifi and almost sweet prawns paired well together.
My favourite sharing dish on the menu though was the beef short rib, served with sweet potato puree. Subtly smokey, slightly sweet, and abundantly moreish, I continued to nibble on this long after I was full. A special shout goes to the sticky toffee pudding too, served as a doughnut, with shards of toffee to garnish.
As for the drinks, there is a long menu of wine, beer, soft drinks, cocktails, and spirits. Word of warning: flip over the drinks menu! It was only after speaking with a member of staff that we realised the list of spirits and cocktails that awaited on the other side of the clipboard. My margarita and caipirinha were both well made, the rums on offer was varied, and the low prices of single and double shots were a bonus. As I visited during the winter, the seasonal rooftop bar was closed, but I was assured the views are pretty impressive – something I don’t doubt, given how impressive the views are from inside the hotel.
I returned to the Living Room for the buffet breakfast in the morning. The breakfast was lovely, and the day time views made the bacon crispier, the guacamole zingier, and the day of work ahead just better.
Staying overnight
The hotel’s minimalist rooms are designed much like cruise cabins – pretty fitting for its on-water location. Rooms vary in size, and start at a decent price. When pulling back the curtains in the morning, again, the views were staggering. I felt like I was on holiday.
All materials in the guest rooms are natural or made from re-purposed materials, and the bathrooms boast locally-made toiletries. On my bed, I found two mini Guatemalan worry dolls, to whom I could whisper my worries and then place under my pillow; legend has it that the dolls will take away any worries as one sleeps. I had a wonderful night’s sleep; the quiet was punctuated only once or twice by the odd flight from the nearby City Airport.
To summarise, Good Hotel is more than good: it is great. It’s perfect for a quick night’s stay for business reasons, or longer if you’re in the capital for leisure. It is clear from strolling around the ground floor area that community is at the heart of everything Good Hotel does – something I loved as a guest. I felt at ease in this hotel. A home away from home.