The City of London’s ever-changing skyline is undeniably one of the most dynamic in all of Europe, and taking credit for this aerial eye-candy are iconic buildings: The Gherkin, the Cheesegrater, One Blackfriars, and The Shard, among others.
The area around Shoreditch, in particular, has undergone much transformation since the end of the Second World War. Once-derelict enclaves have been resuscitated into trendy communities for arty and techie tribes. Abandoned warehouses have been regenerated, period buildings restored, reviving the creative spirit of the past once dominated by furniture craftsmen and weavers. Today, we find a gamut of art galleries, museums, performing arts and design colleges interspersed with cool hangouts for clubbing crowds, café connoisseurs and dedicated fashion followers.
What’s remarkable about this area is the blend of the old and the new, glistening glass skyscrapers rubbing shoulders with period buildings. But the one thing skyscrapers cannot overshadow are structures steeped in history and charm. A great example is Sun Street Hotel, which opened its doors in October 2022 in a prime location behind Liverpool Street Station.
Sun Street Hotel sets itself apart for its original architecture, comprising six Georgian houses designed by architect George Dance the Younger in the 1800s. The interior oozes character, replete with rich tones, textures and eccentric prints, inspired by an imaginary world of mythical birds from ‘The Google Book’, written and illustrated by Vincent Cartwright Vickers to entertain his children, nieces and nephews. The book was published for the first time in 1913.
It’s worth digressing for a moment about the word ‘Google’ used as the title of the book by Vickers, which predates the ‘Google’ search engine (registered as a domain on 15th September 1997) by 85 years. The company’s founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, initially named the algorithm ‘BackRub’, which, although it made sense to geeks, sounded more like a massage parlour with a dodgy backdoor. After some serious brainstorming, ‘googol’, a mathematical term for the number one followed by 100 zeroes, made more sense. However, Page misspelt it as ‘Google’ when he registered the domain name.
Vickers was an economist who assumed many influential roles, notably as director of the Bank of England and deputy lieutenant of the City of London. And when he wasn’t crunching numbers, the bird enthusiast and fellow of the Royal Zoological Society channelled his artistic energies into sketching and colouring birds in this book of verse, where quirky characters include the Google, a sinister pond-dwelling creature that inhabits a beautiful garden, then preys on other birds at night. Vickers let his wild imagination run riot, populating this garden with oddly-named but amusing avian absurdities, such as Poggle, the Swank, Great Skull-Headed Stone Trot, Lesser Nockit, the Lemonsqueezer, the Blue-billed Ork, the Soft-nosed Wollop and the Shivver-Doodle.
How the ‘Google’ birds found their way to the Sun Street Hotel was quite fortuitous, thanks to art advisors Nicolette Tomkinson and Sopher Churcher of Tomkinson Churcher, who were tasked with finding the lead artwork for Sun Street, a member of the multi-award winning Bespoke Hotels portfolio.
“Our brief for the original artwork for the hotel was a theme of mythological creatures and animal portraiture, reflecting the stunning combination of regency meets contemporary,” says Nicolette. “We knew immediately that the Dreweatts ‘Google Birds’ could be a perfect fit, and we were delighted to be the successful buyers.”
It’s delightful to see this design concept in evidence right across the Sun Street Hotel, where the winged characters have taken over in all shapes and sizes. Their appearance in the paisley wallpaper print brings a whimsical yet stylish twist to the décor. There’s no shortage of nooks and crannies where guests can sit and relax on leather Chesterfield sofas and velvet couches in deep reds and browns. Mixing contemporary art pieces with period features imbibes an eclectic spirit to the space.
Over at the Vickers Bar, cocktails are named after the birds, accompanied by a verse about each character. Despite their peculiar names, The Tango, The Sun Bird and The Nanny Bird are enticingly refreshing, ideal for warmer months ahead. And there’s no escaping the ‘Google Birds’, even at breakfast, when they appear as egg holders – a welcome change from traditional hens.
The enchanting journey carries on in the chambers. The Classic rooms in the original Georgian building brim with character, particularly the three Loft Suites on the fourth floor featuring exposed original brickwork and low angled ceilings. Window shutters provide privacy, while sumptuous period details come with an old-fashioned telephone, deep red walls, tapestry-style wallpaper, and area rugs. Bathing rituals feel more indulgent in the spacious bathroom featuring glazed red porcelain tiles, Belgravia taps and natural limestone walls.
Those who prefer a more contemporary setting will not be disappointed. The walls of the Contemporary Junior suites in the newly-built extension are painted in calming Aegean blue, and there is more space for a lounge area, a large sofa, an armchair and a walk-in wardrobe. Dark blue bathroom tiles add an extra touch of elegance, too. It’s also worth noting that the Bespoke Hotel’s Liberty Standards of Accessibility provide wider doors and access around the bed and bathroom, shower seats and grab rails.
The exotic theme extends to the Quercus restaurant and The Orangery, where Southeast Asian dishes dominated by Indo-Malay flavours tease the tastebuds. Well done to Executive Head Chef Stephen Englefield for livening up the menu with zingy, spicy options — Malay Fish Cakes, Nasi Goreng and Chicken Satay. Bear in mind, though, that many Indonesian/Malay dishes use peanuts, which would not be suitable for those allergic to this ingredient.
Undoubtedly, the city and its trendy neighbourhoods attract visitors due to their vibrant energy, and although there will be more new hotels cropping up in the future, Sun Street Hotel stands out as an intimate refuge with plenty of attitude and personality. It’s a world one can escape to and de-stress when the going gets tough. And who knows, it might even inspire, if not transport guests, to an imaginary world of their own.
To find out more about the Sun Street Hotel and book, visit the links below:
Sun Street Hotel, Shoreditch
5-15 Sun St
London EC2A 2EP
United Kingdom
Web: sunstreethotel.com
Tel: +44 (0) 203 988 7700
Email: reservations@sunstreethotel.com
Online Bookings: reservations.bespokehotels.com
Instagram: @sunstreetlondon
Facebook: @sunstreetlondon