SOUTH POINT SUITES

11/07/18

By Beth

WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT:

The picturesque Bermondsey Street location
Stay in a spacious hotel room
Enjoy easy access to Borough Market & Malty Street Market
The perfect hotel for sole business travel

DESTINATION:

South Point Suites is a hotel situated at the quieter end of Bermondsey Street in London Bridge. If you’ve never visited Bermondsey Street, then it’s somewhere you need to add to your list whilst exploring London. It’s an area where I always feel like I am abroad, rather than exploring a city I know so well, and there is always such a relaxed atmosphere here.

There are lots of great independent bars, cafes and restaurants all along the street, aswell as favourites such as Franco Manca, and it’s only a short walk to foodie hot spots, Borough Market and Malty Street Market. It's also home to the colourful Fashion & Textile Museum.

South Point Suites is in a perfect location for exploring London without feeling like you're too amidst the hustle and bustle. I was visiting for a night as part of a work trip and stayed here in a one-bedroom suite.

DECOR:

There is a modern decor throughout the hotel and the communal areas have an industrial feel, with exposed brick and brass pendant lighting alongside grey and white patterned floor tiles.

The one-bedroom suites are spacious, particularly for a London hotel, and are more like a small apartment than a standard hotel room. The main part of the room is a kitchen/diner/lounge area, which, with a sofa bed, also doubles up as a second bedroom, with the bedroom off this space and a separate bathroom.

There is a basic but modern design to the room, with dark walls, industrial style pendant bedside lights and London travel-inspired artwork. The kitchen has everything you need for a short stay, with an oven, dishwasher, fridge, kettle and toaster, and there is a TV in both the living area and bedroom.

Even though you can get additional tea and coffee in reception if you run out, one tip would be to leave more than two tea bags in the room, to avoid early morning tea needs when you’re in your PJ’s!

Despite being the smallest part of the room, the bathroom was my favourite space, with the same grey and white patterned floor tiles from the hallway and nicely scented complimentary toiletries.

DINING:

The rooms are easily designed for you to cook for yourself or enjoy a takeaway, but if you don’t fancy that, then there are lots of restaurant choices nearby. I chose to eat at Flour & Grape a couple of doors along, which is recommended by the hotel, and rightly so.

The pasta, which you can see being made through the window of the restaurant’s kitchen, was some of the best pasta I’ve eaten in a long time. I chose pasta with Prosciutto, Peas and Mint and my dining companion ordered Tortelloni with Roasted Pork Shoulder and Sage Butter.

We also tucked into some wonderfully fresh Tomato and Pesto Bruschetta, salty, but oh so good, Prosciutto and Burrata and a zesty salad of Almonds, Grapefruit, Rougette, Mint and Radishes.

The hotel does however serve breakfast. I have to say, it unfortunately wasn’t anything to write home about, but for a continental breakfast, it was okay. There was a small hot offering of eggs, bacon and mushrooms, but it didn’t look the most appetising, much like the continental meats. The bread and pastry selection were varied however and there was also cheese and fruit on offer and for refreshments, you could help yourself to tea and coffee out of machines and there were jugs of fresh juice.

If you are staying here over a weekend, then a trip to Malty Street Market is a must. Smaller than Borough Market, it’s a feast for the eyes and the stomach. There is also a gin bar and shop, selling Jensen's Gin and Bermondsey Tonics (where we learnt that normal tonic is dyed as this is left the original orange colour!), and Hiver Beers, which offer Honey Beers and Ales.

The hotel has a connection with Hiver Beers and you can actually do a brewery tour and tasting and stay at the hotel for a fixed price package, starting from £319 (£159.50pp) based on two people sharing a fully-equipped studio. This includes breakfast, use of the on-site gym, a pair of Bermondsey bed socks, a welcome beer from Hiver, plus a beer tasting tour at the nearby Hiver Brewery’s Taproom.

DEBRIEF:

I had an enjoyable stay at South Point Suites and for such a central area, it’s surprisingly quiet. It's a great choice for a short business trip and the one bedroom suites are also large enough for a family of 4 to stay in. There is something rather special about staying on the lovely Bermondsey Street too.