Nobu Hotel Shoreditch opens for reservations
Access to one of London’s most eagerly anticipated hotel openings will be within touching distance from next week with the launch of the official Nobu Hotel website on March 1. Nobu, best known for its worldwide chain of restaurants owned by Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa and actor Robert De Niro, will open its first standalone hotel in London’s Shoreditch this summer with online reservations opening next week.
The London opening marks the brand’s first official independent hotel, which to date only operates ‘hotels within hotels’ inside much bigger resorts such as Miami’s Eden Roc which opened in 2016; City of Dreams in Manila, Philippines (2015); and Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas (2013). More Nobu hotels are planned for Riyadh, Bahrain, Malibu Beach, Chicago and Los Cabos in Mexico.
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An early glimpse of the hotel on narrow Willow Street in East London revealed a five-story structure that, while still under construction, is fast taking shape with echoes of the area’s industrial past. At one end of the five-storey building, the hotel almost looks like it has been ripped apart (intentionally), forming a ‘frayed edge’ of stepped balconies formed with glass fibre, reinforced concrete and cantilevered steel beams. Underneath these sit a pocket garden, a micro-spot of greenery which will be open to the public and feature a statement sculpture.
Inside, the 143 rooms and seven suites have been designed by Studio Mica, and reference the ‘East meets West’ theme of the wider brand, with added local touches such as concrete walls and murals by local artists. Globe lighting, a mini dining area with ottomans (room service is available 24/7), slatted screens and sliding doors which reveal floor-to-ceiling windows feature in the standard rooms.
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Red and gold inflections are everywhere, including the bespoke gold cabinets which are inspired by bento boxes, which holds the room’s amenities, and the heavy gold-plated sink in the otherwise clean-lined all-white bathrooms. Interconnecting rooms will have secret passageways through wardrobes to avoid the clunky aesthetic of having an extra door that might not be in use.
The suites are located at the stepped end of the building. Each is different, but has luxuries such as freestanding bathtubs, huge skylights, balconies with views over the garden below and spacious lounge and dining areas.
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Downstairs, a huge, modern-day grand staircase – complete with built-in DJ booth – leads from the lobby to the subterranean, triple-height all-timber restaurant, headed up by executive chef Greg Seregi who previously worked at the Budapest and Miami outposts of Nobu.
Signature dishes such as black cod miso, hamachi with jalapeno and crab rolls will be on offer in the 240-seater restaurant, plus new dishes – yet to be announced – developed by Seregi with a nod to London. The Miami outpost, for example, has unique dishes such as the ‘Nobu Cuban’, a bun filled with pata negra and pork belly which alludes to the famous sandwich archetypal to Miami. There will also be a 10-seat sushi counter, plus the hotel will offer the first Nobu breakfast and brunch in the capital.
The bar leads out, via five-metre tall glass windows, to a terraced outdoor courtyard with more seating, which is hidden from street view. The hotel has also had a license for live music, dance performances, plays and film screenings. A rooftop bar and terrace will open later in the year. Further facilities include a pilates studio, two treatment rooms, a Technogym, sauna and steam room.
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Fans of the restaurants might be surprised that the hotel is not in Mayfair, where both of Nobu’s London restaurants are based, on Park Lane and in Berkeley Square. However, Shoreditch’s gastronomic offerings, including the Michelin-starred Clove Club and the highly regarded Lyle’s, and rich bar and nightlife options, are making it a popular base for visitors to the city. Indeed, Nobu Hotels is neighbours with The Hoxton, M by Montcalm and the soon-to-open hotel and members’ club The Curtain Hotel.
“As the creative hub of London and with the current revival of the area, we believe that Shoreditch in 2017 is the perfect time and place to introduce Nobu Hotels to Europe,” said Gigi Vega, general manager. “With Shoreditch’s eclectic mix of food, culture, business and nightlife, we believe Nobu’s core brand values fit well with the essence of the area,” Vega added.
Nobu Hotel Shoreditch, 10-50 Willow Street, London EC2A 4BH (0203 818 3790; nobuhotelshoreditch.com). Deluxe rooms from £248; suites from £449 to £749. Online reservations open on March 1 for stays from June 1.
