Bonjour lecteurs! What is your fav part of London? We’ve been living in Kent for over 6 years now. But I still love a weekend in London. Despite having lived in the capital for nearly a decade, there are still so many parts that I am yet to discover. The city is always changing and so many locations have seen huge developments over the last years. London Docklands are l’exemple parfait of this. We stopped by the area last weekend to write my new Aloft London Excel Review, and we discovered such a beautiful part of London!
Aloft London Excel
Do you fancy exploring East London while staying in a chic and modern hotel? Then Aloft London Excel is your place with its bold couleurs and East End inspired designs.
The hotel, right by Excel London, looks fresh and modern with its fun décor and spacious rooms.
En plus, it brings you all the best London has to offer. Close to the Elizabeth Line, you can easily access Central London but also Heathrow Airport from there!
Or like us, you can actually explore its local area and see what London Docklands have to offer.
Let me tell you that it’s clearly a cool place to live in…
Our Arrival
Arriving at Aloft London Excel could not have been easier for us. We took a train to Stratford International and then changed for the DLR.
Stanley certainly loved going through the city, looking at the buildings and skyscrapers.
And once we arrived, it was straight on! There is a lot of work going on as Excel London is expanding, however, the hotel is full of charm.
We took the lift to the ground floor to check in. It’s vibrant and young, yet the hotel looks très chic. It’s part of the Marriott International Group, so you can expect some great comfort and beautiful rooms.
L’Atmosphère
We established very quickly that the hotel was THE cool one in the area…
The W XYZ bar certainly made an impression with its colourful paintings and murals.
Personnellement, j’adore the East End inspired décor of the hotel and the team put us at ease straight away.
It was très professionnel and we were quick to check in. We arrived a bit earlier and our room was already ready, so it was great!
Even better, we could instantly see all the local family-friendly attractions to check out! Pick yours! What would you fancy with your famille?
Our Suite At Aloft London Excel
We got very lucky as we got a newly refurbished family suite on the top floor!
What a view! And once we were in, we discovered such a spacious room.
As you come in, you have a living space with a table and extra storage as well as a toilet. The sofa would be Stanley’s bed while the main bedroom was on the right.
Our bed was spacious and very comfy with a big TV screen. I really liked the way the room was laid out with the bathroom at the back.
You have so much storage apart from the towels and the robes. It’s very chic and modern.
J’adore the huge and light mirror while Stanley was happy in our big bed!
Hotel’s Facilities
But we were quick to check out the rest of the hotel.
On top of a modern bar for you to enjoy a drink while listening to some musique, Aloft Excel London also features a gym with all the equipment you need.
But there is also a swimming pool with a sauna and a steam room. Now you are talking to me!
And to my surprise, I realised that we already came there a few years back for a baby swimming lesson with Dove! I recognised the piscine straight away!
The pool is not huge but it was not very busy, so we had a lovely time. Even better, Stanley could be plus indépendant as it is not very deep (1.20m). What do you think?
Exploring London Docklands
Aloft Excel London has it all for you to enjoy a comfortable family staycation. Le plus? It’s really well located as you can easily access Central London but also discover the East End.
As it was a beautiful day, we decided to walk and explore London Docklands.
After going all the way to the Royal Victoria Dock Footbridge, we stopped by to enjoy the view (you can take the DLR if you prefer, it’s only one stop).
Royal Wharf
We’ve actually been in the area for my birthday 2 year ago, but this time, we crossed the bridge with Stanley to go all the way to Royal Wharf and it was SO LOVELY. The area is so lively and vibrant!
There was some local festival with kids running around and playing and we stopped by a pub called The Windjammer right by la rivière.
It was buzzing with laughter and families making the most of the sunshine. Soaking in the sun with the best Rosé Spritz… C’est la vie!
I must say that I fell in love with Royal Wharf!
We also stopped by Thames Barrier Park before walking back via Connaught Bridge overlooking London City Airport.
Docksider Restaurant
What a day! To unwind, we check out the pool for an hour before having dinner at the Docksider Restaurant.
The hotel restaurant did not disappoint either with a great sélection of continental food. We had the lightest nachos ever (so good!!!) and some chicken skewers to share.
Before enjoying a pizza and some Tortellini for me and fish for him.
It’s a beautiful place and I must say that the service was impeccable!
So much that we saw the same qualité of service the day after when we came back for our petit-déjeuner!
The Docksider Restaurant has it all for you to have a great time with your family, from a casual dinner to a full English breakfast… C’est un succés!
No need to say that he adored the pancake station and the colouring pack to keep busy à la table… Not bad for a 8 year old…
Aloft London Excel – Le Verdict
And that was all for us! Our London weekend in the Docklands area came to an end. We made it all the way to Holborn for some lunch before stopping at Stratford International and heading home.
I must say that we truly rediscovered London yet again! I have often considered myself as a Londoner. But it was so beautiful to be by the River Thames and walk along the area.
Because of its location, Aloft London Excel makes such a good option to visit London! Our room was beautiful and so spacious.
It looked modern and trendy, yet very chic. All the staff were amazing and I saw the same level of care for all customers. It’s a lovely place to stay en famille.
I absolutely LOVED the East End theme all around the hotel! If you are looking for a modern family-friendly hotel with some artistic vibes, then this is your place!
Another way to do London and see more quirky places like Royal Wharf, Greenwich or even Stratford! It’s so easy with all the public transport…Greater London is the NEW place to be:)
Prices at Aloft London Excel for a family room start from £131.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post with Aloft London Excel. We were invited to write an honest review. All opinions are my own.
