The Rookery Hotel Peter's Lane, Cowcross Street Clerkenwell London, EC1M 6DS
Tel: 020 7336 0931
I stayed here with my partner in November last year, we'd booked tickets to go and see a concert at the Barbican and I was looking for a hotel nearby. First I tried Malmaison but that was too pricey at £195 for the most basic room. I debated the Thistle Barbican for a while but when a colleague booked a month before my visit and they couldn't find his booking I decided against it. And anyway, it was a special occasion and I wanted something a little bit more romantic.
Someone suggested the Rookery - all I knew at that point is that it was where Pete Doherty was arrested (very rock and roll), so I decided to do a little research...
The Rookery is found deep in the heart of Clerkenwell, just outside the City of London, it's a hotel steeped in history - it only has 33 rooms and is made up from three different Georgian buildings. The rooms are all different and are named after previous occupants of the buildings including a doctor, an architect and a prostitute. In each room there's a folder giving you a bit of history about each tenant, who they were, what they did for a living and how they ended up - utterly fascinating reading!
We stayed in the Mary Lane room with an amazing vaulted beamed ceiling and the bed had an ornate carved headboard and luxurious velvet throws - perfect and very romantic! The bathroom was a good size but we only had a bath, no shower (some rooms do have showers). The room had a mini bar but no tea or coffee facilities, although there is a Starbucks across the road if you really can't live without your caffeine fix. We paid £175 for room only, which was a little more than I intended to spend, but it was definitely worth every penny. Rooms have A/C and internet access. I don't think I even switched the tv on though, so can't tell you what is on offer on that front!
It's practically a minute walk from Farringdon Station (circle line) so ideally located for visiting other parts of London. However I love the City of London and it's history - from our window you could see Smithfileds Meat Market, which many said might wake you early, but the bed was so comfortable I slept soundly all night!
There's no restaurant, but they do offer a limited room service (which I didn't try) and a continental breakfast in your room. Downstairs is a lounge with big comfortable chairs and an open fire and if you want a drink they have an honesty bar. Staff were all excellent, friendly and incredibly polite. Check in and check out were quick and totally pain free. I think during our stay we didn't even see another guest in the hotel - it's very, very discreet.
Basic rates - Rooks Nest £395.00 Deluxe £255.00 Double room £205.00 Single room £175.00 All charges are subject to VAT at 17.5%
Continental Breakfast £9.75 (inc VAT)
Expensive, yes, but you can find special deals on their website www.rookeryhotel.com and also lookout for great rates on www.lastminute.com (and I think it's one of their top secret hotels)
The Rookery may not be to everyone's taste, but if you're looking for somewhere romantic, quirky and just a little bit different, give a try!
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Quality of Facilities
Average
Family Friendly
Average
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character, efficient service and period charm. Polished wood panelling, stone flagged floors, open fires and genuine antique furniture give the place a warm, homely atmosp...
