Nestled in the heart of super-trendy Dalston, the Avo Hotel is a perfect example of the exciting renewal going on is East London, allowing a family to turn their post office into London’s coolest new boutique hotel
Run by the Kotecha family who’ve owned the property for eighteen years, the hotel inhabits a site that was previously both a post office and a newsagents, before the family received planning permission in 2010 from Hackney council to turn it into a luxury boutique hotel.
Situated on Dalston Lane in the trend-led hub of Hackney, the hotel contains a variety of rooms, from a penthouse suite to a standalone studio, all of which are en-suite and decorated according to a clean monochrome aesthetic, punctuated with photography donated by local artists. The public areas of the hotel feature design inspired by the family’s Indian heritage, with furniture made from Indian wood chosen by mother Raxa, who also made the pillows for the sofas, out of locally sourced recycled materials. The local feel of the place is perpetuated by the food and drink on offer at the hotel, much of which is locally sourced as well as organic and/or fairtrade, making it the clear ethical as well as fashionable choice, and perfect for any visitors wishing to support the development of the local area!
Running a hotel has long been the dream of Mr Kotecha, who was spurred into action by the advent of the 2012 Olympic Games. “We’ve lived and worked in Dalston for over 20 years so we feel very much part of the community,” says Mr Kotecha. “We are proud to be in a position now to showcase local artists. Italian Vogue has called Dalston ‘the coolest place in Britain’ and we’d like tourists to experience what East London is really like. We’re very glad to be a part of and to support Dalston’s evolving heritage.”