The Stratford, London
Modernist Elegance Above East London’s Skyline
Why DNA Hotels Loves It
● A striking high-rise hotel where Space Copenhagen’s interiors bring warmth and timeless elegance to one of London’s boldest contemporary buildings.
● Located within Manhattan Loft Gardens, combining hotel living, design apartments, restaurants, and rooftop gardens in a unique vertical community.
● A gateway to East London’s cultural future, surrounded by world-class architecture, art, and creative institutions.
A New Landmark for East London
The Stratford represents a different vision of London hospitality. Developed by Harry Handelsman, whose previous projects include the celebrated St. Pancras Hotel and Chiltern Firehouse, the hotel occupies the lower floors of the dramatic 42-storey Manhattan Loft Gardens, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Rising beside Stratford International Station and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, it has become one of East London’s defining architectural landmarks. It’s contemporary London at its most ambitious. Confident, elegant, and forward-looking.
Poetic Modernism by Space Copenhagen
The interiors, designed by Danish studio Space Copenhagen, balance modernist restraint with residential warmth. Natural oak, warm metals, tactile fabrics, softly curved furniture, and muted colour palettes create an atmosphere the designers describe as poetic modernism. Bespoke joinery sits alongside carefully selected pieces from Gubi, Stellar Works, and Benchmark, while floor-to-ceiling windows flood every space with natural light. The result feels sophisticated. Without ever becoming formal.
Rooms Above the City
The guestrooms embrace the same understated elegance. Clean architectural lines, bespoke furniture, generous bathrooms, rich natural materials, and expansive glazing create rooms that feel more like carefully designed city apartments than conventional hotel accommodation. At the top of the range, the Manhattan Studio offers an expansive residential-style retreat with panoramic views across London’s ever-changing skyline. Luxury here is defined by space. Light. And exceptional design.
A Social Destination in the Sky
The Stratford has been designed as much for Londoners as for hotel guests. The dramatic triple-height lobby is anchored by a ten-metre fireplace and Paul Cocksedge’s striking Murmuration installation, creating an inviting public space that remains active throughout the day. Upstairs, The Mezzanine offers relaxed drinks and conversation, while Allegra serves contemporary dining with spectacular views from the seventh floor. Landscaped sky gardens complete the experience, bringing unexpected greenery high above the city. It’s a hotel built around community. Not exclusivity.
The Future of East London
Positioned beside Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, The Stratford sits at the centre of one of London’s fastest-evolving cultural districts. The V&A East, Sadler’s Wells East, BBC Music Studios, London College of Fashion, and the surrounding creative quarter continue to transform Stratford into one of the capital’s most exciting destinations. Few hotels are better placed to experience London’s next chapter.
Why It Works
The Stratford succeeds because it looks forward rather than back. Exceptional contemporary architecture, beautifully restrained interiors, and an ambitious mixed-use concept combine to create a hotel that feels genuinely connected to the future of East London. Elegant, light-filled, and quietly confident, it offers a fresh perspective on what modern luxury can be.
