Artist Residence London
"How did it strike you on arrival?From the outside it’s a chic brasserie in residential Pimlico south of Victoria Station—there’s no inkling of rooms upstairs. What’s the crowd like?There’s a boho feel to the clientele, as the name suggests—mostly leisure travelers, and in-the-know fans of the cellar bar. The good stuff: Tell us about your room.Ten high-ceilinged rooms have been carved out of a former townhouse, each completely different in feel and well-sized. Expect fancy headboards (one looks like a Chesterfield sofa, another a farm gate), wood floors and period features including stucco and flashes of exposed-brick wall. We’re craving some deep, restorative sleep. They got us?All beds are king size and dressed in Egyptian cotton. How about the little things, like mini bar, or shower goodies. Any of that find its way into your suitcase?Free Tunnocks Caramel wafer cookies take UK guests straight back to childhood. The pork crackling ($5) is the highlight of the minibar. Please tell us the bathroom won’t let us down.It’s your normal affair of rainfall showers and thick towels. The toiletries are by U.K. producer Bramley (which concentrates on natural ingredients), and suites get claw-foot tubs as well. Maybe the most important topic of all: Wi-Fi. What’s the word?Free, high-speed Wi-Fi. Room service: Worth it?There’s no real room service, though on special request you can have breakfast, lunch or dinner from the restaurant downstairs delivered to your room for no extra charge. Staff: If you could award one a trophy, who gets it, and why?Everyone was pleasant. Anything stand out about other services and features? Whether it’s childcare, gyms, spas, even parking—whatever stuck with you.The bar, Clarendon Cocktail Cellar, is a gorgeous speakeasy-style place in the hotel’s cellar with exposed brick walls, pressed tin ceilings and claret-colored stools around a horseshoe-shaped bar. What was most memorable—or heartbreaking—about your stay?That cellar bar. Bottom line: worth it, and why?It’s a lovely, different kind of hotel in a lovely, different area of London." - Julia Buckley
