Sluttery Travels: The Zetter Townhouse, London

Earlier this week, I was treated to a stay at the brand new Zetter Townhouse in Clerkenwell (the 'eccentric aunt' to their flagship hotel The Zetter). Now, as I only live 30 minutes away, they had a heck of a job ahead of them. We're in the middle of writing a book and I'm crying out for a holiday. I wanted them to make me feel like I was a world away from home. Even though I was only up the road.


They did. Just look at that room. Yes, that is a bath. With beams from a four poster bed finishing it off. Very relaxing it was too (although I wish they'd have supplied bubble bath). It's such a lovely room. The headboard of the bed came from an old carousel - how can you not love that? Quirky, old fashioned and yet still colourful.


The building, which now has just 13 hotel rooms used to be an old solicitors office. You can't tell. And even the smallest of rooms is stunning. The rooms are between £185 and £798 a night (the top end price being for a suite), but you wouldn't be sad if you stayed in the smallest. They're all gorgeous.


There are some cute touches in the room. That wireless radio? It's been adapted to play and charge your iPod. The mini bar houses ready-made cocktails in little bottles and they've even had their own range of bitters created for them. Good range of snacks too. The room wasn't without its (very little) faults though. The hairdryer was next to useless, and my hair was a curly mess the next day. And while bitters are great, some milk to make a cuppa would have been nice.


But then, there's the rest of the building and I forget tiny little faults that can easily be fixed. I'm so in love with that carpet it's unreal.


And the bar. Oh the bar. Which is already open, by the way. With the very friendly Kamil, who taught me that nettle cordial is sweet rather than sour and knows his way around a swizzle stick. The cocktails are around the £8.50 mark, and they're very good. Right now the menu errs on the sweet side, whereas I'm a sour girl - I'd like to see a little more variation. But I've already plotted my return.

The Zetter Townhouse officially opens on the 18th. If you need somewhere to stay in London, and you have a little bit of cash to play with, you won't find a more special hotel for your money.

The Zetter Townhouse is in St. Johns Square in Clerkenwell, London. I didn't pay for my stay (or my cocktails) but my review is my own. I didn't take the photos either, Tom Godber took them. Basically I just nosed about in the mini bar and ate snacks in the bath. Many thanks to Olivia for looking after us.