Hello! It's Jess!
Taking a unique break has always made me feel wonderful! And much as that can come in the form of glamping, woodland cabin, windmill or boat - let's not forget that there are some really imaginative hotels out that will give you that I am doing something special feeling!
I just can't book 'the norm' but these days you rarely have to. I usually look out a smaller place so get a more personal feel and individual touches and make sure there is some creativity or interesting design features too.
Starting in London - A friend treated me to lunch at the Shard! I felt very spoilt, but then quickly wanted to escape the hussle of the city for a different pace.
We took the Thames ferry - now run by Uber - out west and then joined the Emirates Airline cable car to the Royal Docks and our floating hotel - The Good Hotel.
This is a unique concept hotel with modern communal spaces downstairs and views over the river. The hotel was once a prison in Holland I believe! The hotel is eco-friendly, supports the local community, it reinvests the profits to support social causes including educating children in Guatamala - and they train and employ the unemployed too.
Rooms don't have TVs and I think should add more of the Guatamalan colour scheme to brighten them up and go quirkier, but we had a comfortable night and enjoyed our stay. The roof top bar is a must - open on the weekends!
As we at QuirkyAccom are unusual in giving our profits to good causes, it is great to come across another like minded-business out there!
To add to your stay - directly from the hotel is a double decker bus cafe, and a boat bar called The Oiler Bar a stroll to. You can book openwater swimming, and watersports including wakeboarding and paddleboarding HERE. It is mad to find this beach vibe in London!
This summer I also visited a fabulous place in Portsmouth, full of old world charm. Actually the hotel isn't small but the staff make you feel that each guest is special. The location looks out over a lawn to a Navy memorial and on to the sea. You can spot the historic forts (unique hotel stays which are still closed unfortunately!) from the shore.
The Queen's Hotel in Southsea (a suburb of Portsmouth) offers traditional English charm in the form of an impressive red brick mansion (unimaginably once a private house) built in 1861. I loved the wide corridors with solid doors and the gorgeous room we found behind ours. We had a balcony with great view too. We didn't need to venture out in the evening as the Dukes Bar and the Restaurant 1865 were both impressive with old style attentive service and wonderful food and drinks.
Locally trawl the vintage and retro shops around Albert Road in the southern most tip of the town, visit the Mary Rose (resurrected shipwreck) or hide away behind the walls of Southsea Rose Garen or climb Portsdown Hill for open views if you fancy a jaunt. Or take Mystery Guide tour, visit No. 6 cinema in an old boathouse or King's Theatre for a bit of culture.
For us this was an overnight before taking the ferry, and it was a perfect farewell to England.
My son also managed a night at our old favourite Hotel Pelirocco - much visited by our family over the years in Brighton. Now 18 he went alone this time and had fun with the themed Star Wars room - otherwise known as Lord Vader's Quarters. Can sleep 2 in bunks. This hotel has an impressive range of music and other themed rooms, including singles, triples and sexy double romance rooms for adults. Some with jacuzzi baths!
Check out his video clip HERE.
We have plenty of unique hotels and B&Bs in the UK and around the world, click HERE to find out more.
Until next time, Jess.
