Our Review Of The Hyatt Regency London Blackfriars

When it comes to sightseeing in London, I’ll admit that I’m slacking. I definitely don’t make the most of the city I’m fortunate enough to live in, one whose infrastructure has made its way onto a lot of postcards and tea towels. When you live in Zone 3, you don't hear the bongs of Big Ben. However, this was all to change when I checked into Hyatt Regency London Blackfriars on a bright April afternoon.

The rooms were modern, well-equipped and featured individual bedside reading lights.

DesignMyNight Reviews Hyatt Regency London Blackfrairs

Located adjacent to Blackfriars station, the Grade II-listed hotel was one of the collection's newest developments, taking the place of King Henry VIII’s Bridewell Palace. It was in a prime spot for those working in the city, only a short walk from Bank, and for those looking to hop aboard a rusted red City Sightseeing bus or galivant across Blackfriars Bridge to the Tate Modern and Southbank. To stay here isn’t exactly the cheapest, however. When my partner and I arrived, we made our way up to our singular king bed room with a high street view, coming in at around £405 per night, with a breakfast buffet included.

Our room was very minimalist - on the corner of the building sandwiched between office blocks, it didn’t receive that much natural light but this was compensated by the various mood lighting. My favourite part was the walk-in rain shower decorated with emerald green tiles; it made me incredibly eager to wake up the next morning to use it, a desire I’m not used to. Amenities-wise, the list of items you could order to your room was long; it even featured ‘baby oil and baby’ - an unfortunate line break, critically missing the following ‘shampoo’.

The TV was massive, spanning 65 inches, with channels ranging from BBC to Sky Arts. My partner and I put on MTV’s Catfish, the apex of Western popular culture, to freshen up to before heading downstairs for cocktails at the hotel’s Leaf & Cane.

Leaf & Cane featured mirrored ceilings, splashes of monochrome and red velvet accents. 

The atmosphere of the bar was a hard one to pin down - it had the appearance of a speakeasy but air of a corporate event space, decorated with tropical, leafy wallpaper and monkey statues that could become a bit of a jump scare after one too many. I opted for the Holy Elixir (£17), a mezcal and tequila-based signature drink which was incredibly potent with hints of sweetness thanks to the addition of Tio Pepe Fino sherry. Sticking with the mezcal theme, my partner enjoyed a negroni (£15) which was delightful and equally as hair raising.

Dinner took place at NYnLON, one of the two restaurants at Hyatt Regency Blackfriars (I’ve been to the Chinese Cricket Club, before and must say that the Peking duck was delicious). NYnLON, however, was of a different ilk; the New York-style, laid-back bistro focused on natural wines and served bistro dishes ranging from pasta to grilled meats.

My partner ordered an old fashioned (£15), which caused a little bit of a stir as there was no bartender around despite there being a cocktail list, and I, a small glass of Grüner Veltliner ‘Grafenegg’ Bio Weingut Kemetner (£13.50) from Austria. To start, we made our way through paprika fried chicken wings (£9) with a chipotle and honey mustard dip, which were average - I didn’t get any of the smokiness from the spice but fortunately coating the crispy wings in the sauce help to add some heat. The cured salmon fillet (£15) however was citrussy and zingy, and fell effortlessly apart on a bed of yoghurt dressing and mint and mango chutney.

You'll find NYnLON (pictured) adjacent to the Chinese Cricket Club on the lower ground floor of the hotel.

As if I hadn’t had enough salmon already, I moved on to the salmon chop (£25), generously drizzled in a fennel and mojo marinade. I gathered, due the amount of bones and rock solid spine in the middle, that it was meant to emulate meat which I personally feel fish shouldn't do. The flavour was lovely and herby, but I couldn’t get past just how many bones there were. My partner's black Angus beef burger (£25) on the other hand was decadent, juicy and flavoursome; it came with a side of chips which weren’t stated on the menu so we over ordered and ended up with two metal pots of them - which is never a bad thing.

Dessert was banoffee trifle (£10) - a taste sensation which felt like a cross between an angel delight and a bowl of whipped cream. We finished the lot but were left wishing for some more feuillantine crunch, or the addition of lady fingers - something to add a little more texture.

Comfortably full, we ventured out across the bridge to another bar for one final drink (and some stunning night time London views) before retiring to bed. The Hyatt luxury mattresses did their job and I felt like I was floating on a cloud throughout the night - the hotel was pretty quiet too and we couldn’t hear any of the other guests down the corridor.

Breakfast (pictured on the right) lasts from 7am until 11am on weekends. 

We woke with plenty of time to enjoy the breakfast buffet which featured all the continental favourites, from scrambled eggs and artisan breads to cured meats, juices, overnight oats and even a tray of strawberry Actimels that my granddad would’ve been very excited to see.

Even though we were offered coffees when we were seated, it soon became apparent after they never arrived that everything was self-serve. There was also a breakfast menu should you wish to pay more for dishes like poached eggs on avocado or an omelet.

The whole experience felt as though I was on holiday; I helped myself to some oats, eggs and orange juice while my partner did what he does best and consumed five courses made up of pancakes, sausages, omelets and a chocolate muffin before experiencing a sugar rush which he will attest was worth it. We showered before checking out and, as expected, this was potentially the highlight of the entire stay, apart from the sleep: you’d have definitely found me sitting up and Googling ‘where to buy a Hyatt mattress’ at 1am that night.

Overall: The Hyatt Regency London Blackfriars

My stay at The Hyatt Regency London Blackfriars was a tranquil one - the hotel itself was completely spotless and sleek and amicable; some welcome chocolates were even delivered to our room upon arrival. I got a good night's sleep and, despite being in a central location, I failed to hear the hum of a bus or a car - a novelty you grow to appreciate when living in the city yourself.

Looking to plan your city overnight stay? Check out our guide to pretty London hotels with a view.