Nothing to do with Saint Pablo or his selfie-snapping wife, the K-West hotel is a thoroughly modern hotel with musical history. An old BBC building that Bob Marley once played in, the sleek glass façade front is an accurate representation of what lies behind it – not a stuffy, intimidating grand old hotel, but a place with a sense of fun; an in-house DJ spins until the wee hours every Friday and Saturday, for example. Which sort of says it all; this hotel is less about the experience of being in the lap of luxury and more about it being a really excellent place to crash. Which isn’t a criticism, the staff are wonderfully attentive, the rooms clean and smart, and I got one of the best manicures of my life in the well-equipped (there’s even a Narnia-esque snow room down there) basement spa.
Great value for money, each airy, sizeable room comes with its very own smart tablet and, even more helpfully, smart phones that come with unlimited data browsing so you can go off into London and explore the city. And while Shepherds Bush might not be the shiniest jewel in London’s crown, the hotel is incredibly close to the now 24-hour Tube. It also has Westfield on its doorstep if the thought of Oxford Street shopping is a bit much. Near also to the Hammersmith Apollo, this hotel is perfect for active visitors who want to wring as much out of London as possible. And despite the DJ, the bedrooms are quiet and peaceful, so you can catch plenty of zzzs in the huge, comfy beds, ready for the next day of adventuring.
Time Out tip
Less than a 10-minute wander round the common is the Dorsett Hotel, home to handsome Chinese restaurant Shikumen – skip breakfast one day and go there for delicious dim sum.