HomeHotelsHyattHyatt Place London City East - An in-depth review

Hyatt Place London City East – An in-depth review


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Traveling for Miles was a guest of Hyatt for this 1-night stay at the Hyatt Place London City East. Neither Hyatt nor the property has had any say in the content of this article and neither has had access to this article ahead of publication.

The location

As its name suggests, the Hyatt Place London City East sits just to the east of the City of London – a square mile which is home to the UK’s financial center and hidden among the modern skyscrapers, some of the oldest buildings London has to offer.

a map of a city a map of a city

If you’re using public transport to get to the hotel, the closest underground (subway) station is Aldgate East – a 2-minute walk away and served by the District Line and the Hammersmith & City Line.

Guests flying into London’s Gatwick Airport can take the “Gatwick Express” train to Victoria Station and there, change to the District Line to Aldgate East station.

Guests flying into London’s Heathrow Airport can take the Elizabeth Line direct to Whitechapel Station (service to Whitechapel is expected to commence in November 2022) from where the Hyatt Place London City East is an 8-minute walk.

Aldgate East station has several exits but if you follow the signs leading to the Whitechapel Art Gallery, you’ll be a very short walk away from the hotel when you reach street level.

a sign on a wall a sign on a wall

The property’s location at the eastern edge of the City means that it’s within walking distance of key City landmarks:

  • Lloyds of London – 14 minutes
  • Bank – 19 minutes

Within walking distance of several key mainline stations:

  • Fenchurch Street Station – 12 minutes
  • Liverpool Street Station – 14 minutes
  • Cannon Street Station – 23 minutes

Within walking distance of a number of notable London landmarks:

  • Whitechapel Gallery – 2 minutes
  • Brick Lane – 10 minutes
  • Andaz Liverpool Street – 14 minutes
  • Tower of London – 19 minutes
  • Tower Bridge – 19 minutes

And a short (10-minute) walk from the Royal London Hospital.

If the weather makes walking an undesirable option (a big risk in London!) or if walking simply isn’t your thing, the proximity of Aldgate East and Whitechapel stations makes it very easy for guests to get into key parts of the financial district incredibly quickly.

For guests wishing to visit central London, Westminster (the very heart of the capital) is just 8 stops away from Aldgate East and from there, many of London’s must-see attractions are a short walk or a short second underground ride away.

The property

Common areas

You’ll find the entrance to the Hyatt Place London City East directly on Whitechapel Road…

a street with cars and buildings
Hyatt Place London City East

…and you’ll find the lobby area one level down just inside the front door.

a lobby with a reception desk and a couch
Hyatt Place London City East Lobby

The lobby can be accessed via stairs or elevator…

a room with a staircase and chairs
Hyatt Place London City East Lobby

…and although compact, it still manages to offer a good amount of seating and even a couple of workstations.

a room with chairs and tables
Hyatt Place London City East Lobby
a room with tables and chairs
Hyatt Place London City East Lobby
a desk with two computers and stools
Hyatt Place London City East Lobby

Adjacent to the check-in desk is “The Market” – a counter (open 24/7) serving fresh local coffee, food to take away or eat-in, sodas, alcoholic beverages, fruit, and more.

a counter with drinks and beverages
Hyatt Place London City East – The Market
a counter with shelves of food and drinks
Hyatt Place London City East – The Market

Wherever you turn your gaze, you’re almost guaranteed to see a wall adorned with works by local artists for whom the property operates a bursary scheme.

a wall with colorful art on it
Hyatt Place London City East Lobby Art
a table with a painting and books on it
Hyatt Place London City East Lobby Art
a room with a table and chairs
Hyatt Place London City East Lobby Art

On the whole, how and where a hotel gets its art isn’t really something that most of us think about when we visit (and if we’re being honest, most of us probably don’t really care either) but just as it’s nice to find out that a restaurant in your neighborhood is serving locally sourced produce, it’s also nice to see a hotel doing its bit to support the people in the area in which it’s located.

The rooms

It only takes a quick look at the Hyatt website to see that the Hyatt Place London City East doesn’t have a vast selection of room types from which guests can choose, but there should be something to suit most requirements across the property’s 9 floors.

  • 1 King Bed (entry-level room)
  • 2 Twin Beds (entry-level room)
  • 1 King Bed with Sofa Bed
  • 1 King Bed High Floor
  • 2 Twin Beds High Floor
  • 1 King Bed High Floor with Balcony
  • 1 King Bed High Floor with Terrace

Standard 1 King Bed (images courtesy of Hyatt) – Click/tap to enlarge

A King Bed High Floor with Balcony Room

A standard “1 King Bed” room occupies approximately 226sqft (21sqm) and a King Bed High Floor with Balcony room (the room that I stayed in) is marginally smaller at approximately 215sqft (20sqm) so there’s no getting away from the fact that the rooms are not very big.

a room with a bed and a closet
Hyatt Place London City East – King Bed with balcony
a bed with white sheets and a red chair in a room
Hyatt Place London City East – King Bed with balcony
a bed with white sheets in a room
Hyatt Place London City East – King Bed with balcony
a room with a bed and a tv
Hyatt Place London City East – King Bed with balcony

Having said that, however, if you’re spending most of the day working elsewhere or exploring London, the room’s size probably won’t really matter. If you’re traveling as a couple and are both planning on spending a lot of time in the room, the space may feel a little confined.

Pleasingly (and as we should probably expect in a property as new as this one) there are light controls, power outlets (UK-style), and USB ports on both sides of the bed…

a light switch on a table
You’ll find power outlets and light controls on both sides of the bed

…and more power outlets and USB ports by the small work area.

a room with a mirror and a desk
Hyatt Place London City East – King Bed with balcony work area
a black lamp on a table
Power outlets by the work area

The first impression given by the work area is that it’s a little tight on space but although this work area’s location right next to the room’s door wasn’t exactly ideal (the location of the work area varies from room to room so it’s not always by the door), I was surprised to find that a lack of space wasn’t really an issue once I sat down.

a laptop on a desk
This 16″ MacBook should give you an idea of how much space the work area offers

The room offers a single wardrobe with an iron and ironing board…

a swingers and a chair in a room

…and an empty mini-fridge (the best kind!).

a small refrigerator with a door open
Empty mini-fridges are much more useful than ones filled with overpriced rubbish

Rooms with a balcony or terrace also offer a Nespresso machine, proper size mugs, and tea-making facilities.

a shelf with a tray of coffee and other items
In-room coffee & tea making facilities

Here’s how a “King Bed with balcony” room stacks up against an entry-level room:

a list of information on a bed
Click or tap to enlarge

The bathroom is of a reasonable size and, importantly, the water coming out of the shower is well pressurized.

a bathroom with a shower and toilet a bathroom with a shower and sink

a shower with a glass door

There’s a little space by the washbasin for a guest’s toiletries…

a bathroom sink with towels and a towel rack

…and at the time of this visit, the property was still offering individual toiletries by Barney Kenet.

a group of toiletries on a counterThat’s just about all there is to say about the interior of the room so all that remains (in this section) is to mention the room’s best attribute – the balcony.

a room with a red chair and a table
I loved the amount of light that the room’s windows allowed in

The glass door leading to the balcony and the large windows looking out onto it ensure that a lot of light can enter (making the room feel bright and larger than it actually is), and the balcony itself offers a great place to relax when the weather permits.

a yellow chairs and a table on a balcony
Rooms with their own outdoor space are not easy to find in London

To the left, the balcony offers views of the City…

a city with a crane
View of the City of London

…and because there aren’t any high-rise buildings directly behind the property, the views into the distance give a further feeling of space.

a city with many buildings

On this visit, the weather wasn’t particularly good but because it didn’t rain, I made sure to make the most of having my own private outdoor space and I loved every moment of it. I cannot recommend it enough. If you’re visiting this property and your budget will stretch to it, book a room with a balcony or terrace – you won’t regret it.

The gym

The property’s gym is on the lower ground floor (the same floor as the lobby area) and while small, the number of machines and free weights on offer should keep most people happy.

a room with exercise equipment
The gym at the Hyatt Place London City East
a group of treadmills in a room
The gym at the Hyatt Place London City East
a gym with weights and a mirror
The gym at the Hyatt Place London City East
a gym with weights and exercise equipment
The gym at the Hyatt Place London City East
a gym with equipment in the corner
The gym at the Hyatt Place London City East

The restaurant & dining

Zoom East is the property’s restaurant and is located next to the Market at lobby level.

a sign on a wall with plants a restaurant with tables and chairs a table with chairs and a wall of plants a restaurant with orange and white chairs

A breakfast buffet* is served here between 07:00 and 10:30 Monday to Friday and between 07:00 and 11:00 on Saturday and Sunday.

a buffet table with food on it
Breakfast

On the food side, guest’s can choose from a selection of cold cuts and cheeses…

a group of different types of food on black plates

Cereals, pastries and fruit…

a counter with food on it a group of bowls of food on a table

Or a standard range of hot options including, eggs, bacon, sausages, etc…

a buffet with many pots of food

On the drinks side, guests can choose between a selection of juices…

a group of jars of juice

Hot chocolate or a variety of coffees…

a coffee machine and coffee maker on a counter a coffee machine with a screen

Or a selection of teas…

a basket with packets in it

*The buffet comes with an additional charge if not already included in the room rate booked.

Zoom East also opens between 12:00 and 22:00 (daily) for lunch and dinner and this is where the Hyatt Place London City East really starts to differentiate itself from most other select-service properties.

The restaurant’s menu changes with the seasons but to give me an idea of the style of dishes that are being served up this is what I was given to try.

Small Plates

Sweet red peppers filled with feta cheese and confit artichoke, olive oil with parsley, rosemary & chili marinade.

a plate of food on a table

Burrata with pistachio relish and music bread (a traditional flatbread from Sardinia).

a plate of food on a table

Goat cheese courgette flower with honey and truffle dressing.

a food on a tray

Crispy squid with black ink aioli.

a plate of food on a table

Sharing Mains

Sea bass fillet with San Marzano tomato sauce, caper berries, and black olives.

a fish on a plate

Meatballs with Mediterranean herbs, tomato & confit garlic sauce, and crispy aubergines.

a plate of food on a table

Aubergine parmigiana with basil pesto.

a pan of food on a wooden board

Sides

Radicchio leaf salad, fennel, orange segments, and grapes.

a bowl of food with a fork

Courgette fries.

a bowl of food with a spoon

Last but not least…

Dessert

Pistachio tiramisu.

a dessert in a glass on a plate

The flavors and textures were fantastic and because this is a “select-service” property, the quality of the meal caught me off guard. This isn’t what food at select-service properties is usually like!

It would not be an exaggeration to say that a lot of well-regarded Italian London eateries would do well to match the quality and freshness of these dishes so to have them offered by a select service property in the East End of London was more than a little surprising (it begs the question, why can’t more hotels offer up food like this?)

For reference, this was the Zoom East menu the last time I dropped by to see what was being offered (a separate visit).

a menu of a restaurant
Click or tap to enlarge

The bar

Pocketsquare is the bar at the Hyatt Place London City East and is another little gem that the property offers.

Situated on the top floor of the building, Pocketquare is open between 17:00 and 00:00 Monday through Wednesday and between 15:00 and 00:00 Thursday through Saturday (it’s closed on Sundays).

a room with tables and chairs

a room with tables and chairs a room with a bar and chairs

You’ll find signature cocktails and ‘bar bites’ on the menu…

a menu of a restaurant a menu of a restaurant

a menu with black text

…and beers and other drinks behind the bar…

a bar with blue walls and chairs a bar with a row of chairs and a bar

…but more than anything else, it’s the outdoor terrace that makes this a great spot to enjoy a drink after a long day in London.

a table and chairs on a rooftop a rooftop patio with tables and chairs

There’s something about sitting down with a good drink and a nice view of a city that never gets old for me and after an early start and busy day, I found the Pocketsquare terrace to be the perfect place to relax.

The property’s killer selling point

If you’re a fan of Hyatt properties, the Hyatt Place London City East has one killer selling point – price.

Not only is this property well located for access to the City and to public transport, but it also offers that access at a considerably lower price point than any of the other (main) London Hyatt properties.

The Andaz Liverpool Street is just 14 minutes’ walk away from the Hyatt Place London City East but take a look at how big the price difference between the two can be.

a map of a city

Yes, the standard rooms at the Andaz are larger and the Andaz is a full-service property while the Hyatt Place is not, but if you’re in London to explore or to work and don’t really need all the frills of a full-service property, do you really need to spend over double what the Hyatt Place is charging?

You could argue that comparing the room rate at a Hyatt Place to the room rate at a full-service property is unfair (and you would be right), but I’m not trying to compare like with like here. I’m simply trying to show how the Hyatt Place London City East can help Hyatt fans save quite a bit of cash in exchange for a little less.

On the same date as the one above, The Churchill is charging £423/night, the Great Scotland Yard is charging £597/night and the yet-to-open Hyatt Regency Blackfriars is charging £352/night and while I’m sure you could make a strong argument to say that all of those properties are higher-end properties than the Hyatt Place London City East, there’s no escaping the fact that in comparison, the Hyatt Place looks like a bargain.

a map of a city

To be clear, this isn’t an isolated example.

Here’s another date on which the Hyatt Place London City East is considerably cheaper than its sister properties.

a map of a city

…and here’s a third:

a map of a city

For a Hyatt fan visiting London and only really needing a base from which to explore the city or to go to work, the Hyatt Place London City East can offer significant cost savings and if they happen to have Hyatt Leverage membership (more on that here), the savings can be even greater.

a screenshot of a hotel

Irrespective of what you may think about select-service properties, it’s hard to complain about a £169/$196 room rate at a property as well located as this one!

World of Hyatt

While the Hyatt Place London City East can be a great choice for Hyatt fans looking to save a little cash on their next visit to London, the story when it comes to World of Hyatt Points is less cut and dry.

As a Category 3 property, the Hyatt Place London City East will charge 9,000/12,000/15,000 points per night (off-peak/standard/peak seasons), and while even at 15,000 points per night this would be a reasonable redemption when the property is charging £224/$260 per night…

screenshot of a hotel website

…the Andaz Liverpool Street at just 8,000 points/night more, looks tempting.

If you’re points rich, splashing out a little extra for the Andaz Liverpool Street would probably be the better option.

The elephant in the room

There’s a lot to like about the Hyatt Place London City East and it’s a property that I’m happy to recommend for a wide variety of reasons, but it would be wrong to close this review without mentioning the area in which the property sits.

East London has been home to various regeneration projects for over 30 years but the regeneration hasn’t quite reached the part of Whitechapel Road on which the Hyatt Place sits.

Less than 5 minutes’ walk away you’ll find modern office buildings sitting side by side with beautifully restored old churches…

a group of people walking on a street in a city

…and you’ll see the ongoing regeneration works as you walk towards the City…

a phone booth on a street

…but the area immediately around the Hyatt Place (the area between Aldgate East Station and the hotel) isn’t quite so refined.

The local shops aren’t particularly inviting…

a store front with a display of electronics a sidewalk with store fronts and people walking on the side

…a few of the local buildings are well overdue for some TLC…

a group of people walking on a street

…and overflowing trash cans are not a rarity.

a trash can on the sidewalk

None of this, of course, has anything to do with the property being reviewed, and as someone who had a home in East London for well over a decade, none of this would stop me from visiting, but it’s important for readers to know what to expect when they arrive.

This isn’t Mayfair, Marylebone, Knightsbridge, or Kensington. This is East London and with that should come an understanding that not everything in the area will be Georgian terraces, boutique coffee shops, and 18th-century squares.

This area has an incredible amount to offer but if you’re expecting to find this Hyatt situated in a leafy square (like the one in which The Churchill sits) you’re going to be disappointed. If you’re expecting a busy city road (similar to what you’ll find all over large parts of Manhattan), you’ll be fine.

Final thoughts

Overall, the Hyatt Place London City East is a very good option for Hyatt fans visiting London.

Sure, the rooms are on the smaller side, and the area in which the property sits needs some TLC but as an overall package, this is a hotel that has a lot going for it.

Between the friendly staff, its proximity to a lot of what London has to offer (by foot or by public transport), the excellent food, and the bar with a great terrace, the Hyatt Place London City East makes for a great London base and, crucially, it’s a property that I’d be more than happy to visit over and over again…even on my own dime! 🙂

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Regarding Comments

Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser or any other advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility or any other advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

2 COMMENTS

  1. One other notable point – especially for parties of five – this property participates in the Hyatt Family Plan program where you can book a first room on points and then book a second room for the kids at 50% of the cash member rate. In my situation this provided great value for my family of five as we booked a twin bed room on points that connected to a king bed plus sofa bed room for 50% off.

    Also, unlike US Hyatt Places, breakfast is only free/complimentary for WOH Globalist members at this property.

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