The in-room Void sound system was no afterthought – it was central. I queued up my “Hot Goths Only” playlist (don’t judge, because yes its back to back with tracks like Sex Dwarf, Don’t Fear the Reaper and Lesbian Vampyres from Outer Space) and let it fill the space properly. It’s rare for a hotel to understand that music isn’t just something that should play in the background – it creates an atmosphere, an identity, and sets the mood.
To the right, a massive standalone bathtub – cast iron, or at least convincingly so – sat like a relic from a time long before Denmark Street bustled with music legends now and then. And beyond the crittall windows, St Giles-in-the-Fields Church, with its looming presence, added to the whole gothic narrative. I leaned into it fully, watching Sinners from the four poster bed on that plasma TV before drifting off.
Later, I headed down to Thirteen, the hotel’s bar and restaurant, with a friend and the energy shift was immediate. Where the room felt introspective and cocooning, Thirteen was social, playful and just a little chaotic in the best way. The staff – dressed in red and black brocade – struck that perfect balance between relaxed and sharp. There was humour, teasing and actual personality, and it felt anything but scripted.
Cocktails first. The Gothic Fire was rich and slightly dangerous – amaretto and Campari cutting through with a bitter edge – while the Lady Stardust leaned brighter, fruitier, topped with sparkling wine. Across the table, Thirteen’s Negroni came with a wink and a “we could tell you, but then we’d have to…” which felt entirely on brand.
Food-wise, it was Japanese-inspired small plates done with flair rather than fuss. Snow crab tacos were fresh and layered, crispy chicken rolls hit that perfect crunch-to-soft ratio and the JFC bao buns were messy in the way you want them to be. Thirteen isn’t trying to be a purist dining experience – it’s designed for sharing, for grazing, for lingering as the DJ (who kicked off around 9:45) gradually shifted the room from upbeat to something closer to a late-night jazz bar mood.
Back upstairs, the apartment felt even better after the buzz of the bar.