Virgin Hotels London Unveils Completion of Phased Transformation

Though Virgin Hotels London-Shoreditch debuted in August 2024, the new hotel just celebrated its opening after completing a phased transformation. 

Virgin Hotels unveiled 14 new suites and the brand-new Hidden Grooves hi-fi listening bar, designed by company founder Richard Branson, who joined the hotel for an official grand opening event this week. 

“It’s a beautiful hotel in the heart of the capital. It’s fantastic that when travelers step off our planes in London, they now have somewhere to rest their head, and the wonderful Virgin experience continues,” Branson said. “London is where we started Virgin more than 50 years ago, and it feels really special to mark the opening of our first hotel here. Virgin Hotels was built on the idea of doing things differently, and Shoreditch is a perfect reflection of that spirit.”     

Virgin Hotels London-Shoreditch is the 17th property in the Virgin Hotels Collection. The 120-room hotel is located at 45 Curtain Road and offers guests a rooftop pool, Marlin’s on the Roof restaurant, a private gym, and treatment rooms.  

Now, it also has the unique food and beverage concept, Hidden Grooves, a vintage venue with a studio-album-themed cocktail menu and light bites, inspired by Japanese listening bars. The 38-seat venue has an extensive vinyl collection and high-quality sound system and will host vinyl-listening programming. 

“It’s a tribute to Virgin’s music roots,” Branson said. “We built our name on records – now inside our beautiful new hotel, we’ve built a space where people can enjoy them again.  Who also doesn’t remember visiting a Virgin Megastore and listening to the music before choosing which album to buy? This is exactly what I wanted to recreate with Hidden Grooves.”    

The hotel also just revealed its Premier Suites and Sir Richard’s Penthouse Flat. The upscale rooms celebrate the spirit of the 1970s while incorporating a modern twist. They feature a warm, rich color palette of rust, olive green, pale blue, and cream, paired with velvet and leather textures. Painted brick walls, collectible artwork, and oak furniture also add to the aesthetic.