From Dickensian slum to industrial center to the upscale design district that it is today, Clerkenwell has had a colorful ride. It's also got a bit of a history of radicalism, as well as a somewhat surprising number of very fine restaurants, and now, boutique hotels. It's a long way from Oliver Twist's day.
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Clerkenwell
Where the original Zetter boutique hotel is somewhat airy and modern, the Townhouse opts for a period vibe, a bohemian, antique-furnished sort of look. It's only natural — a hundred-odd rooms sort of demands a systematic approach, while thirteen rooms and suites is quite small enough to be furnished with some individual attention paid to each room's character. The atmosphere, necessarily, is clubbier and more intimate than the Zetter as well, which is mostly just a function of the size and the décor. For the full effect, book the whole house, and invite a couple dozen of your closest friends. More...
13 Rooms
62 Verified Reviews
145 
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Clerkenwell
This one is an homage to the days when all manner of villains congregated here in the lawless zone (itself called the Rookery) just outside the old city limits. Each one of its bedrooms is unique, and named for characters from the Rookery's lawless days, not just professionals but criminals and prostitutes as well. Inside they're beautifully old-fashioned, a Victorian fantasy, some wood-paneled, all antique-furnished, with bathrooms featuring restored Victorian-era plumbing and fittings — a difficult sell to some guests, possibly, but not at all lacking for personality. More...
33 Rooms
121 Verified Reviews
277
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Clerkenwell
Supermarket heir Mark Sainsbury has gutted one of Clerkenwell's grimiest Victorian warehouses to make room for this London boutique hotel, whose entire ground floor is devoted to Club Zetter and the Atrium as well as Club Zetter Wine Room and Bar. A bright, five-story atrium greets guests on their way to rooms that are equally bright, if not quite as spacious and airy. The Kubrickian whiteness of the decor is mitigated by sparing splashes of bright color, and the occasional piece of antique furniture. More...
59 Rooms
280 Verified Reviews
587
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