The London Olympics have transformed Stratford, a previously unloved part of the capital, but while the area has been regenerated rapidly, hotels have taken some time to catch up. Now there’s The Stratford, a seven-storey design hotel that offers much more than a room for the night.
The Stratford: The Location
While the Olympics have long since disappeared, there’s been enough development to keep visitors happy, and there’s a lot more coming. The Olympic Park is a sprawling, modern green area designed to feel isolated but connected. It’s where you’ll find the ArcelorMittal Orbit, a 115-metre high tower where you can <checks notes> take a helter-skelter-like slide from the top, reaching the park in just 40 seconds.
There’s an enormous shopping centre, Westfield (the fourth largest in the country), the West Ham football stadium in the old Olympic Stadium, and countless restaurants, including the excellent Haugen
. Even if you need to be in central London, it’s a great location thanks to two underground lines that run into the city, London Overground and DLR connections, and Stratford International, which can get you on a train arriving at St Pancras in just a few minutes.
The Stratford: The Hotel
See the hotel from the outside, and you’d be sure there are more than seven storeys. There are — it reaches as high as 42 floors — but the top levels are all luxury apartments designed for more extended stays.
There’s no parking at the hotel, but it’s physically attached to the multi-storey at Stratford International, which is arguably closer than the parking at many alternatives. It’s not too expensive either, and far cheaper than a parking slot at a central London hotel.
The lobby is a welcoming area filled with light, making the lounge a pleasant environment for working, relaxing or meeting others. You’ll find an interesting mix of concrete and greenery, giving the public areas a bit of a Scandinavian feel.
Checking in is easy enough once you find the desks — they’re hidden around a corner, but it’s not something that’ll keep you searching for long.
Hidden away and visible from some lift lobbies is Anatomy of the Void, a piece of art by Petroc Csesti that consists of an enormous glass ball filled with a swirling vortex of water. It’s beautiful, and I’ve no idea how the water keeps churning indefinitely, but it’s not exactly warm and welcoming.
The Stratford: The Room
You’ll find 145 rooms at The Stratford in seven categories. We ended up in room 329, a Larger room — there’s also Standard, Medium and Large below this, and a Double Double, Stratford Studio and Manhattan Studio above. Our room was also accessible, with facilities designed to accommodate those wanting a less restrictive experience.
The room was definitely large, with floor-to-ceiling windows running the entire length of the room. These run in a jagged zig-zag, following the contours of the building and creating a line that breaks up the potential monotony of another rectangular hotel bedroom. The light the windows provide is welcome, as the room decor is a little muted, with neutral colours and little to lift the ambience beyond some warm lighting. The grey and brown tones continue into the bathroom, with matt black fittings lifted by marble flooring and tiling. It’s all pleasant enough but lacks any wow factor.
Pleasingly, there were a good number of plugs around the room, including — vitally — a couple of plug sockets and USB ports on both sides of the bed. The TV is a decent size but so far away from the bed that the remote control wasn’t up to the job. Perhaps that’s just a case of needing new batteries, or maybe it just demonstrates how large the room is. There’s also an iPad-like tablet with hotel details, restaurant info, and other helpful information.
A fridge is stocked with soft drinks from water to Red Bull, and a Dualit coffee machine was there for something a little more substantial. Room service would sort out anything beyond the basics. Despite the room’s size, the wardrobe was tiny, and an ironing board and robe took up much of the space. There was also a The Stratford branded hoodie, which was a nice touch.
In the morning, it was evident that the bed was wonderfully comfortable, as the night’s sleep was uninterrupted. Some guests have complained that rooms aren’t sufficiently soundproofed, but that wasn’t an issue in room 329.
It may not have left me figuring out how to copy the decor at home, but it did exactly what a hotel room needed to do, providing comfort, security and a good night’s sleep.
The Stratford: The Food and Drink
Breakfast is served in Kitchen E20, the ground floor restaurant. It’s okay, with a generic buffet selection to choose from, with some freshly prepared dishes. Coffee is self-serve from insulated jugs, one step up from an instant coffee machine but a long way short of something as ubiquitous as a Starbucks. For £18 a head, you might be better hunting out one of the numerous independent places within a five-minute walk.
We’ve let you down if you’re wondering where the dinner review is. Another engagement meant we were elsewhere, but others said the E20 restaurant offers a vibrant experience, with a live DJ on some evenings and some So-Cal menu items.
The seventh-floor Allegra restaurant offers a more traditional dining experience with a varied, exciting, unexpected menu. If the glorious curved bar and open terrace don’t convince you to give it a go, there’s an eight-course tasting menu, which is probably worth a shot. You’ll have to make your own decision, though, as we can’t guide you.
The Stratford: The Value for Money
Standard room rates start at £200
on a random date selected in November, with our Larger room being a worthwhile upgrade at just £35 extra. In my book, that makes it a decent value-for-money choice, too, and on a par with the nearby Gantry hotel, part of Hilton’s Curio Collection. The Lost Property, another Curio hotel in central London, is another 50% on top. That might swing the needle towards The Stratford.
The Stratford: The Verdict
The design team has played it safe with The Stratford hotel, offering a high-quality venue but lacking in pizazz. It makes up for some of that with its lively E20 lounge on the ground floor, signature seventh-floor restaurant, and green sky terrace and tops all of that with impressive customer service. The staff were excellent throughout, offering top-flight service that was relaxed and unintimidating.
Without a decent room, no amount of impressive public space will save a hotel, but The Stratford will keep its guests happy there. The decor might be a mix of Scandi-cool, industrial chic and airport lounge, but there’s no denying the space, comfort, and refinement.
Despite its ongoing rejuvenation, Stratford lacks the soul of more established areas, with modern glass structures for everything from swish hotels to independent eateries. Still, there’s a huge amount to like about the place. The Stratford should be added to the list, as it has the lot; decent-sized rooms, great food, fun drinking, an interesting and well-connected location, and excellent value for money.
He is the founder of Huff Media, publisher of Professional Pickup, Professional Van, Average Janes, Average Joes, and CALIBRE. His work focuses primarily on light commercial vehicles, pickups, and real-world vehicle use, with much of his time spent on manufacturer launches, industry events, and long-term vehicle testing.