Sea Containers London - A South Bank Hotel That Channels the Golden Age of Ocean Liners

Sea Containers London isn't trying to be your typical boutique hotel. Housed in what looks like an unremarkable 1970s office block on the South Bank, this 359-room property goes all-in on its transatlantic cruise liner theme, complete with copper-plated walls that curve like a vintage ship's hull and four new cabin suites that transport you through different eras of maritime glamour.

Add in a world-class cocktail bar, a rooftop terrace overlooking the Thames, and an urban spa, and you've got a hotel that's more about escapism than predictable luxury.

Where Brutalism Meets the Thames

The hotel sits in the iconic Sea Containers building on London's South Bank, putting you in the heart of the city's cultural district. The exterior won't win any beauty contests—it's pure 1970s brutalist office block—but that's part of the appeal. This is where glamour meets brutalism, and the contrast works.

The Copper Hull

Step inside and the lobby immediately announces its intentions. A massive copper hull installation dominates the space, nodding to the days when ships were copper-plated below the waterline to prevent barnacles and glide through the seas faster. It's a bold statement that sets the tone for everything that follows.

Curzon Cinema

Tucked downstairs you'll find something unexpected: a 56-seat Curzon cinema styled in deep ultramarine blue. This spacious screening room is open to hotel guests and the public on Friday evenings and weekends, showing mainly new releases.

Sea Containers Restaurant

The hotel's riverside restaurant takes a relaxed, informal approach to all-day dining. The American-British-inspired menu focuses on seasonal, locally sourced ingredients designed for sharing, served in a space with sweeping Thames views.

Midweek lunches work equally well for a quick riverside bite or a more leisurely escape from the city. Evenings shift to a more intimate mood, with cozy corners for couples and larger tables for groups or family gatherings. Weekend brunches bring the energy, with the option to add bottomless Prosecco, Bloody Marys, or Laurent-Perrier champagne.

Lyaness

The hotel's marquee drinking spot is Lyaness, the award-winning bar from Ryan Chetiyawardana (known as Mr Lyan) and his team. This isn't your standard hotel bar serving uninspired martinis. Lyaness became the first bar to receive a 3 PIN award from The Pinnacle Guide, and it's built its reputation on boundary-pushing creativity.

The menu ditches traditional cocktail names in favor of an ingredient-driven approach, giving the bartenders freedom to turn unusual flavors into balanced, approachable drinks. Whether you're after something classic or experimental, the team will guide you through the options without any pretension.

The bar overlooks the Thames and St Paul's, and while you can dress up or dress down, the energy stays consistently vibrant. Sunday nights bring Sunday Lyan Sessions, where the team collaborates with Fever-Tree on one-night-only menus and experiments you won't taste anywhere else.

12th Knot

Head to the rooftop and you'll find 12th Knot, the hotel's open-air bar and terrace. The décor is bright and eclectic, but the real star is the panoramic view across the Thames to St Paul's and beyond.

The cocktail menu strikes a balance between signature serves and classics, while the kitchen offers relaxed sharing plates. Saturday evenings bring DJ sets spanning afrobeats, house, and R&B, making it a solid spot to start your weekend above the city buzz.

Standard Room

The hotel's 312-square-foot standard rooms prove that "standard" doesn't have to mean ordinary. Designer Tom Dixon handled the custom furnishings, and the 1920s cruise liner inspiration shows up in thoughtful details throughout.

You'll get a queen bed, rainfall shower in a Carrara marble bathroom, dimmable lighting, and D.S. & Durga bathroom products. The rooms include air conditioning, a working desk, complimentary WiFi, a Nespresso machine, and a fully stocked minibar. Everything feels deliberately considered rather than cookie-cutter corporate.

Family Room

The family rooms offer flexible configurations to suit different group sizes. You can book interconnecting Double Doubles that sleep four, two standard or superior rooms with a connecting door, or upgrade to a River View Suite with a king bed.

All family rooms feature the same marble bathrooms with rainfall showers or bathtubs, bespoke furniture, and modern comforts. The hotel's kid-friendly amenities include a children's menu at Sea Containers Restaurant, plus on-site Curzon cinema and agua Spa.

Edwardian Cabin Suite

The Edwardian Cabin Suite channels early 1900s luxury ocean travel across its 506 square feet. The sitting room features period furniture, a comfortable sofa, dining table, and wet bar, all overlooking the Thames.

An antique Edwardian upholstered walnut armchair and floor lamp with built-in marble table anchor the space. The bedroom centers on a king bed with a handcrafted Naturalmat organic mattress made in Devon, paired with a restored Edwardian mahogany leather-top kidney-shaped desk.

The marble bathroom delivers with a double vanity sink, separate rainfall shower, and freestanding copper bathtub, plus a separate powder room.

Art Deco Cabin Suite

The Art Deco suite celebrates the roaring '20s and '30s across the same 506 square feet.

The living area leans monochromatic with pops of color through wood accents and cork details, featuring a restored 1930s art deco sofa and armchair set from Vinterior, plus a dining table and wet bar with Thames views.

The bedroom makes a statement with a plush king bed framed by Swedish walnut art deco bedside tables and a Burl wood deco headboard.

The marble ensuite includes a freestanding nickel bathtub, separate rainfall shower, and its own powder room.

Mid Century Cabin Suite

The Mid-Century suite captures the late '50s and '60s era when ship design went sleek and modern. A Danish powder-blue sofa and chairs command center stage in the living area, embodying the period's love for color, comfort, and clean lines. Italian mid-century wall lights and a Ludwig Mies van der Rohe chrome leather chair complete the carefully curated mid-century collection.

The bedroom balances form and function with soft lighting and period-appropriate décor. The marble bathroom pairs Mid-Century style with modern luxury through a statement freestanding bathtub and rainfall shower.

Dynasty Cabin Suite

The Dynasty suite goes full 1980s excess and doesn't apologize for it. The living area's centerpiece is an iconic Maralunga leather sofa by Vico Magistretti, sourced from Vinterior—pure '80s maximalism in furniture form.

The king bedroom doubles down on the decade's glamorous aesthetic with bold accents, glossy finishes, and rich textures throughout.

The ensuite bathroom commits to the theme with pink marble, a deep freestanding bathtub, spacious rainfall shower, and double vanity—everything you need to glam up in proper '80s icon style.

All four cabin suites feature Samsung Frame televisions, curated minibars, Phaidon book collections, wellness turndown service with Ross J Barr Sleep Patches, and Sea Containers Curzon movie tickets on weekends.

The hotel's 359 rooms and suites offer either city skyline or Thames views. Floor-to-ceiling windows maximize the riverside location, with the cabin suites specifically positioned to overlook the water. From upper floors, you'll spot landmarks including St Paul's Cathedral and the OXO Tower.

Agua Spa

Agua London reimagines the urban spa experience with a focus on decompression and integrative therapies. The treatment menu blends intuitive touch, science-led skincare, and holistic rituals, from hot stone massage to targeted facials and signature body treatments. The spa's Hedgerow by agua treatments draw on herbalism and aromatherapy.

The Spa Lounge functions as your pre- and post-treatment sanctuary, with relaxation loungers, a sculptural copper teardrop installation, and bespoke cedar banquette seating crafted by Jan Hendzel. The new agua Studio hosts a curated wellness program including restorative slow flow, yoga, breathwork, and sound healing sessions.

Same-sex steam rooms in the changing areas offer quiet heat for further unwinding.