Bankside Hotel, Autograph Collection: https://www.banksidehotel.com/
Overview
Located in the heart of South Bank, London, Bankside is an artsy, design-driven hotel that fully encapsulates the dynamic cultural scene in the surrounding area. An Autograph Collection hotel, Bankside’s dedication to design can be seen in every corner of the hotel. Most notably, the hotel features an eclectic collection of artworks and regularly hosts in-residence artists at its very own Art Yard Maker’s Studio. One can easily mistake Bankside for an art gallery rather than a hotel. Despite its convenient location and proximity to tourist attractions along the river, the 6-story hotel is quietly tucked in between a few taller buildings, offering guests a tranquil and cozy experience.
We were pleasantly surprised to have discovered the Bankside Hotel on our trip to London and were very fortunate to stay 4 nights using the sign-on bonus from the Chase Marriott Bonvoy credit card. If you are curious about how we planned our larger Europe journey and how much we spent in total, go read our latest trip report: 2-Week Adventure in London, Paris, and Lisbon Under $1000!
Check-In
Getting to the hotel is rather straightforward, as it is right next to the Blackfriars station, which connects to both the tube and the Thames link. Since we stayed the first night in Kensington and didn’t want to take the tube with our luggage, we opted for a black cab. Our taxi driver actually raised our expectations for Bankside, as he raved about all the positive reviews he had heard.
The check-in experience was smooth from the get-go. The lobby felt nothing like a hotel lobby; it was cozy, aesthetic, and full of art decor. I’ve also never seen so many different chair designs in a lobby! We were greeted with a complimentary drink of our choice at check-in as we chatted with our concierge about our traveling plans. In place of a traditional front desk, the hotel has a large open table where the concierge and guests are seated (chairs are everywhere in this lobby!). There is something quite special about checking in while being seated.
After learning about the hotel amenities, we were given our bamboo hotel key to our room. The whole process felt very calming in contrast to the typical hectic check-ins.
Room | Spacious King
Using our free night certificates (FNCs), we booked the standard room and were graciously upgraded to the spacious king room after requesting a room that could accommodate 3 people. The average nightly rate here for the spacious king room is around £400, so the FNCs definitely came in handy.
The art gallery theme extends into the interior of the room with the exposed concrete ceiling and the professional picture frames. However, the lighting fixtures and wooden furnishings definitely warm up the room. The room contained a king-size bed along with a large sofa couch. The couch was already made into a bed when we checked in. Even with the couch fully extended into a bed, the room still felt spacious as its name suggests. The room came equipped with a Nespresso maker and tea sets. The mini fridge was stocked with Cano spring water.
The bed was one of the most comfortable hotel beds I’ve slept in. It came with 100% down feather pillows and duvets. For those who are more sensitive to light, there were also blackout curtains to further enhance sleep quality. We averaged about 25k steps a day while in London, but we always felt recharged the next day thanks to the amazing sleep we got.
Bathroom
Like the room, the bathroom is also well-equipped and well-decorated. The shower offered a rainfall shower head, and grown alchemist bathroom products. To top off the luxurious offerings, 400 thread-count luxury bathrobes and slippers were also provided. We definitely appreciated the comfortableness of the bathroom amenities. But perhaps the best part about the bathroom was its sheer size, living up to again to its name of “Spacious King”.
Surprise Touch
After we dropped our luggage in the room, we left immediately for the West Ham vs Wolves game. When we came back later that evening, we were surprised with a bottle of champagne, a chocolate cake, and a handwritten card sitting on the TV console. It turns out that during check-in, the concierge took note of the fact that my youngest brother was graduating soon, sending us a gift to celebrate with.
Amenities
Bankside Hotel offers standard hotel amenities like a 24/7 gym and an on-site restaurant, the Art Yard Bar & Kitchen. Breakfast is available but not complimentary. There’s also a coffee kiosk on the ground floor. We were also informed at check-in that there was complimentary wine tasting; however, it did not fit into our schedule, as we had a pretty packed 4 days in London.
On each floor, there is also a water filling station and a vending machine. The water station offers both sparkling and still water. It is part of a sustainability effort to reduce plastic bottles. The vending machine, an interesting addition, sells items ranging from drinks and snacks to souvenirs.
There’s a well-decorated mezzanine area above the lobby that serves as a lounging space for socializing or getting work done.
The coolest part of the hotel was undoubtedly the art studio and gallery. We only visited the art gallery, which is on B1, and it mainly features contemporary art pieces. However, guests are invited to walk into the Art Yard studio and witness the artists at work, as well as partake in interactive art and design workshops. More information about their creative offerings can be found on the hotel website at https://www.banksidehotel.com/our-art/.
Activities
The location of the Bankside Hotel is absolutely perfect for visiting London. It is right next to the river Thames, and along the South Bank walk, there are major tourist attractions including the London Eye, Tates Modern, Shakespeare Globe, and Borough Market. Across the river, Big Ben and the Parliament Square are also accessible by foot. We actually went for a morning run around the river and saw many of the famous landmarks in central London.
The hotel is also next to the Blackfriars station, which conveniently connects you to the rest of the city through the Tube or the Thameslink.
Conclusion
The Bankside hotel made our trip a memorable one, and greatly enhanced our time in London. The combination of superb location, aesthetic interior, and comfortable amenities results in the perfect guest experience. It is one of the first high-end hotels we have stayed at, and I could not be more happy to write our first review blog on the Bankside. We are already looking forward to staying at the hotel again the next time we are in London.