After living in London for almost two years I can tell you all about the best places for afternoon tea, the most trendy food markets or coffee places. And I have a long list of dinner recommendations. One thing I don’t know much about however are places to stay in London. To change this I’m planning some staycations to see for myself what the best hotels in the city are. The first one was last weekend at the brand new Artist Residence in Pimlico. And if this experience says anything about the staycations to come, then I’m in for a treat!
The hotel is located in one of those beautiful white Pimlico houses, built in 1852. And even though the hotel is brand new, it has a lot of character thanks to the use of reclaimed materials during the restoration, that they found in schools and at antique dealers.
The hotel has only 10 bedrooms and I’ve been told they all look slightly different. I absolutely loved my room! When I walked in, there was jazz playing on the radio, the lighting was warm and not too bright. And it smelled really nice. Which may sound strange, but I guess I’ve never had a hotel room where this was a positive thing.
My first instinct was to get comfortable in that inviting leather armchair and stay there for the rest of the day, but I knew the hotel had more to offer. So I took the books and magazines I’d brought with me and went downstairs to the lounge. Now that armchair was looking inviting, but this was even better! Comfy sofas and even a fireplace. This was really starting to feel like a holiday.
My first instinct was to get comfortable in that inviting leather armchair and stay there for the rest of the day, but I knew the hotel had more to offer. So I took the books and magazines I’d brought with me and went downstairs to the lounge. Now that armchair was looking inviting, but this was even better! Comfy sofas and even a fireplace. This was really starting to feel like a holiday.
I love to read, but when I’m at home I usually find it hard to really relax during the day and just sit and read for a couple of hours. Not a problem – at all – at the Artist Residence. I snuggled into one of the sofas in front of the fireplace, ordered a cappuccino and finished two books and a newspaper. So nice! I should come here every Sunday…
When you arrive at the hotel, the first thing you’ll notice is the 64 Degrees restaurant with its open kitchen. Even though it was Monday morning and work was waiting, I decided to hold on to that holiday feeling a bit longer and treat myself to a nice breakfast. But since the weekend was officially over, I opted for the healthy muesli and fruit breakfast instead of the other options that were looking really – really good. And I was surprised to see how affordable the menu was. Especially for London standards.
When you arrive at the hotel, the first thing you’ll notice is the 64 Degrees restaurant with its open kitchen. Even though it was Monday morning and work was waiting, I decided to hold on to that holiday feeling a bit longer and treat myself to a nice breakfast. But since the weekend was officially over, I opted for the healthy muesli and fruit breakfast instead of the other options that were looking really – really good. And I was surprised to see how affordable the menu was. Especially for London standards.And then it was really time to pack my bag (unbelievable how much I brought with me for one night in my own city) and travel those 30 minutes back home. Seeing my own bedroom, I was already missing that leather armchair. And that cute retro Smeg fridge. And that mirror… Well, let’s just say my bedroom needs a makeover. Until then I’ll just continue planning more staycations in these amazing hotels for inspiration.
