The Laslett, Notting Hill, London - hotel review - Bourgeois bohemian cool in the home of the Carnival - Scotland on Sunday Travel

Bourgeois bohemian cool in the home of the Carnival
The Laslett, Notting Hill, London is comprised of five townhouses. Pic: ContributedThe Laslett, Notting Hill, London is comprised of five townhouses. Pic: Contributed
The Laslett, Notting Hill, London is comprised of five townhouses. Pic: Contributed

Spanning five Victorian townhouses on a quiet residential street, and mere seconds from Notting Hill Gate Tube station and a host of shops and restaurants, this hotel marries refined tranquillity with a highly convenient location. The Laslett opened in 2015, is part of the select Living Rooms group, and in a bid to honour the area’s rich cultural heritage, takes its name from Rhaune Laslett, a local activist who organised the original Notting Hill Festival, which evolved into the famous Carnival.

My heart lifts when I see its pristine white façade, and pass its ground level terrace as I head into the reception area, filled with the hotel’s own bespoke scent and decked out with stylish artworks and cabinets filled with, say, framed butterflies - a kind of “bourgeois-bohemian” cool reflecting Notting Hill itself, and also feeling kind of Parisian to me. The hotel’s overall vibe is a good balance between luxury and homely.

Room service

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There are more artworks in my suite, including prints, a glass display cabinet filled with more butterflies, and stylishly positioned Penguin classics, while the bathroom is traditional in a classy way, and includes a bath and Ren toiletries. Other in-room amenities include a Roberts Revival DAB digital radio, and what is billed as a Big Bar rather than mini bar, whose contents include Champagne, although my dullard credentials are boosted by being more excited about the plentiful bottles of water. Opposite that is a table and two chairs by the window, while on the other side of the room is a desk-style table where there’s a book about the Notting Hill Carnival and a booklet including details of artists whose work features in the room as well as highly useful practical information about when check-out is, and how to get a doctor or babysitter, for example.

Wining and dining

The hotel houses The Henderson Bar & Kitchen, named after Trinidadian musician Russell “Russ” Henderson, a key player in creating the Notting Hill Carnival.

You can also eat in The Library, on the other side of the reception area, and where I have breakfast of waffles with bacon and maple syrup and iced coffee under displays of tomes on art and fashion. Additionally, this summer sees the launch of The Laslett Terrace, with local live music as well as food and drinks.

Artworks throughout the hotel extend to the bedrooms where the vibe is a balance between luxury and homely. Pic: ContributedArtworks throughout the hotel extend to the bedrooms where the vibe is a balance between luxury and homely. Pic: Contributed
Artworks throughout the hotel extend to the bedrooms where the vibe is a balance between luxury and homely. Pic: Contributed

Budget or boutique

Definitely boutique - for example in June the hotel is offering a nod to the Jubilee with a “Corgi-cation” that sees guests “treated like a Queen when they check in with their Corgi”, with four-legged guests able to enjoy a “bespoke pampering session”.

Worth getting out of bed for

I go for an excellent stroll through Notting Hill and along to Ladbroke Grove, en route stopping for a coffee or three, browsing boutiques and enviously admiring the many multi-million-pound properties I pass - there’s even an estate agent advertising some massive Ibiza pads. If you fancy seeing a film there’s The Gate cinema at Notting Hill Gate, while if you’re looking for some greenery, Kensington Gardens are just a few blocks away.

Classy and cool, one of the ensuite bathrooms. Pic: ContributedClassy and cool, one of the ensuite bathrooms. Pic: Contributed
Classy and cool, one of the ensuite bathrooms. Pic: Contributed

Little extras

There is an in-house spa, Recharge Rooms, offering a “unique combination of cutting-edge procedures”. Taken care of by excellent therapist Reema, I am lucky enough to sample a relaxing and detoxing 30-min spell in the Ozone Sauna - a machine you sit in with only your head exposed - followed by a facial using a sought-after MesoJet machine. When I look at myself in the mirror afterwards, my eyebrows look pleasingly higher and my whole face brighter.

Guestbook comments

I’m just a girl, standing in front of a hotel with her suitcase after checking out, very much wishing I didn’t have to leave.

The Laslett has a "bourgeois-bohemian” feel that reflects Notting Hill itself. Pic@ ContributedThe Laslett has a "bourgeois-bohemian” feel that reflects Notting Hill itself. Pic@ Contributed
The Laslett has a "bourgeois-bohemian” feel that reflects Notting Hill itself. Pic@ Contributed

A double room including breakfast at The Laslett starts at £350, and the Corgi-cation package is priced from £445 per night. The Laslett, 8 Pembridge Gardens, Notting Hill, London W2 4DU. Tel: 020 7792 6688 www.living-rooms.co.uk/hotel/the-laslett/.

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