• Rating: 10/10
• Rooms at The Lost Poet start from $236 (£200) a night
• Check current rates and availability
Perfectly curated intimate hotels with immaculate interiors have been popping up in abundance in recent years and I have a serious addiction to staying in them. From one of my absolute favourite spots in the world, Menorca Experimental with its simplistic, yet artistic vibe, to the stunning Hoxton Paris hotel, and not forgetting Israel's Pereh Hotel, these dreamy boltholes make any vacation all the more enjoyable, so it was time to check out London's offering which is how I found myself at The Lost Poet, a four-bedroom haven right at the top of the Portobello Road.
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| The Salon room at The Lost Poet |
What’s the vibe at The Lost Poet?
Much like the nearby Portobello Hotel, The Lost Poet is seriously intimate with just four bedrooms. Right at the top of Portobello Road, just a five-minute stroll from Notting Hill Gate tube station, you could be forgiven for missing the hotel’s entrance such is its discreet entrance. The indigo-blue door is flanked by olive trees and just a simple sign above it revealed I was in the right place. I arrived out of hours so let myself in with the FLEXIPASS App and found my room, ‘The Salon’ on the first floor. The communal areas consist of a small reception desk—laden with a vase of bright peach-coloured roses—the hallway and wooden staircase, plus a small area to collect ice, but this only adds to the charm and ‘secret’ feel of the hotel.
How are the rooms?
As I mentioned above, there are just four rooms at The Lost Poet, making it the smallest hotel I’ve ever stayed at. My room, ‘The Salon’, was thoughtfully decorated in tones of dusky pink along with pops of neon within the framed artwork and floral chaise longue. Quiet and spacious, my room had big bay windows looking directly onto Portobello Road and the rainbow-colored houses that make up the street. Parquet flooring, an antique table topped with dried flowers and a retro Marshall radio (the brand also favoured by The Mandrake) added to the charm, while the tiny bar area had obviously been thoughtfully created to optimise space and style. I found wine glasses hanging bar-like above a low lampshade, coffee pods by Grind and cute espresso cups, as well as complementary drinks like Lo Bros kombucha along with glass bottles filled with still and sparkling water in the minibar. The bed was huge and super comfortable topped with brilliant white bedding and a couple of cushions, while the bathroom impressed with the most exquisite pale pink wallpaper I’ve seen in a long time.
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| Dreamy wallpaper by Costanza Theodoli-Braschi |
It looked to be hand drawn and featured naked women dancing, and after a quick investigation, I found the drawings to be Costanza Theodoli-Braschi's, with the wallpaper named Coven and available to buy on Maisonc.com. Aside from the dreamiest wallpaper in the world, the bathroom also had a crimson-tiled rainfall shower with organic Evolve products, and a marble-topped washstand.
What is there to eat and drink?
The hotel only serves breakfast, and luckily it's complimentary. I preordered mine the night before and found hanging on my door the next morning. I like this kind of service, especially in London hotels where sometimes I really crave a quiet lazy morning in bed before the hustle of the city hits. My breakfast bag included a delicious croissant and pain au chocolat from Ottolenghi, which came served with a little jar of homemade marmalade, real salted butter and a bottle of Luscombe orange juice—all thoroughly enjoyed from bed. Of course, London's luxury breakfast spots are endless so if you fancy heading out into the city you'd have your fair share of brilliant options too.
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| Breakfast from Ottolenghi |
Nearby there’s a plethora of wonderful restaurants, bars and cafes making dining out super simple too. I like The Churchill Arms for a drink, and Taqueria for delicious tacos and margaritas in nearby Westbourne Grove.
Any highlights?
I only stayed at The Lost Poet for one night but my stay was perfect in every way. Comfy yet well-designed, the hotel manages to make it feel like you’re an actual resident rather than a guest which is kind of bizarre but very cool. I didn’t turn on the TV but I appreciated the fact that it was hidden behind a print by Paul Gauguin.
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| Gauguin covered TV |
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