Independent hotel One Hundred Shoreditch cuts a modern shape on Shoreditch High Street, welcoming overnight guests and daytime visitors alike. The hotel is more than just a spot to lay your head: they offer a range of activities, and are home to multiple bars too. Their Lobby Lates, in particular, caught my eye, so I went along to check a session out.
Lobby Lates at One Hundred Shoreditch
One Hundred Shoreditch hosts Lobby Lates sessions every Thursday and Friday from 7pm, with a live DJ at the helm. It’s billed to include a range of genres, spanning R&B, hip-hop, house, pop, and ‘90s icons, and I LOVED the setlist on my visit. From 50 Cent to Nelly Furtado, Popcaan to Tems, the DJ was dropping absolute bangers. I wholly welcome finding a spot where there is a range of ages on the dancefloor (or bar seats, as the case was here), plus banger after banger played.
The cocktail menu at One Hundred Shoreditch’s Lobby Bar had my mouth watering before I even sat down; their cocktails were very me. A selection of drinks that feature watermelon or cucumber, plus a plethora of margaritas and daiquiris? Yes, please. The Lobby Bar actually has two drink menus, one round the clock, and one specifically for the Lobby Lates.
I tried a few cocktails on my visit, my favourite being a toss-up between the Spicy Cucumber Margarita and the Watermelon Daquiri. The former was light on the spice, pleasantly balanced by the cucumber taste, while the latter was refreshing, and went down very easily…
There is a succinct food menu available in the Lobby Bar and, while the burger was okay, the salt and pepper squid was by far the star of the show. Genuinely, it was some of the best calamari I’ve had in a while! It was well seasoned, it had a great crunchy coating, plus each bite contained a decent amount of squid – and the squid was not chewy at all. The chilli jam married sweet and spicy with the saltiness of the calamari itself. Add a side of chips, and you’ve got a whole meal.
Staying at the hotel
The good times continue in the guest rooms, which use clean lines, and light colours to maximise space. In my room, there was a small viewing area – almost an indoor balcony – with floor-to-ceiling windows that let the natural light stream in. It was a great spot to relax and watch the world go by on Shoreditch High Street below. In addition to the mini bar, I loved that there were drinking water taps on each floor by the lift, so I could refill my carafe as many times as needed (essential after a night at the bar). There were both still and sparkling water options.
Come breakfast in the morning, a delicious spread awaits. You can tell a lot about a hotel from their breakfast, and their Full English was spot on. The hash browns were almost creamy inside, though covered in a crisp coating, and the bacon was cooked perfectly. Everything was well-seasoned too.
Elsewhere at the hotel
As previously mentioned, One Hundred Shoreditch strives to be a cultural hub for staying guests and passing visitors alike. There is a rotating schedule of workshops – from self-discovery coaching sessions to how to deal with rejection (May 2024) – plus boozy brunches, themed workouts, and more. Check out the One Hundred Shoreditch website for the most up-to-date schedule.
Alongside the drinks in the Lobby Bar, One Hundred Shoreditch also has a rooftop area with panoramic views over East London – I tried the spiciest spicy marg of my life here – and a basement bar. The latter is home to the well-loved Seed Library.
All in all, I found One Hundred Shoreditch to be a great spot before a night out in Shoreditch for non-staying guests, while also offering a fab place to stay in Zone 1 should you want to rest your head overnight. I look forward to seeing what other cool activations One Hundred Shoreditch offers in future.