Last Updated on October 23, 2023

Affordable, flexible accommodation and vegan food in Camden

Seeking accommodation in London can be a daunting process especially if you are looking for somewhere reasonably priced and want to be located in one of London’s happening areas. Selina Hotels have 6 hotels in the UK and many others in locations all around the world. They make finding accommodation very easy, with a selection of stylishly designed hotels and rooms suitable for couples, singles and groups of friends, all affordable and situated in great locations.

I went to stay at Selena Camden in North London, located on the corner of Chalk Farm Road, directly across the road from Chalk Farm tube station. It’s right by the Roundhouse, now a renowned performing arts and concert venue but originally built in the mid-19th century as the Great Circular Engine House. Nearby there are several underground music venues, innovative museums, the London Zoo,  Camden Town Market and lots of excellent foodie hotspots – it’s a perfect base to explore from.

Selina’s rooms are located above their popular vegan/vegetarian neighbourhood-style eatery, Powerplant – a comfortable space to hang out with an all-day bar and café. Powerplant not only serves excellent food but is also an authentic cultural hub with morning yoga classes,  unique wellness experiences and live music acts playing many styles of music in their ever-changing calendar of exciting and diverse programming, all of which reflects Selina’s unique global reach.

We checked in on a cold and frosty January evening in the Powerplant restaurant area before going up to our first-floor, double, corner room. It had three windows looking out over the bustling street below. A wooden floor, pale green painted walls with a blue and white geometric wall painting above the bed and scatter cushions gave it a contemporary feel. A wall-hung TV, free Wifi and coffee and tea-making facilities are also provided.  There was a cool orange and white tiled shower, with a sink and toilet, along with fluffy white towels, shampoo, conditioner and body wash.

Along the corridor is a fully-equipped shared kitchen where guests are able to sit at the communal table, store food in the fridge, prepare food and make hot drinks. At the top of the building is a loft with a stunning roof terrace.

There are several different room options available – our room was a Classic Stay, a standard and affordable option – comfortable and private with its own bathroom. If you’re looking for a bit extra, the Standard+ option provides a spacious room with a comfortable queen-size bed and private bathroom. For travellers looking for shared accommodation the Community Room would be perfect, it offers security and comfort, with a bunk bed and access to a shared bathroom with the chance to connect with fellow travellers. And finally, the Micro room is modest and compact and provides a basic sleeping solution rather similar to a ship or train cabin, the bathroom is shared between up to 4 micro rooms.

We went downstairs for dinner in Powerplant, set across the ground floor of Selina Hotel.  It’s a spacious restaurant with wooden floors and green walls.  There are banquettes with leather seats and bright red velvet backs, tables made of wood and zinc and eclectic light fittings which all add to the funky, warm and casual vibe. Powerplant aims to show how eating plant-based food can be just as fun and adventurous as its meat counterparts. The kitchen is headed up by Ariel Levinsohn, and Executive Chef Moran Etedgi who have brought in Lukasz Dawidowicz as Powerplant Camden’s Head Chef. Lukasz is self-taught and has been cooking up creative dishes in food projects, and private events in the UK, France, Norway, and South Korea. His recent roles at notable restaurants include Victoria Wild By Tart, Angelina, and Bala Baya.

Powerplant serves plant-based 3D-printed meat dishes from the Israeli company Redefine Meat. I had tried Redefine Meat once before and really enjoyed the experience so I was excited to sample some different dishes. We kicked off the evening with a couple of cocktails – a classic Negroni, with gin, Campari and sweet vermouth, and a Bourbon Bramble – light and refreshing with mild caramelised bourbon notes, a hint of sweet blackberry and a dash of lemon.

We started with dishes from the small plate menu.  First, a fabulous dish of roasted and charred aubergine, with wonderfully light “redefined” meatballs complemented by the heat of harissa oil, pine nuts, fresh herbs and creamy coconut yoghurt. Our other starter was a plate of hot and crisp hot pan-fried tofu and vegetable green gyoza with lovely vegetal flavours, sprinkled with sesame seeds, a touch of chilli oil, and a dipping bowl of tare soy sauce.

We accompanied our meal with a Bottle of Falerio 1st organic orange wine – dry and mineral with clementine notes and robust enough to cope with the heat of the dishes.

Moving on to the large plates – my Forest Tenderloin provided a generous portion of juicy slices of Redefine that could easily pass as a beef steak, it was full of flavour with a marvellously meaty texture. It was served with Jerusalem artichoke three ways – a rich and creamy mash, thin crisps and roasted bites with tasty mushrooms and a Salsa Verde. My companion’s Risotto Milanese was a great winter dish, served with slices of Redefine flank, which were beautifully tender, akin to slow-cooked lamb, in a luscious bowl of rich and perfectly al dente saffron risotto with winter greens, urfa Turkish chilli pepper and garlic oil. Greedily we had a side of some crisp, non-oily sweet potato fries which we really didn’t need – but they were excellent!

And to make the evening extra enjoyable we had the pleasure of music from a guitarist and singer playing classic old soul and Johnny Cash songs.  You can expect all sorts of interesting entertainment at Powerplant with events on most nights of the week.

The dessert menu offers comforting winter fare, including chocolate cake and filo pie. I had the malibi, a delicious light coconut milk set pudding rather like a pannacotta with sweet rose syrup, crunchy pistachio and lime zest. My companion’s salted caramel and peanut brownie was rich, gooey and satisfyingly indulgent.

After dinner, you could hit the town or like us mosey on up to your comfortable room for a good night’s sleep. Continental breakfast is extra but is available on request.

Selina Camden offers fun, affordable accommodation in a great location. I look forward to trying out some of their other destinations.

Selina Camden 89 Chalk Farm Rd, Chalk Farm, London NW1 8AR

Phone: 07376 809248

https://www.selina.com/uk/camden/