In less than an hour I’d landed into Gatwick, railed into London, settled into my hotel room and was indulging in a brief respite in my robe.
I’d checked into The Nadler Victoria on a Thursday evening after flying back from Venice and it was proving to be the perfect little post-airport stop.
The chic 73-room hotel is located a hop and a skip from the main train station, where the Gatwick Express pulls into, and it’s on the doorstep of Buckingham Palace if the royals are your thing.
I’d been given a king double room on the second floor, room 204.
After navigating the very dark corridors I used the electronic key card and got aquatinted with my nest for the night.
The room was a little on the small side for two people, but as they say, size isn’t everything and the place proved to be like the bento box of hotel rooms.
Around every corner there seemed to be a surprise and I spent a good while, like an excitable child, exploring the box-shaped area.
Behind the first cupboard next to the door I was surprised to find a dinky kitchen kitted out with all the essentials including a microwave, sink, kettle and fridge.
Plus there was cutlery, crockery and wine glasses.
There was nothing inside the fridge, but note inside the cooling unit informed me that room service items could be ordered 24/7 from reception.
In the next cupboard I discovered the safe and the iron but no board… hmmm the hunt for the ironing board was on.
After a brief snoop around – I probably should have just read the instruction manual – I found the ironing board perfectly positioned under the bed.
Other fun surprises included the table mats – which were fashioned out of a material from old car tyres – and finding a leather box with some handy plug converters in. The cherry on top was discovering two robes complete with towel slippers hung behind the bathroom door.
The bathroom was tight but well finished and stocked with sweet-smelling Gilchrist and Soames products.
We also commented that the roomy rain shower had a good pressure.
There was wifi free in the hotel but we had to follow some instructions on the TV and I found this too time consuming to bother.
After rolling back to our room after a party in South London it proved to be the perfect cocoon to unfurl in.
The bed was generously proportioned with soft quilting and a faux fur blanket which proved too warm to use.
Thanks to well-glazed windows there was little disturbance from the outside although the walls were quite thin with the cleaning cart and neighbours audible at times.
We were told that it’s usually possible to get breakfast served to your room at The Nadler but their usual provider was closed for the week.
Instead, the friendly receptionist from Spain directed us to one of the dozens of places near by. You really are spoiled for choice in Victoria, with options ranging from luxury to laid back.
Checking out of The Nadler was as efficient as checking in.
This bento box of hotels really is worth checking out.
It’s chic, efficient and with rooms starting at less than £200 it’s one of the more price-friendly picks for central London.
There are also three more city locations in The Nadler group worth investigating and one in Liverpool if you ever find yourself heading up north.
The Nadler Victoria is located at 10 Palace Pl, Westminster, London, SW1E 5BW
To book a stay call 020 3540 8800 or visit www.nadlerhotels.com
