The Rockwell, London, United Kingdom
The Rockwell 4 Stars
Well-priced, calm and contemporary, with excellent design features and private garden rooms.
Hotel Overview
Review of The Rockwell, by Nadia Latif
For those tiring of the many 'quintessentially English' hotels in London, The Rockwell will come as a welcome reprieve. It is sleek and contemporary, a tranquil space set in amongst the hustle and bustle of Earl's Court. It attracts a mainly corporate clientele, but this shouldn't be taken to mean that it is bland and uninspiring. The Rockwell has enough quirky touches to lift it out of the ordinary.
The busy main road in front of the hotel is silenced as soon as you enter the lobby. The space is open-plan, with the main stairwell sharing its home with the reception desk and a library area. There are plenty of books, a modish-looking fireplace, vases of orchids and piles of glossy magazines.
There is a bar and restaurant at the back, which opens out to a chic decked terrace. Popular with guests and locals alike, One-Eight-One Restaurant serves traditional British fare with a light, modern touch. The accompanying wine list is extensive. The bar is small, and looks out into the garden.
The forty rooms have been individually decorated and all share a pared-down, minimalist style. The quality of the fittings can be felt immediately; there are solid oak cupboards, Egyptian cotton sheets, merino wool blankets and flat-screen televisions. Broadband access is complimentary in all of the rooms.
The Rockwell's bathrooms are kitted out with full Starck regalia and feature bespoke oak cabinets. There are no baths in any of the rooms, although the sleek power showers make up for this, as do delicious bath products, courtesy of the White Company.
Facilities
Hotel Policies
Rooms
40Awards
"Hot List," Conde Nast Traveller 07; "Coolest New Hotels in the World," Conde Nast Traveller 07Who stays here?
Giorgio Armani's staff booked for London Fashion Week; Jade Jagger showed for the after partyCome for...
- The Garden Rooms, each with a private terrace
- The courtyard garden
- Great value for your money
Not Suitable for...
- The busy Cromwell Road location—might be a little too Earl's Court for some
Children
The hotel welcomes children, and can arrange a babysitter for guests. An extra cot is available for children staying in the room.Eating in
One-Eight-One serves good, decently priced, decently sized portions of Modern English food; the bar is small but buzzy.The Press Say
“Opened last year, this is a beautifully designed, full service hotel that offers excellent value for money (worth every penny for its sense of calm sophistication).” Sunday Telegraph 07Reviews
Review of The Rockwell, by The Hotel Inspector
We must declare an interest: one of the backers of The Rockwell, a new London hotel opened in 2006, is architect Michael Squire, neighbour and sailing cronie of the guide's publisher. How to write about it without bias? As we never stop reminding readers, this is one of the few truly independent accommodation guides.
Some years ago, Squire and his business partners acquired two large, adjoining terraced houses at the impersonal west end of the Cromwell Road, opposite the Cromwell Hospital, near its junction with Earls Court Road, and first thought of making them rooming houses for students. Then, unexpectedly, they got permission for change of use. Overcoming their worries about the location, and in true entrepreneurial spirit, they spent serious money turning it into a contemporary hotel.
The bedrooms, though created out of a variety of spaces, and very comfortable, seemed at first a little too much like conventional city hotel rooms for this guide, which prefers non-standardised, eclectic design. But, staying the night, they grew on us, with their beautiful oak fittings and large beds with fine sheets. Most are far from being boxes. Fairly priced, too. And we found the corridors and connecting parts unusually well lit and congenial.
But the essential charm we seek came home when we had drinks in the large and attractively-designed garden followed by dinner in the cosy but coolly decorated little dining room. Imaginative, carefully prepared food, relaxed but friendly service and again, fair prices. Londoners could do a lot worse than eat out here (see below under Location for tips on parking). And perhaps more important than anything: the attitude of reception and other staff has that hard-to-define quality of individual commitment that only thrives in a private enterprise. The rockwell (they spell the name with a small r) is a very welcome addition to our London hotels selection.
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