Penelope Alice visits the brand-new Hilton London Bankside

It’s not every day that one gets to visit a brand new hotel with stylish event spaces. Unless of course you’re a PA Life Club member, in which case you joined me and a few of our fellow members for an evening of networking and tours at the freshly-opened Hilton London Bankside, conveniently located near Southwark station.

The hotel only opened two days before our little soirée and it showed in how shiny and perfect everything was. The smell of fresh paint was quite refreshing as we made our way through the über-chic lobby downstairs to the event spaces. We were located in the Globe room, which can be split into multiple rooms to suit anything from a small board meeting to a reception for 240 people.

We were greeted by a lovely fruity cocktail with a gin base, followed by free-flowing juice and red and white wine. Our hosts were kind enough to supply us with tasty canapés in the form of mini-crab cakes, salmon and steak tartar and mushroom purée.

Later, we took a tour of the hotel’s swish guest rooms and I can honestly say the basic room is better than some of the premium rooms I’ve booked elsewhere. Then we headed back downstairs to visit the other event spaces, including the impressive ballroom, which also features the versatility of room dividers that turn a large space into three smaller ones. Its largest capacity is a whopping 700 for a reception, or 650 banquet style.

The interior of the new hotel is designed to an incredibly high standard. It has the “feel” of a traditional Hilton with enough classy touches to set it apart from its sister properties. If you’re looking for a fresh venue in the City, check it out for yourself at placeshilton.com/london-bankside.