Sea Containers London Review: A 50th Birthday Weekend on the South Bank

Charlie turned 50. Someone very generous gave him a hotel voucher. And I was given a job I actually love: find the right hotel in London for a two night staycation that would do a milestone birthday justice.

We did a lot of research. Location came first, style second, and a rooftop bar somewhere in the mix would seal it. Sea Containers London kept coming out on top. Walking distance to London Bridge. Walking distance to the South Bank and the Tate Modern. Walking distance to Soho if you are big walkers, which we are. A spa, a gym and a rooftop bar on the 12th floor. It ticked a lot of boxes before we had even packed.

This is my honest Sea Containers London review. We paid for the stay ourselves with Charlie's birthday voucher, and I will tell you exactly where it shone and where it left me scratching my head. If you are weighing up a South Bank hotel for a celebration weekend, this should help you decide.

Self funded. We stayed two nights, Friday and Saturday, in what was booked as a standard room. We were upgraded on arrival, and I have noted that clearly below. Nobody at the hotel knew I would be writing about it. Every observation is my own, and Charlie's where noted, from a weekend we planned and paid for.

We jumped off the tube at Waterloo and walked. Eleven minutes, according to my phone, and it was right. Google Maps took us round to the back of the building on Upper Ground, which is actually the correct side, because that is where reception lives.

Then the doorman. You know me. I love being greeted by someone with charisma, a big smile and the sense that they actually want to be there. This man had all of it. He introduced himself as Romero, and before we had said a word he looked at the pair of us and said, "Happy birthday. Which one of you is it?"

How did he know? "I can just tell," he said. Very clever. I pointed at Charlie, he shook his hand, wished him a happy birthday, sir, and asked if we had stayed before. We hadn't. "Make your way up to reception and someone will look after you. I will take your bag." Ten out of ten. First impression done in under a minute.

Reception took a short wait, then we were looked after by the lovely Natasha. We were half an hour early, so the room was not quite ready, but she had good news. We had been upgraded to a suite. She had also spotted the birthday on the booking and gave us two welcome drinks for the bar upstairs. Then she asked whether we were travelling with anyone else. We were, with Charlie's cousin Kieran and his wife Gemma, who were staying separately. "OK, I will give you two more." Four welcome drinks. Very kind, and exactly the sort of small decision that makes a guest feel noticed rather than processed.

By the time she had finished, the room had come through as ready. Keys in hand, we headed up to the 14th floor. There are only 15 floors in the hotel, so that is about as high as you can get.

The door opened onto a huge, long room. Extra large bed, big TV, wardrobe space for days, and a roll top bath in the bathroom. Charlie looked at the bed and said, "I think I am going to sleep well in there tonight." He was right, more on that shortly.

Now for the honest bit, because you would expect nothing less from me. I would not call it a suite. It was a very large bedroom. When I compared it with the standard room we had booked, it looked like the same room with roughly five foot squared extra floor space and a bigger television. I did not go and check the exact differences, and I was extremely grateful for the gesture, but I did find it odd.

The bigger issue for me was the layout. There was a lot of space and it felt bare. As a designer I know the value of breathing room, but there was one armchair and one small side table in a room that could easily have taken two chairs and a proper table for two people to sit and have a drink together. There was a desk with a white chair by the window, which is useful if you are working, but for a couple celebrating a birthday the room did not feel thought through. New wardrobe, new finishes, clean lines. And our window looked out over the city rather than the Thames, so ask for a river facing room if the view matters to you. Just not quite enough furniture in it to make the space feel lived in.

Everything else was on point. The room was spotless. The fridge was fully stocked. There was a big basket of sweets, chocolate and snacks, and the moment we clocked the Haribo we both grinned. We are terrible for Haribo. Plenty of cupboard space, plenty of hanging space, and a bed so deep you sink into it.

Charlie finds it hard to sleep. Hotels in particular. So when we both slept until nine on the Saturday morning, I knew the bed was a winner. The mattress, the pillows and the duvet all had that sink in quality where you stop noticing the bed at all, which is exactly what you want.

One practical note in the spirit of full transparency. We woke at 3am on the first night absolutely boiling. Part of that was self inflicted after a big night in Soho and a few gin and tonics on the roof, I am not going to pretend otherwise. But when we jumped up we found the air con set to 24 degrees. We took it down to 16 and went straight back to that beautiful sleep. So check the panel before you get into bed. The system works perfectly well once you have set it, it just was not set for us.

Here is where I will gush. The bathroom was stunning. Marble floor, marble tiled walk in shower, a roll top bath, and a huge tubular chrome mirror over a glossy black basin that sits on a single white pedestal like a piece of sculpture. There is an illuminated magnifying mirror on the wall for make up and lighting that dims right down or goes full brightness depending on whether you are doing your make up or soaking in the tub. The layout made sense in a way the bedroom did not. Every surface felt considered. If I am honest, the bathroom felt a level above the room it belonged to.

Towels were stacked on open marble shelves, thick and white. It was filled with products too. A brand I had not come across before, with a lovely scent, and enough of it that you would not need to raid your own washbag. It is D.S. & Durga, the New York perfumer, and a good hotel toiletry is worth knowing about.

We were not there for the room. We were a bit hungry after the walk, so we went straight down to the ground floor while we waited for Kieran and Gemma to arrive. We did not want to sit in the restaurant, so we asked for seats at the bar where we could look straight out along the Thames path.

This is one of the best people watching spots in London. Runners, families, tourists, couples on a first date, everyone passes that window. It is a busy stretch of riverside and the bar takes on that energy. Very buzzy. Good vibes.

The bar menu is a run of small plates that suit exactly this kind of afternoon. We ordered English coastal oysters with a blackcurrant mignonette at £4 each, seabass ceviche tacos with red onion salsa and coriander at £12, and the four cheese croquettes with jalapeño mayonnaise at £13. Absolutely delicious. The croquettes were a yes please, thank you very much moment. Had we not been saving ourselves for Soho, the mushroom sausage roll with Marmite puff pastry, the popcorn buffalo chicken and the jumbo shrimp cocktail were all calling. Snacks such as Nocellara olives, Cambrook spiced nuts and salt and vinegar seaweed crisps sit at £7, and fries come with Old Bay mayonnaise, which tells you the kitchen has a sense of humour about the ocean liner theme. We held back because we had a table booked in Soho that night, and the whole weekend had been planned to a fine tune. When Kieran and Gemma joined us we shared a couple of bottles of South African Chardonnay, laughing, joking and buzzing to be there.

For context, the ground floor has two drinking options. Lyaness is the award winning cocktail bar with the river views and St Paul's in the distance. Then there is the Sea Containers Restaurant bar, which is where we sat. The hotel's website says a new Gordon Ramsay restaurant opens at Sea Containers on 1 September 2026, so if you are reading this later in the year the riverside dining will have changed. What will not change is that window.

We did not eat breakfast at the hotel on either morning. That was a choice, not a criticism. Borough Market on Saturday and a roast booking on Sunday won that argument every time. If you do want breakfast included, the hotel runs weekend offers that bundle it in, so it is worth checking before you book.

Friday night was Soho. We did the walk over to the West End, stopped at Gordon's Wine Bar, ate at Prix Fixe Brasserie and finished the night at Ronnie Scott's. You can read about all three in my other London content. Soho was buzzing, but we knew the hotel rooftop was open and we wanted to make the most of the place we were paying to stay in, so we jumped in a taxi back.

The rooftop bar is called 12th Knot and it is on the 12th floor. When the lift doors opened we were greeted by security with another big smile. Had we booked a table, or were we staying in the hotel? Staying. "No problem, head round to the front desk and they will find you somewhere."

It was absolutely jumping. The terrace runs the length of the building behind a glass balustrade lit with a strip of violet neon, white cushioned wire chairs and little brass tables all facing the City, with St Paul's, the Shard and the whole skyline lit up beyond Blackfriars Bridge. Live DJ. People dancing in the middle of the floor. A bar three deep with people having a great time. We looked at each other and said the same thing. If we had known the rooftop was this good, we would have come back hours earlier. It was half eleven by then and it winds down at half past midnight, so we had a drink, a gin and tonic each I think, soaked it in and went to bed a little bit gutted that we had only just discovered it. Not too gutted. It was only night one.

Saturday night we knew better. After an early dinner at Lucky Cat we were back at the hotel by half nine, ten o'clock, and we had a proper couple of hours up there. Cocktails first. The Sunset Sour at £16 is Kavka Estate vodka, limoncello, yuzu, passion fruit and egg white, and it went down far too easily. The No Spoon Old Fashioned at £19 is Del Maguey mezcal, walnut honey and purple bitters, smoky and proper, and it was my drink of the weekend. Then mojitos and Bacardi and coke for Charlie, and a very respectable dent in the bar bill. We nearly did not get a table it was so busy. There was a guy playing bongos and cowbell over the DJ, the crowd was young and up for it, and the music was awesome. Who knew the Sea Containers London rooftop bar was the new place to be? I would put it on your list for any London weekend, hotel guest or not.

Sea Containers has agua spa and a gym, and both were part of the reason we chose it. Then the weekend happened. Between Soho, Borough Market, two rooftops, Lucky Cat, five miles of walking and a Sunday roast, we did not set foot in either. Typical. We booked a hotel for its spa and then walked round London instead.

We did have a look. The gym is well equipped, as you can see from the photo, with proper cardio machines and free weights rather than the two treadmills and a mat that some London hotels pass off as fitness. And the entrance to agua looked incredible, dark and calm and a world away from the Thames path outside. I would rather tell you what I saw than invent a treatment I did not have.

So if you are more organised than us, and you are not sightseeing, put the spa and gym on your list. The hotel runs a Spa and The City package built around exactly that kind of stay, and I would love to hear how it was.

Ada stayed home this time, so I cannot give you first hand paws on the floor detail. But the policy is clear on the hotel's website and it is a good one. Dogs up to 9kg are welcome for £35 per stay. You sign a damage waiver and leave a £100 deposit on arrival. Your dog gets a cosy blanket, a bowl and a treat waiting in the room. Well behaved dogs are allowed in bedrooms and in the Sea Containers Restaurant, kept on a lead in public areas, and they cannot be left alone in the room. Dogs are not allowed in the Cabin Suites, so book a standard room or a Thames Suite if you are bringing one. The Thames path outside the front door is about as good a morning walk as a London dog could ask for.

This is the reason to book. Location, location, location. From the front of the hotel you have the whole South Bank in either direction and you can be in the City or the West End in the same amount of time.

Saturday we walked east. Along the river, past the Tate Modern, over towards London Bridge and into Borough Market. We wanted to sit down rather than stand and graze, so we had breakfast at Brother Marcus, which was excellent, and then wandered the market stalls with full stomachs, which is the only way to survive Borough Market without buying everything.

From there we carried on into the City and ended up at Wagtail, the rooftop bar near Monument. First drink of the day at about three o'clock after a very long walk. A pornstar martini for me, and that view. I always dig out a rooftop wherever I go, in London or abroad. Seeing a whole city laid out in front of you adds a point to any trip.

Sunday we walked west. Out of the front of the hotel with the river in front of you, turn left, follow the river all the way to Big Ben, cross Westminster Bridge, come back along the north side and cross back over Blackfriars Bridge to the hotel. That is a five mile loop and I cannot recommend it enough. Do it early before the crowds and you will see London at its absolute best. We finished it in time for a 12 o'clock booking at Blacklock, one of our favourite roast spots, and that is in The Roast Edit.

Transport wise, Waterloo is an 11 minute walk, Blackfriars station is closer still, and Southwark is a few minutes away. If you are coming in by train for a weekend you really do not need a taxi.

The staff are fantastic. Not usually one to rank people, but when you stay a couple of nights you do end up with favourites. First place goes to Romero on the door, who gets my award for best charisma in London this year. Second place goes to the girl from Cork who served our drinks in the bar on both Friday and Saturday. Efficient, friendly, good chat, remembered us on night two. Natasha at reception set the whole weekend off on the right foot with the upgrade and the welcome drinks. And the security team on the roof were smiley and helpful at a point in the night when they had every excuse not to be.

Nobody hovered. Nobody was cold. Everyone seemed to like working there, and that is the thing you cannot train into a team.

The birthday recognition from the doorman before we had said a word. The four welcome drinks instead of two. The suite upgrade, whatever we want to call it. The Haribo. The changing quote board. The magnifying mirror. And a rooftop bar with a live DJ that runs until 12.30am, which for a hotel bar is rare and for a South Bank hotel bar is rarer still.

Couples doing a celebration weekend, without question. Anyone who wants to walk London rather than tube it, because you are in the middle of everything. Groups of friends who want a hotel with a genuine night out under the same roof. Younger travellers, or anyone who still likes dancing at midnight. Families too, judging by the number of family rooms and the kids programme the hotel runs.

It is less suited to anyone who wants their bedroom to be the destination. If you are the sort of guest who plans to spend the evening in the room with a bottle of wine and a view, the layout will frustrate you, and you should look at the Thames Suites or ask about a river facing room when you book. If you want quiet and hushed, the buzz of the rooftop and the riverside walk is not that.

Yes, with a note. The location is worth the booking on its own. The staff are worth it again. The rooftop bar turns a hotel stay into a night out without a taxi. The bed is exceptional, the bathroom is genuinely beautiful and the whole ocean liner concept is fun without being a gimmick.

Where it falls short is the bedroom. Too much empty space and not enough thought about how two people actually use a room. It is a fixable problem and it does not stop me recommending the hotel, but you asked for honest.

We booked four months ahead and paid around £270 a night for a standard room, which for a design hotel on the South Bank with that rooftop is fair. As a guide, standard rooms tend to sit between £250 and £450 a night, river view and larger rooms between £350 and £600, and suites and apartments from around £600 to £1,500 or more, depending on the date and how far ahead you book. The hotel runs plenty of weekend and advance booking offers, so book early. At that rate Sea Containers London is a very strong option for a London weekend. Charlie has already said he wants to go back for the roof alone. Happy 50th, love.

Yes, especially for couples or groups who want a central base with a real night out on site. The staff picked up on Charlie's birthday before we mentioned it, we were upgraded, and the 12th Knot rooftop bar meant we could dance until 12.30am without leaving the building.

The rooftop bar is 12th Knot, on the 12th floor. Cocktails run around £16 to £19; try the Sunset Sour or the No Spoon Old Fashioned. It has a live DJ on weekend nights, a dance floor and views across the Thames. Hotel guests can go up without a booking, but at busy times you may wait for a table. On our stay it closed at 12.30am.

About an 11 minute walk. Blackfriars station is closer, and Southwark is a few minutes away. We walked everywhere from the hotel, including to Soho, London Bridge, Borough Market and Westminster.

Yes. Dogs up to 9kg are welcome for £35 per stay with a £100 deposit and damage waiver. The hotel provides a blanket, bowl and treat. Dogs are allowed in bedrooms and the Sea Containers Restaurant but not in the Cabin Suites.

Standard rooms are typically £250 to £450 a night, river view and larger rooms £350 to £600, and suites and apartments from around £600 to £1,500 or more. We paid around £270 a night for a standard room booked four months ahead. Weekend and advance booking offers can bring the rate down.

The bed and bathroom are excellent. The bed is deep and comfortable and the bathroom has a walk in shower, roll top bath and dimmable lighting. The bedroom layout in our upgraded room felt bare, with one chair and a small table in a large space. Check the air con setting before bed.

No. The name comes from Sea Containers, the shipping company whose offices were in the building from 1978. The building was designed by Warren Platner and the hotel interiors by Tom Dixon's studio, inspired by 1920s ocean liners.

Yes. The hotel has agua spa and a gym, plus a Curzon cinema. We did not use them on this visit because we spent the weekend walking and eating, but the hotel offers spa packages if that is your focus.

The Tate Modern, Borough Market, the OXO Tower, the National Theatre and the whole South Bank are on foot. Our five mile loop along the river to Big Ben and back over Blackfriars Bridge is a brilliant Sunday morning.