The Stratford review: A warm welcome at luxury hotel

For people who are looking for that little bit of luxury a short trip away from the hustle and bustle of inner-city London, this hotel is just for you.

Located in East London, near to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, is the Stratford.

The Stratford only recently opened its doors in July 2019 within the new 42-storey Manhattan Loft Gardens skyscraper – bringing a new era of hotel living to London, inspired by the timeless glamour of 1950s New York’s long-stay hotel.

The building is the latest project from London property pioneers, Manhattan Loft Corporation. Designed by SOM, the architects behind some of the world’s most iconic skyscrapers including the Burj Khalifa and One World Trade Centre, the double-cantilevered tower features living spaces, sky gardens, two restaurants and a design hotel.

Occupying the first six floors, is the Stratford, a 145-room luxury hotel. The hotel is located right across the road from Stratford International Station and a multi-storey car park next door – it is ideal for anyone who is travelling by rail or road for a weekend in London. Which is exactly what we did – after leaving our car in the car park next door, we lugged our cases to the hotel – and were greeted with a bright and airy reception area, with really friendly staff. We were told we had been upgraded to their highest category room – the Manhattan studio.

After taking the lift up to the fifth floor, we followed the long, winding corridor to our room. Once we opened the door, we were blown away by the room. The interiors are designed by Space Copenhagen – and we were greeted by natural timbers, warm metals and a stone-clad bathroom.

The Manhattan studio featured a large bedroom/lounge with floor to ceiling windows, a wardrobe room, toilet and separate bathroom – featuring a large walk-in shower and bath. A huge super king-size bed occupied the lounge and bedroom, with a seating area, large widescreen wall television, and an impressive mini-bar boasting an array of drinks and snacks.

Plenty of storage was available in the wardrobe – with the added touch of dressing gowns, slippers and a Stratford hoodie all hung up for guests to use. The modern bathroom offered a walk-in shower with a waterfall-style shower and a large freestanding modern bath. The studio was modern, simple, elegant – but most of all comfortable.

Once we ventured out of the room that evening, we were treated to a beautiful meal at the ground-floor Stratford Brasserie by Ben Harrington. It offers a simple, yet tasty, menu, which caters for all – featuring pasta, salads, steaks, burgers and fish dishes. My partner and I chose to share some house bread rolls and butter to start, which were warm and fresh, before our main course arrived.

I chose the Cacio e Pepe linguine (black pepper and cheese pasta), while my partner chose the sirloin steak with peppercorn sauce which was beautifully cooked. We were too full for puddings, after also sharing a side of Hasselback potato – with parmesan and chives – with our main courses.

The seventh floor of the building is given over to Allegra, a restaurant by former Chiltern Firehouse head chef Patrick Powell. The menu boasted seasonal dishes and a vast drinks menu – including signature cocktails. Just out of the doors of the restaurant is a beautiful landscaped garden – which over the summer would offer a relaxing, calm and beautiful place to meet friends for a catch-up. But unfortunately for us, on a rainy Saturday in October, we could not get much use out of the area.

The next morning we were back at the brasserie for breakfast – with a menu that offered full English, pancakes, eggs and fruit bowls. We both settled on breakfasts – one full English and one vegetarian, which were complemented by a pot of tea, delicious orange juice and rounds of toast. We checked out and left from our overnight stay, refreshed, relaxed and happy.

The main thing I took away from my stay, is that if you have the money to treat yourself to a night – or two – at the Stratford, everything you need is in walking distance.

The ideal location of the hotel offers that exciting London atmosphere – but it is still just out of the centre of the capital to give those looking for the perfect trip away from the business a chance to escape.

The nearest underground station is a 10-minute walk away, while within 15 minutes you can catch the tube to the centre of London. For those looking to get their Christmas shopping sorted – or even treat themselves to a gift or two – the Westfield shopping centre is just across the road, which features dozens of shops, restaurants, a casino and cinema. While those who missed out on the London Olympics – can take a short walk to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

The hotel’s gym can also keep guests entertained. And for those guests looking in to check in for weeks, months, or even years, can head to the Stratford Lofts – a collection of 248 single and double-height loft apartments.

Travel facts:

• Rooms at the Stratford start from £199 a night in a standard room, depending on the notice given for booking.

• The Manhattan suite starts at around £400 a night, which can rise to nearly £800 on selected dates.

• At the Stratford Brasserie, the mains were £10 for pasta and £27 for steak.

• The cheapest starter is £7, while the cheapest main is £10 and dessert £7.

• Prices for breakfast at the Stratford Brasserie range from £3 to £14.