Our Story

A Brief History

Limehouse Library has been awakened from an eighteen-year slumber to once again take an active role in London’s cultural scene

Construction of the library began in 1881, and it was operational from 1901, thanks to the support of the journalist and philanthropist John Passmore Edwards. After over a century of service, Limehouse Library closed in 2003. Now it has opened its doors, as a multifunctional venue hosting a boutique hotel, a library, a venue for bespoke events and a school of the culinary arts. 

Stay at Limehouse Library Hotel

The restoration of this historic building, whose long-term tenure was obtained by the Hazev Group in 2014, was completed in 2022. Its second century will see its reinvention as the Limehouse Library Hotel, opened in 2022, and still home to a library’s worth of engrossing tales.

Each of the hotel’s 75 rooms has been named after a notable figure from history and is completely unique. These famous personalities from the worlds of politics and the arts, of literature, science and philosophy, are waiting to captivate you with their stories. They have inspired every detail, from bed to bathroom to custom-made furniture and fittings.  

Ingeniously designed, conveying a remarkable life without compromising on style, comfort or quality, each room is a magical portal: into the inner world of an extraordinary life well-lived.