According to Samuel Johnson, 'When a man is tired of London, he's tired of life'. But perhaps he just needs a visit to The Zetter Townhouse, where his joie de vivre will be shaken, stirred and wonderfully restored. From the moment you swish through the heavy curtains that cloak the blue door of this double townhouse, it feels like you've entered a sublimely characterful private club. Gold-framed oils adorn the walls; there's a brass gramophone, a buzzy lamp-lit ambiance and small clusters of velvet armchairs (no standing allowed, so it never feels crowded). You'll double-take at quirky taxidermy (a kangaroo in boxing gloves! A cat in a dress with a parasol!), then you'll smile at the bar. An old apothecary's table lined with homemade cordials and a list of cocktails inspired by old recipes for tinctures and herbal remedies. Pretty cool, right?
Upstairs are 13 unique bedrooms, rivalling the eccentric fabulousness of the ground floor. One four-poster bed is clad in Union Jack bunting; another has its headboard reclaimed from an old fairground ride. There are comforts galore - old radios revamped into iPod docks, Ren toiletries, hot water bottles - and best of all, ready-mixed cocktails await in your minibar. Call downstairs for ice and a shaker then laze in bed all day drinking Martinis. Who could tire of this?
Highs
- We loved the décor: newspaper-lined hallways, antique carriage clocks and countless curios
- The feeling of fun: the cocktail menu is centred around fictional Aunt Wilhelmina's 'cures and curiosities'. Have a couple then head to the games room for table tennis
- The location: tucked away in a quiet cobbled courtyard, but right in the heart of characterful Clerkenwell. You can walk to Brick Lane and Spitalfields, or jump on the Tube and zip all over London
Lows
- Fairly expensive (though worth it) and rates don't include breakfast
- Cheaper rooms feel a bit small
- No car park
Best time to go
Any time of year - London is always buzzing. Spring and summer bring flowering parks, crowded pavement cafés and throngs of tourists; autumn is generally quieter, but skies are often blue and temperatures warm. Winter sees the streets fill with Christmas shoppers - take to the ice on an outdoor rink or soak up the festive atmosphere.
Our top tips
For a fun night out, All Star Lanes offers the glammest bowling experience since the 50s!
Location
The Zetter Townhouse is in Clerkenwell, east London. It's a 10-minute taxi from the West End and a 7-minute walk from Farringdon Tube station.
By Air
Fly into London Heathrow (30km), London Gatwick (49km), London Stansted or London Luton. Central London has excellent transport links from all airports, so we recommend taking public transport over an expensive taxi.
By Train
From elsewhere in the UK, rail services arrive at London Paddington, Marylebone, King’s Cross, St Pancras, Euston, Waterloo, Liverpool Street or Victoria station. All of which are an easy Tube ride from the hotel. International Eurostar trains arrive at St Pancras station. Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports all have express rail services travelling directly into central London; travel time 30-60 minutes.
By Coach:
Coach services from all London airports and elsewhere in the UK arrive at London Victoria. These are often much cheaper - but considerably slower - than the train.
By Car
Driving around London can be stressful and parking is difficult, so most people rely on public transport or taxis. However, if you really want to hire a car, there is Pay & Display parking outside The Townhouse.
Getting Around
The hotel is about a 7-minute walk from Farringdon Tube Station, (direct connection to Victoria and Paddington). For the cheapest fares buy a pre-paid Oyster card, which is valid on all bus and Tube services, plus London overground trains.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.
More on getting to the UK and getting around
Airports:
- London Heathrow 30.0 km LHR
- London Gatwick 49.0 km LGW
Other:
- Beach 90.0 km
- Shops 0.1 km
- Restaurant 0.1 km