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\n\t\tGeorgian architecture at its finest (Picture: The Drey)<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tGeorgian architecture at its finest (Picture: The Drey)<\/p>\n
In a new series, Rooms Without Views, our travel experts spend the night in windowless\u00a0hotel rooms<\/a>\u00a0to see if the price is worth sacrificing\u00a0natural light<\/a>.<\/p>\n They\u2019ve been described as claustrophobic, dystopian and distressing, but the trend for windowless hotel rooms is not going away.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Tucked down a quiet residential street in leafy Kensington<\/a>, The Drey is a three-minute walk to Earl\u2019s Court station and a high street<\/a> full of pubs, shops and restaurants.<\/p>\n The hotel takes over one of the neighbourhood\u2019s elegant white townhouses that harks back to the heyday of the Georgian era.<\/p>\n There are 125 rooms throughout, including family rooms big enough for six, and four windowless options with names like \u2018The Burrow\u2019 and \u2018The Nook\u2019.<\/p>\n \t\t While the facade is vintage glamour, inside it\u2019s a no-frills affair. Described as \u2018self-serve\u2019 and \u2018staff-lite<\/a>\u2019, guests check-in online and enter both the building and their rooms via a dedicated app. There are no keys.<\/p>\n In place of a lobby bar or restaurant there are vending machines and a Starbucks coffee<\/a> station, but with dozens of cafes just a short stroll away, there\u2019s no reason to use save for early morning emergencies.<\/p>\n There is, of course, no breakfast.<\/p>\n The website leads with airy rooms with wide sash windows and plush super king beds.<\/p>\n But for the purpose of this series, I am staying in The Burrow, a double windowless room that is perfect for \u2018people who take sleep seriously\u2019, or so I am told. <\/p>\n At \u00a3123 per night, it\u2019s the cheapest room in the house (though not exactly cheap).<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tLatest London news\t\t\t<\/p>\n To get the latest news from the capital, visit Metro’s London news hub<\/a>.<\/p>\n \t\t 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).<\/p>\n The shower and toilet are decently-sized for this kind of room. Bigger than an aeroplane lav, but not by much. <\/p>\n The biggest black mark is the sink beside the bed, which is one of those round ones with the brushed gold taps that can\u2019t quite control its flow. <\/p>\n I was left with a sodden floor and a sense of style over substance.<\/p>\n \t\t Overall, the space is perfectly sufficient for a short stay, ideally one where you\u2019re out and about all day. It\u2019s not the kind of place to do more than rest your head.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n There are no robes or irons, however you can pay \u00a320 for a workout \u2018bundle\u2019 which has yoga mats, skipping ropes and weights inside. <\/p>\n I cannot imagine what kind of person would do this, but whatever you\u2019re into.<\/p>\n \t\t 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. <\/p>\n The hotel is big into working with local businesses, and it\u2019s teamed up with several restaurants, gyms and wellness<\/a> hubs to offer discounts.<\/p>\n Guests can get 20% off reformer pilates at TriYoga (what else is one to do in west London?), on brunch at The King\u2019s Head and dinner at restaurants such as Afandena<\/a>, a lovely family-run establishment that serves the best of Lebanese and Egyptian cuisine. <\/p>\n Order the full mezze platter and feast.<\/p>\n \t\t Other local partners include the florist, Petal Vibes, and trendy winery London Cru (\u00a38 off tickets). <\/p>\n Beyond that, it\u2019s two Tube stops to South Ken\u2019s \u2018musuem hub\u2019 where you\u2019ll find the V&A,\u00a0Science\u00a0Museum and Natural\u00a0History\u00a0Museum, all free to visit.<\/p>\n Is it worth it?<\/p>\n There\u2019s no faulting the comfort or location. You\u2019ll sleep well here, and wake well connected to and within easy distance of many of London\u2019s finest attractions. <\/p>\n Still, call me old-fashioned, but for \u00a3123, I expect a little more. Maybe if they fixed the sinks\u2026<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-31-at-12.15.47-4-d6a5.jpeg\")
\n\t\tCocooned, rather than claustrophobic (Picture: Alice Murphy)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Room-A214-King-6e8f.jpg\")
\n\t\tFor the pleasure of a window, \u00a3171 a night (Picture: The Drey)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-31-at-12.15.47-fccb.jpeg\")
\n\t\tPerfectly serviceable (Picture: Alice Murphy)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-31-at-12.15.48-1-a6e3-e1774956930449.jpeg\")
\n\t\tThe offending sink, you know the type (Picture: Alice Murphy)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/WhatsApp-Image-2026-03-31-at-12.17.07-79ba.jpeg\")
\n\t\tA Levantine feast at Afandena, 10\/10 (Picture: Alice Murphy)<\/p>\n
\nMORE: \u2018Two nights of teenage chaos have left our streets deserted \u2013 now we\u2019re worried about Easter\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n
\nMORE: Elderly woman stabbed to death on her front doorstep as knifeman threatens public<\/a><\/p>\n
\nMORE: London\u2019s quietest station where you can\u2019t get a train at the weekend<\/a><\/p>\n