The Bull and The Hide

Hotel Description

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much when I first walked up to The Bull and The Hide on Devonshire Row – I mean, it’s tucked between all these glass office towers in the City, and you know how sterile that area can feel. But this place actually has some serious character hiding behind that understated entrance. The whole building has this wonderful old London pub vibe (there’s actually a gastropub downstairs that’s part of the hotel), which makes perfect sense once you realize you’re basically staying above a beautifully restored Victorian boozer.

What really gets me about this spot is how it manages to feel both properly London and surprisingly quiet, considering you’re literally in the financial district. The rooms have this clever mix of exposed brick and modern touches – not trying too hard to be boutique-y, just comfortable in their own skin. I stayed on the third floor and barely heard any street noise, which is honestly miraculous given that Liverpool Street station is maybe a five-minute walk away. Speaking of which, that’s actually brilliant if you’re doing day trips – you can hop on the Central line or catch trains out to the countryside without any of the usual London transport drama. The staff seem to genuinely know the neighborhood too, not just the tourist spots everyone mentions.

You know what surprised me most? The attention to small details that actually matter. Like, they’ve got proper thick curtains (not those flimsy hotel ones that let in every bit of street light), and the shower pressure is honestly better than my flat back home. The downstairs pub serves food until pretty late, which is a godsend when you’ve been wandering around all day and can’t face another overpriced hotel restaurant meal. Plus, if you’re into that sort of thing, you’re walking distance from some of the City’s best traditional pubs – though they’ll be packed with suits during weekday evenings, fair warning. Weekends are a completely different story though – the whole area goes pretty quiet, which means you get this weird feeling of having central London almost to yourself. I’d definitely come back, especially if I needed to be anywhere in Zone 1 early in the morning. It’s one of those places that just works without making a big fuss about it.

Rooms

• Deluxe Double Room with 1 large double bed for 2 adults
• Suite with Balcony with 1 extra-large double bed and 1 sofa bed for 3 adults
• Suite with 1 large double bed for 2 adults

Facilities