hotel guest lounge

Qbic Hotel London City is the city’s most exciting new affordable design hotel, with an innovative room concept and budget-friendly prices.

Founded in Amsterdam, Qbic Hotels take a fresh look at the budget city hotel experience with only the essential amenities, plus lots of convenient extras to make a stay more relaxed and enjoyable.

While many East End hotels and restaurant tend to be clustered around Shoreditch and Hoxton, Qbic Hotel London City occupies a more ‘under the radar’ position in Whitechapel. Just a few steps away from the renowned Whitechapel Gallery, buzzing Brick Lane and Spitalfields Market, the hotel is also conveniently close to Aldgate East underground station with quick access to central London.

On arrival, we were greeted by a friendly member of staff, who helped us check in using the self check-in kiosks. They were simple and easy to use, dispatching the room key and a receipt with the room number and check-out information.

The lift that we took to our floor features a cool wall-mounted electric guitar and information about the hotel and local events.

Our third-floor room was happily far away from the lifts, avoiding any noise, and in the corridor is a hot drinks machines offering lattes, cappuccinos, mochas and hot water for English Breakfast and herbal teas.

Entering our Park View Room, we were greeted by a super-sized Princess Diana and cheeky little Justin Bieber on the headboard – a fun design touch and a real talking point (especially with Justin Bieber’s current antics).

The room was spacious and simply designed, with a table and chair, full-length mirror, wooden floorboards and large windows.

Dutch designer Sander Bokkinga has specially created a striking lamp made from a hosepipe and a multi-functional luggage stand with hanging space and shelfs for belongings. It certainly captures the imagination and the creative spirit of the artistic East End, plus there are hangers and hooks on the wall for extra space (a few wall-mounted shelves would be nice too).

The focal point of the room is the ‘cubi’ which comprises a king-sized bed with an integrated 32-inch LED Smart TV, a lamp and a well-appointed bathroom. Constructed from curved plastic, wood paneling and glass, the pre-fabricated cubi is easy and affordable for the hotel to set up, keeping prices down for guests.

I found the bed extremely comfortable and luxurious with good bed linen and handy space-saving wooden side trays. The bedding was a little unusual with just two thin and basic pillows and a duvet that was almost double thickness, making it rather stifling at night.

I liked that each side of the bed had mood lighting switches and electrical sockets, making it easy to use a laptop or tablet in bed. The high-speed wifi is fantastic and can be accessed by simply entering a general password.

The bathroom is surprisingly slick with a powerful rainfall shower, a wide bowl sink and plenty of towels – even the zesty yellow colour of the walls is uplifting. In the bathroom are two large bottles of Emerelle Spa Hair & Body Wash (made for hotels), which were perfectly adequate for a shower, but guests need to bring their own conditioner and body lotion.

Guest rooms come without a telephone and while it’s not always an amenity that I use often, I can’t help thinking it’s a security issue not to have any channel of communication between the reception and the many guest rooms on the floor. There should at least be one phone that connects only the the reception and emergency services in the corridor, just in case.

A perk of staying at Qbic London City is the cool, atmospheric lounge where guests can enjoy complimentary tea and coffee in take-out cups and purified water. There are a number of jazzy Union Flag vending machines stocking locally-sourced snacks and drinks – we couldn’t resist trying a bottle of Dalston Cola.

Every evening at 6pm, Qbic Hotel London City offers guests complimentary home-made soup and fresh bread provided by local partner, Food Cycle. It’s a thoughtful touch that gives that home away from home feeling. There is also a microwave and kitchen station for preparing food – ideal for those visiting London on a budget, or just wanting a low-key evening.

In the morning, we enjoyed a continental breakfast (£7.50), including a selection of high quality produce such as Chegworth juices, delicious blueberry muffins, freshly-baked croissants, bread, cheese, preserves, cereal and fruit. For a lighter breakfast, all guests can fill a paper bag with a complimentary Chegworth juice, gourmet cereal bar and a piece of fresh fruit, displayed at the reception.

Qbic Hotel London City is a fun, affordable place to stay and it couldn’t be better placed for discovering East London. It best suits individuals or couples on a short stay in the city, particularly as the cubi bathrooms lack privacy. With cutting-edge design and home comforts, Qbic Hotels are set to revolutionise the city hotel stay and I can’t wait to see more of them popping up in Europe’s coolest cities.

A double room at Qbic Hotel London City starts from just £59 per night and includes a complimentary breakfast bag for each guest. For more information and booking, visit: www.qbichotels.com

Chérie City was invited by Qbic Hotel London City

All photos by Chérie City

Hotel Beauchamps is a rare find in Paris’ chic 8th arrondissement, characterised by an array of sparkling five star palace hotels. It combines elegant interiors, warm service and an enviable address with reasonable prices.

Hotel Beauchamps is tucked away on a quiet street on the ‘golden triangle’ of the Champs Elysées, avenue Montaigne and avenue George V. A contemporary boutique townhouse hotel of 83 rooms and 6 suites, Beauchamps is part of the prestigious G.L.A Hotels, under the direction of hotel expert Grace Leo.

Arrival

From the moment we stepped into the divine lobby at Hotel Beauchamps, we felt welcome and cared for. The reception staff gave us a warm welcome and went beyond the usual check-in protocol, offering local tips, maps and assistance for anything we might require during our stay.

The public areas of the hotel are a beautiful hint of what’s awaiting you in your guest room. The opulent lobby has a warm glow and and features gold leaf walls and red lacquered armchairs at the centre of the room on a plush circular carpet.

Most inviting is the elegant Library Lounge with large sofas, a welcoming fireplace, bookshelves filled with design books and interesting objets d’art. The Library Lounge is filled with intriguing artefacts from around the world, curated by the hotel’s fictional well-travelled art collector, Balthazar Beauchamps.

It offers guests an alternative place to relax and socialise over a pot of tea or a night cap. The shelves full of art and design books and warm atmosphere could keep you there for hours.

The Room

We were then led to the top floor and offered a choice of two rooms with different colour schemes and floor plans. Our loft-style room was homely and bright with a cosy bedroom leading to a separate dressing room with a large built-in wardrobe and an incredibly spacious bathroom.

It was thoughtfully designed in monochrome and sand with highlights of chartreuse and a patterned saffron and khaki carpet. I particularly liked the textural touches – a fuzzy wool blanket and cushions in soft raffia and velvet. Many of the rooms have attractive abstract paintings behind the bed, but the sloped ceiling of our room meant that this wasn’t possible.

The bed was soft and luxurious, with well-positioned reading lights and a flat screen TV straight ahead, so you can just lie back and relax after a long day of walking in the city.

The petite workspace with a comfy chair is great for getting on with work, or just a different seating space to the bed. Complimentary high speed WiFi made Beauchamps feel even more like home, as we used it to find a nearby restaurant that was open on a Sunday night (harder than you might imagine in Paris).

The guest service experience goes even further, as Hotel Beauchamps provides an attractive leather file with the hotel’s signature seal, offering local tips, maps and walking itineraries, so you can get the most out of your trip.

A Welcome Treat

When we arrived back in our room after a long walk around le Marais, there was a bottle of Plume Cabernet Sauvignon and a plate of delicious macarons awaiting us. We couldn’t resist devouring the macarons immediately – a delightful treat to keep us going before dinner.

Bathroom

Our spectacular bathroom was a real highlight, the kind of bathroom that you’d spend hours in getting ready and taking a long soak in the bath, which is exactly what I did that evening, after an indulgent 3-course dinner at the hotel restaurant Velvet, par Le Bistro d’Antoine (the sister of a well-known restaurant in Nice).

I loved the amber halo around the mirror and the plastic jewel-like stool, which added warmth to the chocolate brown and white bathroom. We were also given embroidered bathrobes, slippers and plenty of fluffy towels to use during our stay.

The bathroom amenities are Contemporel – a brand created personally by Grace Leo, which features in all G.L.A hotels and in some independent hotels.

Breakfast

In the morning, we went down to Velvet for a delicious breakfast of waffles, mini pastries, muffins, mini baguettes, hot dishes, cheese, yogurt, fruits, tea and coffee. Everything tasted fresh, well-made and was of a high standard.

My favourite spot in the hotel was a small nook between the entrance and Velvet – a hidden area away from the lobby where you can gossip away in secret or cosy up after an indulgent dinner. I loved the gold and electric blue chinoiserie on the walls and could have easily spent hours lounging on the comfy sofa.

Hotel Beauchamps is a real hidden gem with a warm, homely atmosphere in a refined neighbourhood. The attention to detail and comfortable surroundings make for a wonderful stay, and the location is unbeatable.

Rooms at Hotel Beauchamps start from 196 Euros. For more info and booking, visit: www.hotelbeauchamps.com

Chérie City was a guest of Hotel Beauchamps

Qbic Hotel London City

A Luxury Stay at Hotel Beauchamps Paris

Arrival

The Room

A Welcome Treat

Bathroom

Breakfast