A new hotel has opened in Camden Town – voco London Camden Lock. Previously the Holiday Inn Camden Lock, the building has had a full renovation with new rooms, an updated look, and a rebrand for a more comfortable experience. We spoke to General Manager Oliver O’Neill about the exciting new space.
Congratulations on the opening of voco London Camden Lock, a wonderful hotel in Camden Town. What was the concept of the new hotel before all the work started?
From the very beginning, we wanted to create a hotel that genuinely felt like it belonged in Camden. We have this incredible location overlooking Camden Lock, so it was never about creating something that could simply be picked up and placed anywhere else in London.
The vision was to take the character, creativity and individuality of Camden and combine that with the relaxed, unstuffy feel of voco. Camden has always done things a little differently, and we wanted the hotel to have that same confidence and personality. There are little nods to the neighbourhood throughout the design, but ultimately we wanted to create somewhere that feels warm, comfortable and full of character, somewhere guests can immediately relax and feel part of Camden.
It’s formerly the Holiday Inn Camden Lock, which was a popular hotel in Camden. With the new hotel, what can guests expect when they visit?
The Holiday Inn Camden Lock was incredibly well loved, and that history is really important to us. We haven’t tried to erase what came before, we’ve built on it.
What guests will find now is a completely transformed hotel with a much stronger sense of personality. The bedrooms, public spaces, bar and restaurant have all been redesigned, but the biggest thing for me is the atmosphere and the team. We have always remained true to ourselves and this would be the only part we will continue to build on. Being you in “youniform.”
We want it to feel relaxed and easy. Come down for breakfast, relax in our public spaces, grab a drink at the bar, work from the lounge or simply sit and watch Camden go by. Some of our rooms have the most amazing high-level view of Camden, especially our balcony rooms on the 5th floor. Great hotels aren’t just about beautiful rooms but they’re about how they make you feel. That’s what we’ve really focused on.
The Glasshouse is a lovely venue for events, meetings, corporate get-togethers, and film and photo location. From what we’ve seen, the space looks beautiful.
The Glasshouse is a really special part of the hotel, particularly because of its location and its views overlooking Camden Lock.
We want it to be a space that isn’t defined by one particular type of event. It can be a meeting room in the morning, a creative event space in the afternoon and somewhere completely different again for a celebration in the evening.
Being in Camden gives us permission to have a little fun with spaces like this. We want people to come in with ideas and ask, “Could we do this here?” – and hopefully, more often than not, our answer will be yes.
Camden Town is a vibrant area, with many music performances, restaurants, and markets. It’s also a great place to stay for a London visit as it’s so commutable. What are some of your personal favourite things to do in Camden Town?
For me, the best thing you can do in Camden is sometimes not have too much of a plan.
Walk along the canal, explore the market, stop somewhere for food, find some live music and see where the day takes you. That’s the beauty of Camden. there’s always something happening and there are so many different sides to it.
I also love the area’s connection with music. There’s so much history here, but Camden isn’t living in the past either. New artists, new food, new ideas and new people are constantly arriving. That mixture is what keeps the neighbourhood interesting.
And one of my favourite views will always be looking out across Camden Lock from the hotel. You can sit there watching this incredibly colourful part of London moving around beneath you. It’s difficult to get bored of that.
Not just rooms, the hotel has a large breakfast area, a lounge area with a bar near the reception, and a gym. Not to mention the great views over Camden too! To us this seems like a very comfortable visit for both guests on a work trip for families too.
Absolutely. We didn’t want the hotel to dictate how people should use it. Somebody might be here for a meeting, somebody else might be bringing their children to London for the first time, and another guest might be here for a gig or simply a weekend exploring Camden.
That’s why the public spaces are particularly important to us. You don’t always want to disappear back to your bedroom.
Like I mentioned earlier, we want guests to find their favourite corner of the hotel whether that’s having breakfast, sitting in the lobby lounge with a coffee, having a drink at the bar or just relaxing after a day exploring London.
Ultimately, we want the hotel to feel comfortable enough that you can make it your own while you’re here.
You personally, Oliver, have been a part of the hotel business at that location for quite a few years. What are some of the things that you are most excited about with the new refurb and branding?
This one is quite emotional for me. I’ve been part of this hotel for a number of years, and the team and I have lived through a huge transformation to get here. We’ve watched walls come down, spaces completely change and this new hotel gradually emerge around us, all while continuing to welcome guests through the doors.
So, for me, the most exciting part isn’t one particular bedroom, bar or piece of furniture. It’s finally seeing the whole thing come together and watching our team bring it to life.
Buildings can be refurbished and brands can change, but the heart of a hotel will always be its people. I’m incredibly proud that many of the people who helped make the Holiday Inn Camden Lock such a loved hotel are now the same people welcoming guests into voco London Camden Lock. There’s something really special about being able to say: we built this next chapter together.
Where can we find out more about voco London Camden Lock?
Come and see us! You can find us online through voco and IHG, and we’ll be sharing plenty through our social channels as we settle into our new chapter.
But Camden is one of those places, and hopefully we’re one of those hotels, that’s much better experienced than explained. Come through the doors, grab a drink, experience it for yourself.
We’d love to welcome you.
Visit voco London Camden Lock, see the photos, and book your stay.
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