London Boutique Hotels — The Complete Guide
Perched at the boundary of the City of London and the creative heartland of East London — a design-forward aparthotel quietly redefining what a London stay can look like.
Aldgate · EC3N 4AB · 13-storey building · From £149–£160 per night
Read the guideMost hotels in this part of the city fall into one of two camps. Buckle Street Studios sits in neither. It occupies its own category — a hybrid of apartment living, boutique hotel, and creative community space, all wrapped inside an architecturally striking 13-storey building in Aldgate, EC3.
The property is part of the Locke brand, an aparthotel operator known for design-led interiors, independent cultural programming, and a genuine commitment to the neighbourhoods it inhabits. Buckle Street Studios is arguably its most ambitious London site — introducing hotel-style rooms to the Locke format for the first time, alongside its signature compact studio apartments.
'More than just a place to sleep — it's a design-forward aparthotel that doubles as a cultural hub.'
Honestly, quite a broad range of people. Business travellers get co-working space, fast WiFi, and a City of London postcode. Long-stay guests get fully equipped kitchens and apartment-style comfort. Weekend visitors get access to one of the best-positioned neighbourhoods in the capital — Brick Lane, Shoreditch, and Spitalfields all within walking distance.
From £149–£160 / Night · 87 Studios + 16 Hotel-Style Rooms · 103 Units Across 13 Floors
Full Address
Buckle Street, Aldgate, London, EC3N 4AB
Price Range
From approximately £149–£160 per night
Room Types
87 compact studio apartments · 16 hotel-style rooms · 103 units total
Nearest Tube
Aldgate (Circle, Metropolitan) · Aldgate East (District, Hammersmith & City)
Minimum Stay
Typically 3 nights on third-party platforms; check direct for flexibility
Check-In / Check-Out
Typically from 3:00 PM · by 11:00 AM (confirm at booking)
On-Site
Shaman coffee shop, co-working space, concept store, Makers Space, gym (shared with Lemon Locke), meeting room, shop & pantry
Locke is not a conventional hotel brand. Founded with the idea that the traditional hotel model was overdue for disruption, it positions itself as a hybrid between a design-led serviced apartment and a boutique hotel, chosen for locations in culturally interesting urban neighbourhoods.
Buckle Street Studios sits adjacent to Lemon Locke — the brand's first East London outpost. That proximity is more than geographical. Guests can access facilities at both properties, including the shared gym, so you're getting the amenities of two properties for the price of one stay.
The Locke brand has attracted design awards and industry recognition across its European expansion, with properties in Dublin, Edinburgh, Manchester, and several European cities. Buckle Street Studios represents the brand at its most refined — architecturally distinctive, operationally polished, and deeply embedded in one of London's most dynamic postcodes.
The community-embedded model — through the Makers Space, concept store, and neighbourhood-focused cultural programming — reflects a genuine investment in the places Locke chooses to operate. Supporting local artists over mass-produced retail, and programming events that serve residents as much as guests.
Buckle Street Studios was designed by Matthew Grzywinski of Grzywinski+Pons, the New York-based practice responsible for the first four Locke locations. The brief was to create something genuinely rooted in its context — a building that belonged to its neighbourhood rather than imposing on it.
The most arresting feature is the top two floors, enclosed in a translucent glass crown. The effect at night is striking — a warm, luminous cap on an otherwise restrained façade, consciously designed to evoke a modernist lighthouse. It reads as a landmark without being showy about it.
'Neutral tones and moody lighting form the base layer, layered over raw concrete and plaster surfaces and accented with brushed brass fittings.'
Floor-to-ceiling windows are a standout feature across room types. They draw natural light deep into the compact floor plates and create a sense of connection between the interior and the city outside — something that matters more than it might seem when you're spending an extended stretch in a single room.
The design isn't purely aesthetic. It serves the guest experience: every spatial decision is made with the practical needs of someone living and working in the space in mind, not just passing through it.
Compact Studio Apartments · 87 Units
Each unit features a cleverly designed fully equipped kitchen — hob, fridge, and everything you'd need to cook actual meals. Every studio includes a Smart Ultra HD 4K TV, a dedicated desk, and well-appointed bathroom amenities. The desk placement is worth noting — a proper work surface, not an afterthought tucked into a corner.
Hotel-Style Rooms · 16 Units
The 16 hotel-style rooms cater to guests who don't need the full apartment setup — shorter stays, lighter packing, less cooking. They share the same design aesthetic as the studios, with the same Smart Ultra HD 4K TV, dedicated desk, and bathroom amenities — but without the kitchen component. Well-suited to one- or two-night stays.
Photo by Petr Sevcovic on Unsplash
The ground-floor social heart of the building — open to both guests and the local community. Not a hotel lobby café trying to pass as a neighbourhood spot; it functions as one.
A dedicated co-working space with high-speed complimentary WiFi throughout, well-suited to a full day's work and to video calls.
The first Locke property to feature an on-site concept store, stocking limited-edition items from local East London artists and designers, alongside a Makers Space for emerging creatives.
Shared with the adjacent Lemon Locke — a facility better-equipped than a single building of this size might sustain alone.
A dedicated meeting room is available for business guests.
On-site shop and pantry supporting self-catering guests who'd rather not trek to a supermarket after a long day.
The hybrid room mix and broad amenity offering mean this property works for genuinely different guest profiles.
Co-working mezzanine, room desks, fast complimentary WiFi, meeting room, and a City of London postcode. Legal, financial and tech teams based near Liverpool Street or the Square Mile will find the location particularly convenient.
For guests staying weeks rather than nights — relocations, project assignments, team deployments — the studio apartment format is well-suited to longer-term living. Extended-stay rates are typically more competitive than the headline nightly figure.
Couples and friends visiting London for a cultural weekend. The Shaman coffee shop, concept store and Makers Space add texture a standard hotel can't replicate. Brick Lane, Shoreditch and Spitalfields are all within walking distance.
Whether working or on leisure, solo guests benefit from the community the property cultivates. The co-working space and cultural programming provide natural social anchors — a meaningful difference on longer stays.
Frequently asked questions about Buckle Street Studios by Locke.
The two nearest tube stations are Aldgate and Aldgate East, both within comfortable walking distance of the property on Buckle Street, EC3N 4AB. Aldgate serves the Circle and Metropolitan lines; Aldgate East serves the District and Hammersmith & City lines. Liverpool Street — for mainline rail and the Elizabeth line — is also nearby.
Rates start from approximately £149 per night on some platforms and around £160 per night on specialist serviced apartment sites. Pricing varies by room type, booking channel and season. Extended stays and corporate bookings typically attract more competitive per-night rates than short-notice or peak-season bookings.
A minimum stay of three nights typically applies when booking through third-party serviced apartment platforms. Direct bookings via lockeliving.com may offer more flexibility on minimum stay requirements, so it's worth checking direct if you're planning a shorter visit.
There is no dedicated on-site car park. Parking in EC3 and the surrounding Aldgate area is limited and expensive. The property is well-served by public transport — with Aldgate and Aldgate East tube stations both within walking distance — so arriving by tube, rail or taxi is strongly recommended.
Check-in is typically from 3:00 PM and check-out by 11:00 AM. These times should be confirmed with the property at the time of booking, as they can vary by rate type and channel. The digitalised check-in system may allow for early check-in requests subject to availability.
The pet policy is not publicly confirmed across all booking channels. If you plan to travel with a pet, contact the property directly before booking to clarify current terms. Policies can vary by room type and stay duration, so confirming in advance avoids any issues on arrival.
Yes. The studio apartment format — with fully equipped kitchens and dedicated desks — is designed for longer-term living as much as short visits. Corporate travel managers can arrange managed bookings through specialist agencies such as CheckInApartments. For extended stays, negotiated rates are typically available.
