A Wellness Reset At Hart Shoreditch Hotel London

The hotel — which opened in 2019 — is built on the site of a 19th-century carpenter’s house owned by the Hart family, the hotel’s namesake. Nestled in one of London’s most artisanal neighbourhoods, Hart Shoreditch is very much inspired by the area’s industrial history. Craftsmanship is core to the aesthetic, as are contemporary design touches. Homage is paid with lighting inspired by carpenters lamps, and throughout,  the hotel endeavours to highlight local artisans, lending to its elevated hipster chic feel.

The Workshop Series

To amplify Hart Shoreditch's positioning as the place to stay for a cultural weekend in the East End, the hotel has unveiled a series of creative workshops from journaling to jewellery making. We participated in a ‘Mindful Mending’ workshop, hosted by multi-hyphenate author, podcaster and Internet style advisor Andrea Cheong. Cheong is a vocal advocate of teaching her audience to shop better, and champions sustainable practices within the fashion industry. We each brought a piece of long neglected clothing, plucked from the back of our wardrobe to revitalise with the humble needle and thread. From small holes and tears, to more intricate needlework such as shortening hems and adjusting zips, this class left us empowered by our newly-acquired skills. The session was surprisingly soothing, giving long-forgotten pieces a new lease of life, while sipping coffee between stitches.

My mind already feeling quite stilled from this session, we moved into a truly melodic sound bathing workshop hosted by The Fire + Alchemy Wellbeing Collective. The session began with a zesty wellness cocktail laced with ashwagandha to channel our inner chill, before lying down on a yoga mat to enjoy the soothing session. Sound healing practitioner, Carrie Parker, led us through a truly grounding ritual, using crystal alchemy bowls reverberating at different frequencies. All whirring thoughts of my to-do-list ebbed away, as I tuned into the moment, before floating out with a renewed sense of zen.  

The Dining

The evening continued with a pre-dinner tipple at the lobby bar, a cool hangout for hotel guests and locals alike. Here, Asian-inspired cocktails reign supreme, fusing the vibrant flavours of yuzu, lychee and cherry blossom with sake, gin and Japanese whiskey. The East Asian theme continues at the hotel’s flagship restaurant UBA. Diners are taken on a gastronomic journey through Bangkok, Hanoi, Singapore and Kyoto with aromatic Pan-Asian dishes designed to be shared and savoured. We feasted on crispy rock shrimp tempura with a zingy kimchi mayo, fluffy duck bao buns, sticky black miso cod with a yuzu miso dip, and plates brimming with delicate maki rolls. The Omakase mochi selection struck a decidedly sweet note to draw our extravagant feast to a close before retreating to our rooms.

The Rooms

The industrial-chic aesthetic continues across the hotel’s 126 bedrooms. Think bottle green leather headboards, brushed wood flooring, brass light fittings, and accents of marble, copper and concrete. A celebration for all things artisanal is also echoed in these soothing spaces, with refillable water carafes crafted by a local ceramicist, and expansive showers flanked by fragrant Soapsmith products. 

After a restful slumber in the expansive bed, I enjoyed a slow morning at the hotel, nibbling pastries and fruit from the breakfast buffet before hopping on a few work calls from the comfort of my room. Upon checkout I felt refreshed and revitalised: exactly the aim of this spoiling 24 hour wellness retreat.

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