The opening of Locke Hotel’s Dalston property in 2021 indicated a pioneering bet on this dynamic part of East London. Though hotels had already opened in the shadow of the Olympics at Stratford, betting on the Kingsland Road drag with one of Locke’s aparthotels was bold. But Locke have made a brand out of choosing neighbourhoods with their Manchester, Edinburgh and Munich properties showing how impeccable finishes and good service can uplift a high street.

Kingsland Locke’s 124 apartments range in configuration but maintain a consistent set of furnishings designed to cater to longer stays. All rooms come with thermal hobs for cooking, as well as a full fridge for storing perishables. Dense furnishings with a pastel palette immediately sets a relaxed, homely feel to the bedrooms, a signature principle at all of Locke’s European properties.

Communal laundry is another feature of the at-home living experience, conveniently located adjacent to the hotel’s smartly arranged gym – take to cardio and dumbbells while your laundry spins. Yoga mats are also included in bedrooms.

Kingsland Locke’s six-storey building is tall for Dalston, earning its rooftop bar an accolade as the highest in the neighbourhood. An in-house micro-brewery and distillery fastens down foundations with rooms wrapped – wonderfully sound proofed against the heave of Dalston.

The vibrant neighbourhood surrounding Kingsland Locke supports a range of hospitality amenities. Three to note as highlights are All Press Roastery & Cafe at 55 Dalston Lane for coffee and a morning bite, and the opposite Little Duck the Picklery for lunch or dinner. During evenings, sample cocktails at A Bar with Shapes for a Name which always impresses.

Training Notes

Dalton’s urban foreground falls away quickly with a pair of parks set back from Kingsland Road. One of London’s best swimming pools is also nearby, so continuing triathlon training is easy from this part of East London.

Less than half a mile to the east of Kingsland Locke is the first choice for runners – Hackney Downs Park. This square-shaped park comes with flat, tarmac paths and some parallel off-road trials – ideal as part of an interval session (400-800m, uninterrupted). To the south-east of Dalston is London Fields, a smaller and busier park that could be worth using as a cut-through to Victoria Park which is a runner’s favourite. There is no athletics track within a jog Dalston – the more efficient option is to get the Overground from Dalston Kingsland to Gospel Oak, then use Parliament Hill Athletics Track. (Finsbury Park have a track, but not very accessible to the public.)

Local cyclists will often use Kingsland Road to get up through Tottenham to roads in Epping Forest and ultimately Hertfordshire and Essex, so this is an option for those travelling with a road bike or renting via Rapha. There aren’t any other strong options to mention aside from scheduling to use the indoor bike at Kingsland Locke.

Swimmers can enjoy London Fields Lido which is exactly one mile from Kingsland Locke (Google Directions). The lido is heated year-round and 50m in length – booking online is advised. Outdoor swimming in Hampstead Heath isn’t far away when using the Overground (c. 25 minutes), so factor their ponds and the 60m (unheated) lido into your stay.

For more information, visit lockeliving.com