Big international trips will always have their place, but there’s something especially indulgent about a staycation — particularly when you are planning a girls’ weekend. Minimal logistics clogging up the group chat. No passport panic the night before, and no limit on the amount of beauty products you can pack. Sounds like a winner to us.
Enter Pan Pacific London. Set moments from Liverpool Street — and a short stroll from Shoreditch’s late-night spots — this Singapore-born hotel makes the logistics of a girls’ weekend simple. And not just because it’s convenient. With its polished design, standout spa and infinity pool overlooking the City, it manages to feel like you’re really getting away from it all, even though you’re firmly in Zone 1.
Girls’ weekends come in many guises. Are you the drinks-and-dancing group? A long-walk-into-long-lunch crew? Or the stay-in-robes, order-room-service types (with a mandatory trip to the spa, of course)? Whatever your vibe, Pan Pacific London has you covered.
In partnership with Pan Pacific London.
The Vibe
Pan Pacific London isn’t your standard City address where suits dominate the lobby, hunched over a laptop. A mix of international holidaymakers, business travellers and staycationers keeps the crowd varied and the lobby buzzy day and night.
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The interiors by Yabu Pushelberg do a fantastic job of making the communal spaces feel light, bright and relaxing, and give nods to the hotel’s Singaporean origins in a subtle way, without feeling over-egged.
The Rooms
When it comes to the rooms, let’s start by saying that the Pan Pacific London’s standard rooms are refreshingly generous for central London. They’re decked out in soft neutral tones, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the skyline and plenty of natural light throughout. If your idea of a girls’ weekend is lounging in bed in a robe with room service, these are rooms you’ll genuinely enjoy spending time in. There’s ample wardrobe space (crucial for a girls’ weekend), and enough room to lay out multiple outfit options without descending into chaos.
If you’re celebrating, the Walbrook Suite is particularly special. With panoramic views of the city, a front-row view of the Gherkin and plenty of room for you and the girls to get ready, it’s a perfect choice for a special celebration. The retro Crosley record players, loaded with Kylie, Harry Styles and ABBA Gold, are a playful touch and make it very easy to segue into an impromptu bedroom dance party, should the mood take you.
Food + Drink
You’ve got some of London’s best dining on your doorstep here — Shoreditch, Spitalfields and the City are all within easy walking distance — but the food at Pan Pacific London is well worth checking out (whether you’re staying here or not).
Start the evening at Ginger Lily Bar & Lounge, the hotel’s main bar, where the cocktail list is extensive and features signature serves that nod to Singaporean flavours. We particularly enjoyed A Fresh Start — an innovative mix of kaffir lime leaf-infused Enemigo Blanco Tequila, Derrumbes Mezcal and yuzu sake, resulting in something fresh and incredibly moreish.
After a round of cocktails, head upstairs to Straits Kitchen for the five-course experience menu. It’s a great way to taste the menu’s highlights and features Executive Head Chef Adam Bateman’s favourites, such as Hereford beef and Cornish crab pappardelle (which we are still thinking about). The team will happily help you match a wine to the menu or suggest another cocktail if you’re feeling zesty.
If you’re ready to go dancing, you’re steps from Shoreditch, where you’ll find plenty of late-night spots to let off some steam. Or, like us, you could retire to your room with a face mask and admire the sparkling lights of the City below. Your call.
The Wellness
It’s not a girls’ weekend without a bit of R and R. Luckily, Pan Pacific London has a substantial offering to help you and your friends switch off and relax.
Mindful Studio
First up is the 18.5-metre infinity pool — surrounded by plush loungers, it’s the perfect spot to watch the city go by (without being part of the hustle and bustle). There’s also a steam room and sauna, and the treatment menu is genuinely impressive: think signature holistic massages, targeted lymphatic drainage, and a range of facials — including the Lifting and Elasticising Lifto HD Anti-Wrinkle facial — designed to address whatever your skin needs. If you want something more restorative, the rhythmical bamboo massage and infrared sauna blanket treatments are worth a look. And if you’re worried about missing your favourite gym class, fear not — daily classes include yoga, Reformer Pilates and sound therapy sessions all led by specialist instructors alongside a state-of-the-art gym.
The Local Area
If you’re in the mood to mooch around the shops, Spitalfields should be your first stop. Alongside high street favourites like COS, & Other Stories and Anthropologie, the covered market is home to hundreds of pop-up stalls and independent boutiques. We love Earl of East for its hand-poured candles and Glassworks for its curation of playful indie designers. If you’re after something more glam, book into the sleek Townhouse salon for a manicure with the girls before heading to the vintage photobooth in the middle of the market for a fun souvenir.
For coffee, make the quick walk to Redchurch Street and join the queue at Jolene. This iconic London bakery usually has a line, but it’s worth the wait for one of their signature pastries. While you’re here, explore the vintage shops and pop into Reformation before choosing somewhere for lunch. Smoking Goat is a solid choice for bold Thai plates. If you can secure a reservation, Brat, founded by chef Tomos Parry, is one of our favourite London spots, a Basque-inspired, wood-fired restaurant best known for its whole turbot and excellent wine list.
If planning and making reservations feels like too much effort (it’s your trip, remember), then Pan Pacific London’s Experiences Collection will do it for you. The curated programme spans dining, wellness and play, both within the hotel and beyond the lobby doors: think Italian cooking classes at Eataly, clay pigeon shooting at Clays, a round of mini golf at Puttshack or crazy pool at Roxy’s. Just let the team know what you’re feeling, and they’ll sort the rest. All you and the girls have to do is show up and get stuck in.
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