The New Ruby Lucy Hotel in London
Most of us Brits go to London at some time or other. Some of us are lucky enough to have close friends or relations who live there and who can give us a bed - but sometimes nothing but a hotel will do.
Now there is an excellent new option right in the heart of town.
As I’ve already pointed out on this website, I am a big fan of the German-owned Ruby Hotel chain having stayed in one in Vienna. There are three of these remarkable, funky and inexpensive hotels in that city and more opening up across Europe all the time - including the one in London which has just opened.
The Munich-based hotel brand is pioneering what they call the ‘Lean Luxury’ philosophy, and the new 76-room Ruby Lucy, forms part of an ambitious expansion plan for the brand to unveil a total of eleven new hotels – including a second London property by 2022.
Enjoying a prime position on the Southbank’s Lower Marsh, Ruby Lucy’s interior design is inspired by the area’s historic fairs and markets, not to mention its entertainment and theatre scene.
Which is why there’s a carnival theme running throughout the hotel. According to the Ruby Hotel team “Rich, dark tones meet bright brass accents and subtle stripes are accented with playful props including circus drums and juggling pins.”
An accurate description. And the really good thing about the hotel is that it is located just a three-minute walk from Waterloo station, close to the South Bank’s rich collection of theatres, galleries, concert halls and independent shops.
In short it’s a fantastic location, and the hotel boasts high-quality fittings, and outstanding design.
And all of this is offered at an affordable price by rigorously cutting out the superfluous and focusing on the essential.
And like other Ruby Hotels one of the coolest things is that the rooms are increasingly well soundproofed. To prove this each is equipped with its own big Marshall amplifier and speaker - and you are free to turn up the volume as loud as you like. Whether the resulting music is from your smartphone and you are playing your own music collection or because you have borrowed one of the electric guitars that hang around the walls of the reception area, you can very loud fun indeed.
A great way to unwind after a frenetic day out in London… At least, that’s what I found.
By the way, I’m not payed by Ruby Hotels to say any of this, nor do I have any financial link with their London based PR agency. I am a genuine fan of their affordable “lean luxury” regime and look forward to staying in yet more of their hotels around Europe.
