A

A
boozy staycation? Yes, please. And where better to indulge in
England’s favourite drink than the eclectic lodgings at Notting
Hill’s The Distillery? This cosy
boutique bolthole has the honour of being
London‘s first gin hotel, and when combined with an evening of
gin sipping at the downstairs distillery’s three-hour long gin
“experience”, makes for a spirited sleepover indeed.

If you don’t think you can stomach a lengthy gin session, the
hotel’s three rooms (yes, just three) are also supremely
well-stocked, boasting antique drinks cabinets lined with a copper
cocktail making set, glasses, plenty of gin and the lemons, limes,
peppercorns and cutting board you’ll need to make yourself the
perfect G&T. The minibar, meanwhile, comes filled with a
bottled Tom Collins, negroni and martini – and that’s just a taster
of what you’ll find on the extensive bar menu two flights down at
The Resting Room bar.

Hopefully you don’t wake up with too much of a hangover, but if
it’s unavoidable, Portobello
Road‘s best brunch locales are right outside – in fact, you can
probably spot a few of them from your window overlooking the iconic
street.

Rooms

This trio are cute as a button, featuring vintage furnishings,
plush grey and white linen on the sumptuous beds and bespoke record
players accompanied by Rough Trade-curated vinyl collections, in
case all the gin-swilling puts you in the mood for a bit of The
Smiths.

What’s for dinner?

Stumble down from your room to GinTonica, where head chef Greg
Lewis puts a British twist on traditional Spanish dishes. Line your
stomach with flavour-heavy tapas in the bright and bold dining room
before attempting to make a dent in the 60-strong gin list
complemented by more tonics than you can shake a cocktail stirrer
at. If you prefer something lighter (not recommended if you’re
heading for the gin experience – you have been warned), The Resting
Room one flight further down offers up deli boards and drinking
snacks.

Is there a bar?

Of course, and you’ll find more than just gin on the menu at The
Resting Room, though opting for anything else would be a waste of
their talent. As well as classic and creative cocktails, a
selection of barrel-aged spirits from various global craft
producers beg sampling, topped off by a respectable wine list. But
really, we highly recommend The Ginstitute’s immersive gin
experience – after an illuminating history lesson peppered with
multiple cocktails, you’ll taste your way through dozens of
flavoured gins before blending your own bottle to take home. See
why you need the room close at hand?

Things you should know

With just three rooms, the list of amenities is shorter than
most, but who needs a concierge and room service with Portobello
Road at your doorstep?

Within a short distance you’ll find…

Only Notting
Hill’s best cafés, restaurants, bars and boutiques.