In a new series, Rooms Without Views, our travel experts spend the night in windowless hotel rooms to see if the price is worth sacrificing natural light.
They’ve been described as claustrophobic, dystopian and distressing, but the trend for windowless hotel rooms is not going away.
So when Metro was invited to visit a newly opened London hotel with a whole range of exactly that, we were one of the first through the door.
Tucked down a quiet residential street in leafy Kensington, The Drey is a three-minute walk to Earl’s Court station and a high street full of pubs, shops and restaurants.
The hotel takes over one of the neighbourhood’s elegant white townhouses that harks back to the heyday of the Georgian era.
There are 125 rooms throughout, including family rooms big enough for six, and four windowless options with names like ‘The Burrow’ and ‘The Nook’.
While the facade is vintage glamour, inside it’s a no-frills affair. Described as ‘self-serve’ and ‘staff-lite’, guests check-in online and enter both the building and their rooms via a dedicated app. There are no keys.
In place of a lobby bar or restaurant there are vending machines and a Starbucks coffee station, but with dozens of cafes just a short stroll away, there’s no reason to use save for early morning emergencies.
There is, of course, no breakfast.
The website leads with airy rooms with wide sash windows and plush super king beds.
But for the purpose of this series, I am staying in The Burrow, a double windowless room that is perfect for ‘people who take sleep seriously’, or so I am told.
At £123 per night, it’s the cheapest room in the house (though not exactly cheap).
It has the essentials, by which I mean towels, vegan Gabar toiletries, water bottles and a coffee machine (although nil points on that front as, try as I might, the machine would not turn on).
The shower and toilet are decently-sized for this kind of room. Bigger than an aeroplane lav, but not by much.
The biggest black mark is the sink beside the bed, which is one of those round ones with the brushed gold taps that can’t quite control its flow.
I was left with a sodden floor and a sense of style over substance.
Overall, the space is perfectly sufficient for a short stay, ideally one where you’re out and about all day. It’s not the kind of place to do more than rest your head.
But when you do, it delivers. I felt cocooned rather than claustrophobic, the temperature of the room was pleasant and consistent and I woke feeling genuinely rested, ready for the day.
There are no robes or irons, however you can pay £20 for a workout ‘bundle’ which has yoga mats, skipping ropes and weights inside.
I cannot imagine what kind of person would do this, but whatever you’re into.
A better option is to book a class at one of the many achingly aesthetic fitness studios that are par for the course in this part of London.
The hotel is big into working with local businesses, and it’s teamed up with several restaurants, gyms and wellness hubs to offer discounts.
Guests can get 20% off reformer pilates at TriYoga (what else is one to do in west London?), on brunch at The King’s Head and dinner at restaurants such as Afandena, a lovely family-run establishment that serves the best of Lebanese and Egyptian cuisine.
Order the full mezze platter and feast.
Other local partners include the florist, Petal Vibes, and trendy winery London Cru (£8 off tickets).
Beyond that, it’s two Tube stops to South Ken’s ‘musuem hub’ where you’ll find the V&A, Science Museum and Natural History Museum, all free to visit.
Is it worth it?
There’s no faulting the comfort or location. You’ll sleep well here, and wake well connected to and within easy distance of many of London’s finest attractions.
Still, call me old-fashioned, but for £123, I expect a little more. Maybe if they fixed the sinks…
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