Last Updated on July 15, 2017 by Fiona Maclean
A Portobello Staycation:
As a teenager in the 1970s I read the fantasy novels of author Michael Moorcock. The Ladbroke Grove/Portobello Road area of Notting Hill as portrayed in his books was the epicentre of a debauched carnival of excess populated by acid queens, transsexual time travellers and assorted other rock’n roll casualties.
The truth wasn’t so far from the fiction. I became a regular attendee at The Notting Hill Carnival, a celebration of the West Indian culture of much of the local population. The streets throbbed to the beats of rum fuelled reggae and soca sound systems and were filled with the smells of curried goat and jerk chicken. The area was later fictionalised in Richard Curtis’ movie Notting Hill in a romanticised fantasy which presented a sanitised and gentrified view of the area.
I’ve been invited by Curious Hotels to have an urban staycation at The Portobello Hotel, a rock’n roll haven since 1971 frequented by Johnny Depp and Kate Moss who filled the Victorian bath with Champagne and Alice Cooper who kept a boa constrictor in the bath. My boa constrictor doesn’t drink champagne but it’s a great opportunity to explore the area as well as staying in one of the world’s classic boutique hotels.
Strolling to the hotel from the station you become immediately aware of the area’s vibrant social mix but turning into Stanley Gardens you are in the midst of some of the most elegant Georgian townhouses in London with the hotel sitting in two adjacent neo-classical mansions overlooking one of London’s most beautiful private gardens.The reception staff made checking in a pleasure and showed me the lounge/breakfast room and its well stocked honesty bar. The interior retains a boho country house 1970s feel which gives it a lot of character.
The vintage inspired decor is charming and idiosyncratic with the colourful walls adorned with frescoes. The hotel is serviced by a lift but I enjoyed climbing the long staircases, which recreate the warmth of a family home as you sink into the deep pile carpets.
There are no bad rooms at The Portobello. I was staying in one of the newly refurbished ‘Great Rooms.’ Painted in a relaxing ‘Wasabi Green’ it was more like a mini suite with sofa and a large comfortable bed with dark wood features.
It was at the top of the house and had a balcony with a spectacular view over the gardens creating a positively tranquil feel. The room also housed a collection of stylish antiques and vintage Penguin books sourced from the many antique shops and market stalls around the Portobello Road. There was an exciting hidden closet with a mini bar, an espresso machine and hanging area.
The palatial bathroom with walk in shower, a beautiful Victorian free standing bath and full size luxurious Green & Spring bath and body products all added to the sense of glamour.Before I headed out for dinner I took the opportunity to explore Portobello Road which snakes down virtually the whole length of Notting Hill.
The antiques market runs on a Saturday and is the biggest in the world but even on a weekday evening there was lots to see and do. The range of shops is astonishing; from vintage antique emporiums to idiosyncratic fashion, interiors to specialist food shops and you could easily spend a couple of days wandering around the area.
For culture vultures there is The Gate Theatre and The Electric Cinema and there is also a great range of restaurants and pubs. For eating out you could try Dock Kitchen, John Doe, E&O, Wormwood, Zayane or Cottons Caribbean Restaurant and pubs worth visiting include The Eagle, The Churchill Arms and The Elgin.After a great night’s sleep and a soak in the tub it was time for breakfast. A generous Continental breakfast is included in the room price but there are also cooked options if you want.
Breakfast included fresh juices, delicious pastries and breads, cereals, yoghurts, meats and cheeses, coffees, teas and hot chocolate.
The Portobello Hotel was hard to leave. If I didn’t have to pick up my boa constrictor from the vet I could easily just have moved in and lived out my Rock’n Roll fantasies. If you are looking for a London stay with a bit more edge and character but still with comfort and style then The Portobello Hotel is a great bet.
Thinking of visiting London? Why not pin this post for later…
The Portobello Hotel
22 Stanley Gardens
London, W11 2NG
England
Tel: +44 (0) 207 727 2777
Fax: + 44 (0) 207 792 9641
Great Blog post, thoroughly enjoyed it.
This looks like a great place to stay and in a wonderful part of London too. 🙂
This looks lovely! Love the bathroom
I love luxury, and the Portobello Hotel looks like it’s right up my alley. I remember all those old stories of Kate Moss and Johnny Depp, and I’d love to stay where they stayed. Strolling through Notting Hill sounds like the perfect way to spend an afternoon.
This is indeed a vintage and classy hotel. Everything in the hotel right up to the bathroom spells elegance. The fact that the likes of Johny Depp have stayed here and also given reign to their fancies, makes the hotel more intriguing.
This place sounds wonderful and I shall definitely look out for it in the future.
This hotel, while it may not be super luxurious, seem to have an old world charm about.. I would mind spend a few nights here when I am in London. . The street market looks interesting too.
It looks and sounds wonderful – I definitely plan to stay there in the future!
It looks fantastic
It’s true, so many people only go for the Saturday market, but it’s a cute area any day of the week! I lost my sandal in Portobello market a few years ago, still not sure how that happened.. let me know if you see it 🙂
Gentrification kills “debauched carnivals of excess” everywhere. Alas, at least there are nice hotels.
This is what I imagine a classic boutique hotel in London to look like, It’s great! Officially bookmarked for a future stay in London.
I love urban staycations, it gives us a new perspective 🙂
xx Raquel
I love this post! Portobello road is such a cool place. I visited it recently and just couldn’t get over all the beautiful colors and nice vibe. Browsing thru the antiques market is alos a great fun. Great photos! Such a temptation to go back there soon 🙂
This looks so nice!
Ash | http://www.liakadatravel.com
Bloody hell. I dated a girl in this area who lived across the road from the hotel many many moons ago and this has brought back a lot of memories. And totally agree about Notting Hill…dam you Hollywood! 😛
Wow, the Notting Hill Carnival sounded amazing until the movie came out. It’s a shame that a movie caused the area to lose its character. This hotel looks incredible! I love the old style bathtub!
What a lovely place and so handy to all the attractions too. I would love to go there.
OMG I absolutely love this place. It isn’t a part of London I really know very well but it looks cool