the times Saturday December 18 202144 Travel
The hotel’s barbasement-gym yoga mats and small
bench in my room. There are no
miniature toiletry bottles in the
bathroom — good (amenities are by
Doers of London) — although there are
milk sachets in the fridge. There is no
scrimping on style, with smart, forest-
green-striped bed heads and blankets by
Los Angeles-based Slowdown Studio.
My room has a balcony, although I can’t
use it (local regulations), with big,
sunrise views over the west London
rooftops. The restaurant/lounge area is
perfectly lit and strung with hanging
ferns and wall-hung textiles. Presiding
over the restaurant is Anthony
Garlando, and the theme is Italian tapasupright wooden sofa (cushions soften the
ecclesiastical style).What do we like?
You can’t fault the ambition behind the
ethos — it feels timely — though the
cynic in me wonders just how all the
net-zero calculations are made.
Sustainability is a theme in the interiors
— the carpets are crafted from recycled
fishing nets, and furniture has been
sourced from UK-based companies
including Maiden Marbling in Cheshire,
which is behind the zingy wallpaper
lining bathrooms and lifts, while tiling
is from Granby’s workshop in Liverpool.
I like the use of cork too — in theWhat’s the story?
On the site of a former wallpaper
factory, this thoughtfully constructed
new-build is the world’s first net-zero
“hometel”. In short, this means that it’s
89 per cent more efficient than an
average hotel — with solar panels (and
beehives) on the roof, a zero-waste
policy and proper recycling bins in the
rooms. It stands somewhere between a
flat and a hotel — hence the moniker
— so you get a well-stocked kitchenette,
plus a sitting-room area and small dining
table. If you were staying for a few days
and wanted a night off from London
prices you could cook yourself a bowl
of pasta and watch TV from the very
The Times
hotel guide
Room2,
Chiswick
Hometel
London W4
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ANDREI BOTNARIOne of the rooms— all delicious if modest portions.
Breakfast, by contrast, was disappointing
— a basket of less-than-fresh patisserie
not included in the price and costing
from £2.95.What’s near by?
You’re right next to Chiswick Common
and minutes from Chiswick High Road,
with its chichi shops and restaurants.
Attractive residential streets are worth
a meander, and there are pubs aplenty.
Mainline trains take you to Waterloo for
the South Bank in 30 minutes, and
you’re within easy reach of Kew
Gardens, Notting Hill and Kensington.
Jenny CoadJenny Coad was a guest
of Room2, Chiswick
Hometel, which has
room-only doubles from
£129 (room2.com)Overseas TravelBook your
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