Andaz

Liverpool Street Station is not a place that you'd immediately associate with one of London's sleekest design hotels. Nevertheless, this trendy corner of the City

is home to Andaz, which sits directly above the busy commuters and bustling trains. It is unconventional and trendsetting

, a place to escape from the stuffy, tradition-clad rigours of the more established luxury hotels in the centre. In this respect, its home in the heart of fashion-forward East London

feels not so strange after all.

The facilities


The quirkiness

begins in the Living Room (which has taken the place of the lobby). This high-ceilinged, mirrored space is filled with sparse swathes of grey furnishings, local artworks

and... not much else. There's no reception desk as such, but instead the multi-tasking Hosts meet each guest armed with a portable computer. Check-in is a relaxing

affair of reclining on said modernist furniture and sipping champagne

while the Hosts do their futuristic thing.

Andaz is large and sprawling, with amenities to match. It encompasses five restaurants

, a business centre

, a health club

, spa

and various meeting rooms

. There's even a Masonic Temple

(though it's not actually used by the Masons, this was a surprise find during restoration work and now functions as a truly beautiful events space

).

The restaurants themselves deserve a special mention. Between them they offer a great range of cuisine that reflects the area's cosmopolitan vibe

, and enjoy significant popularity with guests and non-guests alike -always a good sign.

There's chic Japanese sushi

at Miyako, fresh seafood

at Catch and traditional British fare

in the George Pub, and more besides. All of the restaurants share a common theme, in keeping with this design hotel's eco-positive outlook

; the food here is organic

and locally-sourced

.

The rooms


The 267 bedrooms and suites of this design hotel have been designed with the environment in mind. So, each room has a complimentary aEUR˜healthy mini-bar

', packed full of organic juices, water and other treats. The toilets in the top-to-toe marble are ecologically sound, and use 80% less water

with each flush.

Andaz's green credentials do not detract from the luxuriant feel of each room, however. There are iPod docking stations

, with iPods loaned out on request. Each room has an ergonomic work station

and WIFI access as standard. The huge flat-screen televisions have a complimentary pay-per-view

movie service. And all of this in utter peace and tranquillity

- you'll never believe that you're above a train station at all.

London's East End is the financial and creative hub of the capital, which means that the Andaz welcomes a variety of guests through its doors. From the busy men and women of business to romantic weekenders and cool creatives, the Andaz looks after them all.

Andaz is a smart, comfortable and distinctly 'London' residence. The building dates back to 1884, but once inside - this is the 21st century. 4 restaurants, 5 bars, 14 event rooms and 267 guests rooms and suites have all been designed to ctreate the ultra modern hotels experience.

The Andaz brand was created to reflect the needs and wants of today's traveller - a desire to exist in an environments that is comfortable and warm, but that integrates the luxuries and amentities that we all crave.

Guests are welcomed into the hotel much like being welcomed into a home. The warm and inviting Living Room, devoid of any rigid barriers and check-in desks, replaces the typical formal hotel lobby. Portable technology allows guests complete freedom to choose the manner and pace of their check-in experience, whether it takes place sipping a glass of wine, or en-route to their generously appointed accomodation. Service is gracious and comforting.

The Andaz Hosts are able to cover all service roles, eliminating the need for a formalised doorman, concierge or porter. Any and all Hosts can act in all service roles and are equipped to respond to any and all requests.