Aethos London Shoreditch

Aethos London Shoreditch is the first UK property for the Swiss lifestyle hospitality group, which has spent the past seven years building a portfolio across Portugal, Italy, France and Spain before identifying Shoreditch as the right neighbourhood for its London debut. 

The hotel took over the site of the former Nobu Hotel London Shoreditch in October 2025, inheriting a striking building designed by Ben Adams Architects and 164 rooms that have been comprehensively reimagined by Barcelona-based Astet Studio. 

The result is a hotel with a clear identity: warm, minimalist and genuinely welcoming in a way that distinguishes it from the more anonymous luxury openings the neighbourhood has seen.

The experience

The interiors draw on Shoreditch’s industrial and artisanal past, layering brushed metals, terracotta and warm woods to create spaces that feel more Mediterranean than the East London postcode might suggest. 

It is a considered balance: the building’s bones are emphatically London, but the atmosphere is lighter and warmer than you might expect. Even this early on, it’s set apart by the quality of the rooms and the warmth of the service, which in a hotel that has only been open a few months is a genuine achievement. 

The members club element – accessible via the Aethos app – gives regular visitors access to events, co-working and wellness spaces, plus connections to over 50 partner clubs globally, which adds a dimension to the stay that straightforward hotel bookings rarely offer.

The rooms

164 rooms and suites range from Deluxe through Executive, Premium and Aethos categories to Junior Suites and Balcony Suites on the upper floors. All feature warm minimalist interiors with floor-to-ceiling windows, bespoke furnishings, Egyptian cotton bedding and the kind of thoughtful detail such as window shutters, carefully chosen materials and earthy tones, that suggests a design team that made deliberate choices rather than defaulting to generic luxury. Balcony suites offer private outdoor space overlooking the courtyard and Japanese garden. The sixth floor Aethos Skyline rooms, added during the property’s previous incarnation, have panoramic city views that at night remain as impressive as ever.

Food and drink

Aethos Cafe anchors the ground floor from morning through to late evening. Think specialty coffee, matcha, nourishing plates and a relaxed all-day menu that works equally well for a working breakfast and a long lunch. 

Mitsu, the headline dining concept, was still settling in at time of writing and is worth checking current status before booking specifically for it. The concept – East Tokyo izakaya culture with flame-grilled dishes, shareable plates and DJ sets – is exactly the right fit for the neighbourhood and the early signs are strong. Both are open to non-hotel guests, which already makes Willow Street a more interesting destination than it was twelve months ago.

The neighbourhood

Willow Street sits in a quieter pocket of Shoreditch that gives the hotel a sense of calm its main-artery neighbours don’t quite achieve. Old Street station is five minutes north, Columbia Road Flower Market is nearby for Sunday mornings, and the restaurants and bars that define the neighbourhood are all easily walkable. 

Note that the entrance is not prominently signposted from the street – worth flagging to guests booking for the first time.