An increasing number of Team Sluttery are based south of the Thames and as a result there's been a lot of Camberwell talk in my inbox today. Our new food writer lives there (you'll meet her tomorrow, I'm so excited) and Kat's been a Camberwell resident for a while now, in a flat so beautiful I'm green with envy every time I pop over for my tea. It's not an area of London I visit very often, but I really enjoy it when I do.
Lovely as it is, Camberwell isn't the first place in London I'd think of when looking for a boutique hotel. Most of the quirky hotels outside of zone 1 are in west London (save for Rough Luxe and the fully-booked until the end of time 40 Winks). But I can't help be utterly charmed by The Church Street Hotel with its Spanish Americana thing going on. I really, really want to stay here.
Like most bits of London that are south of the river, Camberwell doesn't have a nearby tube (befriend the overground, you can see out of the window and everything). It only takes 20 minutes by bus to get to Borough Market (yep, measuring distance by how long it'll take before someone gives me chorizo). That, as I'm sure we all know, is the perfect book reading journey time.
Those tiles! Excuse me while I steal them and give my boring white bathroom a complete makeover.
I do love a hotel that's not scared of throwing a little colour on the walls. If it's done well, it can be a beautiful thing. I wouldn't decorate with lime green, but I do love a vibrant hotel.
There's a bar in the hotel that looks perfect for drinks and they've also got a cute tapas restaurant called Angels & Gypsies which is also where they serve breakfast. I would happily sink into that leather chair and refuse to leave until I've finished reading my book.
Lalalalalala. Can't hear you, busy eating all the breakfast pastries.
Prices for a double with breakfast are currently a very reasonable £125 so I'm even more tempted to visit. Camberwell has a lot going on, it's not just good for spying on fabulous Domestic Sluttery ladies.
I am DYING to try Angels and Gypsies! I've been saving it up for a special occasion, but I clearly just need to go.
ReplyDeleteAlso completely amazing is Communion, the new bar just below it. And yes, it's all stained glass, and wafers and wine on the tables as favours. Well done Camberwell x
Communion! That's a great name for a bar on Church Street. Let's go please.
Delete(Oh and re tube: easiest thing to do is pick up any bus from Oval station stop C. 10 minutes of reading, and you're in Camberwell ready for booze fun)
DeleteI actually really like the bus journey from London Bridge (I also like Citymapper so I don't get lost.)
DeleteAngels and Gypsies is REALLY good. We had our Christmas meal there a few years ago and it was lush. Really rich and tasty as befitted the time of year and really reasonably priced too. I was lucky and got to eat loads of pork as was sat with my Jewish colleagues so lucked out when that tapas dish came out. It was so good. I've been really keen to go back since but no one else wants to come with me to Camberwell. :(
ReplyDeleteI echo Siobhan above - Angels and Gypsies is really really good. And their breakfast is excellent - it would be lovely to come down to in a morning! I had a huge and delicious stack of pancakes last time I went ... yum...
ReplyDeleteAngels and Gypsies is great, and has lots of vegetarian tapas options which is awesome. Haven't been to the new bar yet, but must do that!
ReplyDeleteOh God I'm hungry now. Bring on the tapas!
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