You could easily be mistaken for thinking that London's finest hotels are all situated central to the city. You're so wrong. I'll admit that I'm guilty of this assumption too. However, I recently discovered a gem of a hotel, south of the river.

Bermondsey Square hotel is nestled away in one of the most unlikely places; a short drive from Peckham and 15 minutes away from Elephant and Castle. It's situated in a fairly recent renovation where luxury apartments and amenities have been developed to put Bermondsey back on the map.

Bermondsey Street has been called "cool and funky" by Time Out Magazine and Vogue considers it a new destination for South London's most stylish shoppers. The hotel is central to this and has all the qualities of London's most coveted boutique establishments. Till now, I hadn't imagined that the Soho Sanctum could be rivaled in it's rock n' roll edge, but Bermondsey Square is very much on par.

The hotel has 79 rooms in total designed by David Gabriel. Four of which are loft rooms, all with spacious terraces and it's own 8 person Swedish hot tub.


The décor is truly a pleasure; warm, inviting, with a subtle seductiveness about it. The rooms are so chic, that you could easily wake up feeling like you're in an exclusive studio apartment in New York. Having said this, the view from the loft rooms are brilliant and won't leave you feeling disappointed. From the quaint corner shops of old to the architecture of the new look Bermondsey, it's a great view, looking out over London's spectacular skyline.

The loft room that I stayed in was aptly named 'Lilly'. Inside you'll experience a lush cream and white interior. Far from clinical, the soft layers of whites, creams and the hint of golden brown had a classic feel. Yet the Apple Mac TV, ipod deck and 'crystal' studded bed head achieved a contemporary finish. The space was plentiful and I loved the bathroom; the Hans Grohe drench shower did well to ease the aches and stress of the week away.

Aside from the rooms, there's Alfie's Kitchen - the hotel's bar and restaurant that serves delicious English cuisine. I opted for rib eye steak with horseradish mash and honey coated carrots. That was followed by an indulgent chocolate pudding and vanilla ice cream. Divine! The average three course meal costs £33 and it's definitely worth a visit.

There's also hotel beauty treatment rooms where you can be buffed, massage and preened. The menu features the Immaculate Manicure that Harper's Bazaar magazine voted a number one treatment for luxurious, long lasting, chip resistant results.

Bermondsey Square is a must-stay and I can confidently proclaim it as South London's leading hotel. Room rates start from £109.

The Bermondsey Square Hotel
Bermondsey Square
Tower Bridge Road
London SE1 3UN

Tel: 0870 111 2525
Web: www.bermondseysquarehotel.co.uk