I love a good staycation. “What on earth is that?” I hear you cry. Well my friends, a staycation is a holiday, away from home, but where you don’t actually have to travel very far. Last weekend I had a staycation at The Hoxton hotel in, you guessed it, Hoxton.

Based on the Easy Jet style of cheap fares, The Hoxton offers rooms for as little as £1 a night with a maximum price of £199. It is a no frills destination in a great location but with a lot of the comforts of a boutique hotel.

Dreamt up by Pret a manger founder Sinclair Beecham, The Hoxton promises small rooms with a comfortable double bed, a TV, chaise longue, hair dryer and hot drink facilities. Breakfast consists of small Pret yoghurts, bananas and bottles of orange juice, which are delivered to your door at your specified time. There is no mini bar in the room but guests are provided with free bottles of Pret spring water and a carton of milk for those much needed teas and coffees. The front desk at reception doubles as a shop where you can buy chocolate for 30p less than the local shop, toothpaste, batteries etc…

We arrived on Saturday afternoon, possibly the coldest day of the year so far and quickly scrapped our plans for a quick spot of shopping when we entered the room. Instead, we made use of the free WiFi and TV for a couple of hours before heading out to Green Lanes for dinner.

When we left, the heavens opened with white fluffy snow. When we arrived back, we left the curtains open so when we woke, we could see the fantastic view from the 5th floor with snow topped roofs all the way over to The Shard, which was partially blocked from our view with fog.

The streets on Sunday morning were thick with snow and while we had plans to visit Sunday upmarket after a brunch at nearby St Ali, we had to give them up and retire home. But not before making use of the drench shower at The Hoxton, which I wasn’t really expecting from a no frills hotel.

Check out was speedy and as we walked out through the doors, the roaring fires on each side of the room beckoned us over. But they failed, for my St Ali flat white and French toast was waiting for me.

Food For Think was a guest at The Hoxton

The Hoxton
81 Great Eastern St
London
EC2A 3HU
020 7550 1000