The Ned City of London

Worth getting out of bed for

Bank may feel officious with its neoclassical financial institutions, mayoral seat and distorted disco balls of quirkily shaped skyscrapers, but as part of the City (London’s oldest neighbourhood and a capital within a capital), there are historic treasures to unearth, well-heeled shops to hunt down and a valuable cache of culture. However, you could just hunker down in the hotel, which feels like a kind of urban resort. There are free yoga, Pilates, boxing, HIIT, dance, spinning – and more – classes in the gym; the spa could spoil you for days; live music is hosted in various venues; and different events take place throughout the year. 

Next, let’s get fiscal: learning about the noted stars of bank notes and the number of gold bars the UK has stashed away at the Bank of England Museum. Tours can only be arranged for small groups at Mansion House, but there are other iconic buildings that are easier to enter (you could even observe a hearing at the Magistrates’ Court if you really want). Head to the basement of the Bloomberg HQ and you’ll find Mithraeum, the remains of an ancient Roman settlement; St Paul’s Cathedral is a trove of art and famous entombments, but also hosts classical music recitals; and both the ‘Gherkin’ (AKA 30 St Mary Axe) and the ‘Walkie Talkie’ (AKA 20 Fenchurch Street or the Skygarden), and the Shard (actual name) have top-floor bars, from which London’s sprawl looks like a magical toytown. Climb the 311 steps to the top of the Monument to the Great Fire of London, then learn more about London’s long and twisty-turny past at the Museum of London, next door to a chunk of Roman wall. With all the wheelings and dealings of City financiers carrying on in this concentrated space, Bank has a number of very upmarket boutiques, Leadenhall Market has grandiose architecture dating back to the 14th century and the likes of Barbour, Reiss and Kandies (for cigars); while the Royal Exchange, a centre of commerce since the 16th century, is now home to Boodles jewellers, Crockett & Jones cobblers, Aspinal clothing and an outpost of Fortnum & Mason. Head East and you’ll find the Tower of London, royal prison to Anne Boleyn, Sir Walter Raleigh, Guy Fawkes and even the Krays; to the north, the Barbican is a Brutalist city of its own with an all-encompassing cultural centre; and across the Thames there’s the Tate Modern and all the excitement of the South Bank. 

Local restaurants

Dining out in Bank, home of the expense account, can weigh heavy on your credit card. But, standards meet the prices, so when you’ve munched your way through the Ned’s myriad eateries, explore the finer dines in life. Coq d’Argent has long been a favourite among the suited and booted for its elegant French cuisine. Expect wafts of truffle and dollops of caviar, and eats such as cauliflower in curried cream, cherry-wood-smoked sea trout with parsley beurre blanc, and rabbit braised in red wine. Also flying the Tricolore for French food is Cabotte, which is renowned for its Burgundy-sourced wines, but excels at food too, serving sea-bass carpaccio with juniper, apple, mango and chilli; Cornish plaice in a langoustine consommé; and a range of tartes and sabayons for dessert. Many deals have been brokered at 1 Lombard Street, set in a Grade II-listed building and dealing in British-leaning comfort food that’s gone up in the world: Lulworth scallops with chorizo in garlic butter, pumpkin soup with a Westcombe Cheddar scone, Old Spot sausages with colcannon in onion gravy, and Swainson House duck breast in a sour-cherry sauce. Desserts – Bakewell tart, apple crumble, sticky-toffee pudding – are densely delicious. And, Gymkhana sister restaurant Brigadiers is a wild flavour ride across Asia, with masala bubble-and-squeak vada pao, goat-belly vindaloo samosas, and beef shin and bone marrow biryani. 

Local cafés

Caravan City takes its travel-referencing name seriously, serving breakfasts, brunches and small plates that fuse flavours from all over. Fill up on charred oyster mushrooms with miso, edamame purée and wasabi; jalapeño cornbread with chipotle salsa and yoghurt curd cheese; and broken lamb meatballs with chermoula, tahini, labneh and aubergine. You’ll find Grind coffee in your room at the Ned, but you could go straight to the source – its café in the Royal Exchange. Cups of Joe abound, but there are also cold-pressed juices and a small but tasty cocktail menu – yes, they do an espresso martini.

Local bars

The City’s drinkeries embrace both the decadence of the weekday workers blowing off steam and delves into the past with historic boozers. The Bootlegger follows the Jazz Age hedonism of the hotel; a speakeasy-style bar with bow-tied staff, a piano begging to be played, and stiff drinks that’ll loosen you up. Humble Grape is a snobbery-free wine bar in a building with dramatic stone arches off Fleet Street; don’t be afraid to ask staff questions and be sure to book a tasting. Close by is the Old Bell Tavern, a 17th-century pub built by Christopher Wren (although not quite as ambitious as St Paul’s, we have to say). Be sure to try a pint of the house suds, Nicholson's Pale Ale. And, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese may have been rebuilt in the 17th century, but sits on foundations dating back four more centuries; its warren of rooms and nooks makes it ideal for an intimate date night.