Terence Conran’s Boundary harnesses the creative buzz of London’s East End, with the rough edges smoothed out. For those used to the West End, hipsterish Shoreditch High Street can be a culture shock, but those who do brave the journey eastwards will not be disappointed with this slick, design-led hotel.
Each of the twelve rooms and five suites is individually decorated in the style of a celebrated modern designer. I stayed in the Priscilla Carluccio suite and loved its fresh, modern style, spacious rooms and floor-to-ceiling windows. I did feel that style occasionally trumped comfort: the mirrored bedroom and bathroom are not for the self-conscious. Top marks, however, for the luxurious free-standing bath, waterfall shower and wide range of Ren products.
Boundary’s roof terrace is closed until early 2013, but the basement restaurant was bustling with trendy punters and the menu of classic but subtly updated French cooking was fantastic — head chef Frederick Foster has worked at Le Manoir, Le Gavroche and L’Aubergine among others, and it shows. The head sommelier, Christopher Delalonde, is also something of a wizard.
The service throughout is friendly and it’s worth exploring to take in the interesting design features, such as the fanciful, intricate Adam Simpson wallpaper in the lifts, which is so absorbing I’d happily have spent a few hours just going up and down.