Inhabit Southwick Street, London, UK

London is one of my favourite cities in Europe, with its rich history and architecture, world-famous museums, and lively theatre scene. However, choosing a hotel can be a nightmare. There are thousands of different options for accommodation, and going through them while trying to stick to your budget can be challenging. The prices of hotel rooms have been rising since pandemic restrictions were lifted, and the demand for rooms increased. At the same time, taxes were raised.

My main concern with London accommodation is that the size of a hotel room, on average, is still very small, and many properties are in desperate need of refurbishment. Finding value for money is thus more challenging than in many other European cities. But if you are willing to do the search, there are gems to be discovered!

In my search, the contemporary hotels of Inhabit stood out from the rest with their design and atmosphere. They are members of the international group of Design Hotels and are located conveniently close to Paddington Station and the Heathrow Express. Designed to create a restorative experience in a buzzing city, their flagship hotel, Inhabit Southwick Street, had the calming effect I was looking for.

Inhabit Southwick Street

The four-star boutique hotel, Inhabit Southwick Street, opened in 2019 and is set across six former Georgian townhouses. It is London's first mindfulness hotel and places great emphasis on sustainability and the well-being of its clients. Their aim is to make every client feel rested and refreshed in mind, body, and soul. Similarly to their concept, I believe that the most important aspect of a person's well-being is balance. When your diet, the quality of your sleep, and your daily activities are well-balanced, you can experience calm and feel more appreciative of the little joys in life, like preparing coffee or tea, pausing over a book, or unwinding from daily activities in a home-like snug.

For me, their library was such a place. I fell in love with the space and its beautiful details as soon as I saw the pictures on their website! During my visit, I saw many people using this place for work. The light in this space was beautiful, and I was inspired by the thoughtfully crafted interior and natural materials, especially the chairs. It was the perfect place to think, write, and read.

My King Room

The Inhabit Southwick Street features 88 soothing rooms with a subtle color scheme and natural design materials, fusing Scandi influences with quintessential British design. Each room is decorated with local artwork and carefully selected books and magazines. They provide fresh water and tea-making facilities in the room, while coffee is available in the reception area. Additionally, each client can choose their favourite scent from Aromatherapy aromas on request.

The hotel provides accommodation in four distinct categories: Sleeper (8-12 m²), Cosy (10-18 m²), Roomy (15-20 m²), and Family (20-22 m²). My room fell within the Roomy category, offering a serene and comfortable environment that instantly made me feel at home. I really liked the design and my super comfy bed! A few drawbacks were the weirdly changing shower temperature and poor soundproofing. Luckily, I had packed my earplugs, so the noises didn't bother me and I slept well in this space.

This hotel stands out as the first I've encountered that promises a complimentary room upgrade to anyone who asks, contingent upon availability. I was fortunate to receive a complimentary room upgrade through Booking.com when making my reservation, allowing me to secure the exact room I desired. The customer service was extremely thoughtful and kind throughout my visit. The personnel were eager to assist with anything the customers requested.

Amenities of Inhabit

In the breakfast room, I was again impressed by the quality of the handcrafted fixtures that created a laid-back and authentic atmosphere. They served good fair-trade coffee, cold-pressed organic juices, and a healthy, plant-based à la carte menu from Yeotown Kitchen. I ordered gluten-free avocado toast and blueberry pancakes with yogurt and syrup. It was super delicious and the perfect start for my day!

The hotel offers its guests an infrared sauna, a compact gym with a Peloton bike, and other quality fitness equipment, which, unfortunately, I didn't have time to try on this holiday. Additionally, they have a regular schedule of guided meditation and yoga classes in the two-storey atrium downstairs. Other wellness activities and classes are held at Inhale at Inhabit Queen’s Gardens, which is a short walk away from Southwick Street. But what I loved the most was walking through the city’s sights and running in the park independently.

In Conclusion

This hotel is cozy, comfortable and safe. I really appreciate hotels that care about the environment and community. Inhabit has a B Corp certification, so they have the badge to show they do. 

Also, I appreciated the location close to the tube and a short walk to Hyde Park. There were plenty of bars and restaurants in the neighborhood. Visiting the monuments was easy as the close by Edgware Road tube station is on the Circle Line and it took about 30 minutes to reach the center of the city. I always look forward to my next visit to London since there is always something new to discover! On this trip, the location close to Paddington station was also convenient since I visited Bath as well. At the end of the stay, going to the airport with Heathrow Express from Paddington took only 15 minutes. I felt fortunate that I discovered this hotel and thankful to all the staff for such a pleasant stay!