Hilton London Bankside: A Stylish And Modern Hotel In A Trendy Neighborhood

One of Hilton's newest hotels is probably unlike any other Hilton you've stayed at. The sleek and stylish Hilton London Bankside opened in October 2015, and we had the opportunity to spend a night there at the invitation of the hotel. The hotel has all the amenities and hospitality you expect from a Hilton, but it also stands on its own as a funky boutique.

The 292-room hotel, located in the trendy Bankside neighborhood, is walking distance from the Tate Modern, Shakespeare's Globe, and Borough Market. It's located on a quiet corner, but it's also a quick cab ride across Blackfriars Bridge to the heart of London. The spacious lobby is industrial-chic but inviting, and branching off of it is the hotel's restaurant, OXBO, and its bar, The Distillery.

The casual and quirky OXBO is already proving to be one of the area's most exciting new restaurants. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, it uses primarily locally sourced British ingredients to turn out hearty fare like sirloin of Gloucestershire beef, shoulder of New Romney lamb, roasted beets with a cheese called Cornish Yarg, Dorset snails with Oxsprings prosciutto, and loin of Duart salmon. Chef Paul Bates also offers a traditional three-course Sunday Roast with unlimited prosecco for 40 GBP ($48.60) per person.

At The Distillery, Chesterfield couches and dark woods lend a sophisticated air to even more sophisticated classic cocktails including the Southside, Clover Club, Blood & Sand, and Paloma. There's also an entire gin menu classified by region and style, and several proprietary house beers on draft.

Rooms are stylish and contemporary, with more floor space than most London hotels. There's plenty of storage (including an iron and ironing board, standard in the U.S. but not in Europe), walls of light wood and gray stone, and large windows. Other offerings include a nice gym with a surprisingly large swimming pool, plenty of event and meeting space, and a large ballroom.

If you're looking to spend your London trip in an exciting and up-and-coming neighborhood that's still right in the center of the action, want that dependability and level of service you've come to expect from Hilton, and aren't looking to break the bank, we highly recommend you look into the Hilton Bankside.