Look, I’ll be honest – when I first heard about YOTEL London City, I thought it was going to be one of those gimmicky pod hotels where you feel like you’re sleeping in a spaceship. And yeah, there’s definitely some of that futuristic vibe going on, but it actually works really well here on Clerkenwell Road. The whole robot check-in thing sounds weird until you realize you’re getting into your room at 11 PM without waiting behind some guy arguing about his booking confirmation.
What really got me was the location – I mean, you’re right in the sweet spot between Angel and Farringdon stations, which honestly makes getting anywhere in London pretty painless. There’s this great little Ethiopian place called Zeret Kitchen literally around the corner that most tourists never find, and you can walk to Borough Market in about 20 minutes if you don’t mind crossing the Thames. The neighborhood has this interesting mix of old London pubs (The Jerusalem Tavern is tiny but brilliant) and new tech offices, so you get proper character without feeling like you’re stuck in a tourist bubble. I actually found myself just wandering around Exmouth Market in the evenings – it’s got this village-y feel that you don’t expect in Zone 1.
The rooms themselves are clever as hell, though definitely compact – think Tokyo efficiency rather than American spaciousness. Everything transforms and folds and slides in ways that make you appreciate good design. The bed is genuinely comfortable (not always a given with these modern hotels), and the shower pressure is surprisingly decent. You know what I loved? The windows actually open, which seems basic but so many newer hotels have sealed everything shut. The sound situation is pretty good too – Clerkenwell Road gets some traffic but it’s not the kind of constant rumble that keeps you awake, and the double glazing handles most of it anyway. Fair warning though, if you’re the type who travels with four suitcases and a shoe collection, you might feel a bit cramped. But for a few nights in London, especially if you’re actually planning to leave your room and explore the city, it’s got everything you need without the inflated prices you’d pay closer to Covent Garden or Westminster. The whole experience feels refreshingly straightforward – no pretentious concierge trying to upsell you tours, no lobby full of people taking Instagram photos. Just a smart, well-designed place to sleep in one of London’s most interesting neighborhoods.