A look inside Montcalm East Hotel: A brilliant five-star glass triangle in the heart of Shoreditch

A hotel that connects perfectly to the art and photography scene of Shoreditch

I woke up early on the 13th floor at Montcalm East and pressed one of the buttons on the bed side table. The floor to ceiling curtains made a gentle hum as they parted and revealed the morning sunrise over the capital city. The Nespresso coffee machine offered a nice pick-me-up after the previous night's Rum Punch and we lazily planned how we would explore Shoreditch. It's fair to say, this was a very nice way to start a Sunday morning at Montcalm East.

placeholder image — The impressive 18 Storey Montcalm East Hotel in City Road, London

Montcalm East

The five-star 288-room hotel is a striking triangular design cutting through the street on City Road. It's a short walk from Old Street station just opposite Moorfields Eye Hospital and provides quite the sight for patients' dilated pupils to take in. Bold architectural designs divide opinion and personally, I liked it.

Montcalm East seems to position itself nicely amid the old-new style of Shoreditch and the modern interiors reflect the artistic and photographic scene of the area. There's plenty of food and drink spots nearby while Brick Lane, the Barbican, Spitalfields Market, the Boxpark and Columbia Road Flower Market are all within walking distance. The reading room, swimming pool, steam, sauna and fitness centre is a nice contrast to the outside city life.

Rooms

There's quite a space age vibe as you exit the lift and walk down the softly lit corridor in search of your room number. Subtle flashes of light along the walls provide enough glow and I resisted the urge to make the Star Trek door open sound as I entered our room for the night. The rooms and suites work hard to provide a stylish and artistic feel but that does not mean they have sacrificed comfort. The rooms are contemporary with all the gadgets and luxuries you would expect from a five-star in London, but remains a relaxed place to stay.

The bed was extremely comfortable, we had at least 200 light switches (slight exaggeration). Everything was spotlessly clean and the under-floor heating in the bathroom was a welcome feature. The bath robes were soft, the rain shower and Soapsmith toiletries were also a nice touch. Each room has a smart TV and coffee machine. I also liked the glass water bottles, refillable at still and sparkling fountains on every floor. But the main feature from the 13th floor is the view. You could spend hours gazing out and spotting the capital's landmarks, day or night.

A room with a view at Montcalm East © Matthew Shaw

Food and drinks

The star of the show was the breakfast. It was served on the first floor of the Marlowe Restaurant and many of the tables have views of City Road so you can watch the the city whiz by as you eat. You can help yourself to the buffet or order from the à la carte. I went for the poached eggs on sourdough toast - and it seems almost silly to write this - but I'm struggling to think of a better egg on toast. Extreme care went into the poaching of my eggs! Service at breakfast was excellent too, as was the coffee, which arrived from the barista below. Pancakes, porridge, cured meats, smoked salmon, yogurts, bacon and a range of different breads were also available.

The previous night, at dinner, we ordered from the express menu. There was a limited choice and between us for the starter we had the haddock goujons and pea soup. Seabass was the pick of the three options for the main and the crème brûlée to finish was excellent. The Rum Punch and Margarita cocktails were also expertly prepared and went down far too easily.

Spa and fitness

The spa facilities at Montcalm East add luxury to a city break Copyright Matthew Shaw

I spent around two hours using the gym and spa facilities in an attempt to work up an appetite for dinner. The Yatra spa is on level -1 and for me is one of the best features of the hotel and really adds to that luxurious city break feel. The gym is open 24-hours and has more than enough equipment to keep you going. You can work out with the rumble and vibrations of the tube trains passing nearby.

Once again, everything is spotlessly clean and the pool and jacuzzi area offers a number of loungers and places to relax. The steam room pumps out plenty of heat and no complaints with the sauna either. The spa area is a very nicely designed and thought out space and a big selling point for a hotel attracting corporate clients and also weekend city breakers. Treatments are also available.

Service

This is where Montcalm excels. From sparkling wine or water at check-in, the service is slick and welcoming. There's plenty of staff on hand throughout the stay with many taking the time to chat and adding to the guest experience, without feeling intrusive. It's a five-star hotel with five star service but all delivered in a relaxed and friendly manner.