It’s been 20 years since The Hoxton, Shoreditch opened its doors in an old East London car park, marking the first in The Hoxton series. The brand now spans 19 properties across the UK, Europe and the US, with plenty more on the way including Melbourne, Oslo, Nashville and Mexico City. To mark this milestone moment, the Shoreditch hotel has unveiled refreshed interiors, with Ennismore’s in-house design team at AIME Studios reworking the original spaces to bring a lighter, more contemporary feel while retaining that signature Hox warmth and layered, lived-in character.
The Hoxton will be partying like it’s 2006 all year-long, with Shoreditch leading the celebrations – think room drops, special-edition merch, content series and 20th birthday surprises across all Hoxton hotels. Watch this space!
Lobby
The refreshed lobby preserves stand-out features that regulars will know and love, including the poured concrete flooring that sits alongside stone fireplaces and iconic large-scale glass pendants, with floor-to-ceiling windows flooding the double-height space with natural light. Shoreditch’s industrial history and heritage of silk weaving, woodworking and glassmaking are quietly referenced through the design, as brick-clad walls are softened by draped fabric lampshades and custom patchwork glass tables that blend Victorian motifs with wired glass. Tactile finishes and dark timbers bring warmth and depth, with comfy lounge chairs and low-slung sofas upholstered in earthy-toned velvet and bouclé and offset by chrome accents and mixed marble coffee tables. High-top tables and window seats invite people-watching and casual working, giving the space the relaxed rhythm of a communal neighbourhood living room.
Art plays a central role, grounding the hotel in its locality with pieces that depict quintessentially East London spots, from Becky Baur’s painting of London Fields Lido to Alys Elisabeth’s giclée prints of the Rio Cinema and Pavilion Bakery, alongside works by exciting London-based illustrators Tommie Liddell and Lucy Mahon. Accessories are predominantly vintage, with much of the furniture reupholstered in collaboration with Rose Raw Rees to give the pieces a new lease of life. Custom furniture and contemporary finds sit alongside, with thoughtful touchpoints from London makers including vases from HR Ceramics and suppliers such as Earl of East, Hackney Essentials and ISHKAR creating a homey feel throughout the lobby.
The new and improved Hox Shop finds a home by the front desk, with a curated selection of London-sourced products including Dr. Sting’s Hot Honey, sustainable HOX CHOC from LAND Chocolate and Hodge Pots candle stick holders alongside classic, exclusive Hox amenities like Blank toiletries and branded mugs.
Rooms
Across the hotel, all 210 rooms strike a balance between timeless charm and playful modern touches, with select interconnecting rooms available for groups of friends or families travelling together. Accompanying the existing Shoebox, Cosy and Roomy categories is a new Cosy Up category, complete with mustard sofas and a dedicated drinks area for laid-back stays. While much-loved details like herringbone parquet flooring and oversized circular mirrors remain, instantly recognisable to returning guests, they are now complemented by a calm and considered colour scheme designed as a haven from the hustle and bustle of Shoreditch. Muted greens are balanced with earthy yellows and browns, while terrazzo marbles, tan leathers and woven rugs keep things tactile and fundamentally midcentury. Original wooden desks have been revamped with stainless steel tops, with high-shine chrome metals, rounded mint green bedside tables and conical frosted light fixtures introducing a touch of retro-futurism.
Bathrooms will come in two styles: in some, light grey and rich navy tiling is paired with fluted glass alongside terrazzo and chrome finishes, while others go for custom mint vanity units with glossy brown tiles and hammered glass, balancing elevated elegance with a playful spirit.
Local influence is woven throughout rooms, from custom sketches of Columbia Road and the Tea Building by East Londoner (and AIME Studios alum) Charlotte Joseph to cushions in Cosy Ups finished with fabrics from Shoreditchbased Colours of Arley and British textile house Tibor.
The Apartment
The Apartment leans into mid-century warmth and contemporary eclecticism, comprising seven private rooms and a shared Pantry that can, as ever, be hired individually or together for everything from meetings, presentations and parties to press days, private dinners and intimate weddings. Striking checkerboard floors have been retained and are now softened by painted column murals by Charlotte Joseph and graphic textiles including a tapestry style artwork by Melis Duran inspired by Colombia Road Flower Market and the transitional, ever-changing nature of Shoreditch. A palette of sage green and plum is paired with plush seating, timber details and patterned rugs by Pelican House and Sinclair Till for a tactile and intimate feel, while sculptural lighting designs contrast exposed conduit, creating visual interest that plays into the expressive scheme.
Il Bambini Club
Il Bambini Club is a lively all-day Italian dining spot bringing a whole new feel to the ground floor restaurant and wider lobby. The restaurant and sections of the lobby were redesigned by French duo Friedmann & Versace in close partnership with AIME Studios, who were tasked with blending two distinct design identities within a single open, industrial canvas. The outcome is a richly layered, glamorous restaurant that evokes the feel of an opulent, retro trattoria and naturally transitions into a classic Hox lobby. Ideal for long, lazy lunches, aperitivo hour or late-night bites with friends, the menu offers rich, indulgent Italian favourites, from silky pastas and vibrant salads to perfectly cooked steaks and classic Italian dolci.
Llama Inn
Llama Inn is Shoreditch’s rooftop modern Peruvian hotspot, serving up uninterrupted city views, killer cocktails and an impressive natural wine list. The menu draws inspiration from the diverse culinary heritage of Peru seen through a Brooklyn lens, where the concept was born in 2015. Unbound by tradition, this dual perspective results in a unique style, offering a broad, modern take on Peruvian food and a cocktail list homing in on Pisco and Latin American spirits.
Hox Gallery
Hox Gallery is an area within each hotels’ public spaces dedicated to showcasing exciting, up and coming local artists through seasonal programming, and in its twentieth year, The Hoxton, Shoreditch has teamed up with photographer and long-time collaborator Ben Hickman on an exhibition that serves as a love letter to East London.
A self-taught photographer and full-time romantic, Ben captures the world as he chooses to see it, creating dreamlike yet grounded images with an honesty that gives them real emotional weight. Entitled Warm Observations, the series documents Shoreditch through a tender lens, resulting in images that feel like sun-washed, cinematic fragments of real life.
Circular design & positive impact
During the Shoreditch refresh, The Hoxton made a conscious effort to reduce waste and extend the life of existing furniture and fittings. Instead of sending pieces to landfill, Hox fans were invited to purchase items through homeware sales, with everything from one-off vintage finds and mid-century chairs to plush armchairs, statement lighting and even curtains and TVs up for grabs. Not only did this circular approach give the original Hox interiors a second life, it also created a positive impact beyond the hotel, with all proceeds donated and more than £10.7k raised.
Dis-loyalty
Dis-loyalty, Ennismore’s game changing travel and food membership, offers members bigger discounts for going somewhere new. Enjoy 50% off just-opened hotels, 20% off first time stays and 10% off return stays, plus 10% off food and drink and a free barista made drink every single day, whether on holiday or at home. Find out more about all the membership perks at Dis-loyalty.com.
