The Tune Hotel Liverpool Street is in a converted London townhouse on a quiet cobbled side road next to Spitalfields Market and just a short walk from the restaurants and bars around Brick Lane, and the vintage shops of Hanbury Street.
I love this area - part of the city where you can almost still feel the sense of history of the formerly working-class neighbourhood oozing out of the dark brickwork of these old London townhouses.
So the Tune doesn't have that historical feeling, and is clean and modern, but it does offer what seems to be one of the best value hotels (this is not a hostel) in a really vibrant part of the city. And the low prices mean you're able to make as much of an investment as you can in one or many of the locally owned market stalls and shops.
Considering the area is quite busy, the hotel is remarkably quiet, and the only noise is the rumbling of the Tube below from morning till evening (it stops running at midnight so the nights are quiet). Rooms are bright and white, the floors a dark wood laminate, and the bathrooms are all sparkling. The room I had (no. 131) provides a nice big double bed and plenty of space around, so while most beds have room to store your suitcase underneath, this one could accommodate a roomful of cases.
The room also overlooks the huge outdoor garden terrace, which is so rare to find in such a great value hotel.
This Tune hotel is part of a larger group of budget-style hotels, the other existing London hotel, the Tune Hotel Westminster, I have already reviewed here. Tunes all definitely offer value for money and if you book early enough the price for a room at this London lodging can be as low as £35 for the night, which for the location in one of the most expensive cities in the world, is a real bargain. Don't forget this works on the same principle as budget airlines, in that the earlier you book the better prices you are likely to find.
The whole hotel is air-conditioned and you can adjust the heat or the cool as you wish at no extra cost. As per all of the Tune Hotels, all extras come at a very small price. Hiring the large wraparound bath towels, including small bar of soap and some shampoo, is only £1.50 (so you don't have to lug your own with you). The flatscreen TVs and Wi-Fi cost £3 each for 24 hours - at such a low rate, I was much happier using the laptop in my room than searching the area for a coffeeshop or free hotspot. And while you're out and about shopping, I recommend paying to have the safe for a fee of £2 for the duration. You also don't need to bring a hair dryer (£1 to hire), and you'll also find an ironing room with a couple of ironing boards at no charge, so you don't have to leave the hotel all crumpled.
After an evening out, I arrived back at the hotel past midnight, and found two staff at reception (it is manned 24 hours) so felt quite safe, and they were able to satisfy my thirst and hunger with a cup of tea and a chocolate bar at a small cost.
Next morning, and check out is so easy as you'll have paid everything up front, so if you're in a hurry to catch a bus or train from Liverpool Street, you won't be held up. Liverpool Street station is only a couple of hundred yards with three tube lines offering easy access to Central and East London, trains and coaches to Stansted Airport, and buses to London Bridge.
This is definitely a hotel I would recommend, and probably come back to, and in the past week I know a number of travel writers who have also stayed in Tune hotels and raved about them, so that's a high accolade indeed.
Tune Hotel Liverpool Street; 13/15 Folgate St., London, E1 6BX. http://www.tunehotels.com/our-hotels/liverpool-street-london. Tel: +44 (0)20/7456-0400.
Rooms from £35.
Photos courtesy of Tune Hotel Liverpool Street.
