HOTEL STAY: THE LOST POET

2020 force-fed us uk staycations like the plump foie gras gooses we are. This side of the pandemic, we’re feeding ourselves and normalising staycations in our own city by choice; notting hill seemed like a pretty perfect neighbourhood to pilot.

WHERE WE STAYED

A girly stay with our two best friends in mind, the stylish rooms of The Lost Poet squealed out to us. Hiding in the heart of portobello, the renovated victorian townhouse holds four eclectic rooms and welcomes you like a stay at your trendy mate’s london pad. The one who buys sunflowers from the flower market on sundays and sips negronis for fun. That mate.

Rooms

The four rooms are spread out one room to a floor, providing more privacy than you’d expect given the intimate nature of the hotel. Each with their own personality, the rooms are united in their love of bold upholstery, a proud colour palette and low-hanging contemporary bedside lights while traditional touches with the wood panelling, period radiators and marshall radios do their bit to create the homely feel.

We checked into two rooms; the pretty-in-pink salon room found on the first floor, drenched in natural light from the long windows overlooking portobello road and the more muted basement suite, which boasts an open-air garden terrace and cosy nook. The beds are large, the linens buttery soft and require a launch pad to get into, ticking off all our slumber wants and needs. The discrete tv-turned-framed-art on the walls didn't go unnoticed, either. It's the little details.

Bathrooms

We were just as obsessed with the bathrooms; they are equally curated and playful, creating a natural flow between the rooms. Keeping things steamy, the frosted glass bedroom-bathroom partitions offer just a tease of relief from your roomie, lucky them. The spacious walk-in showers feature those delicious rainfall shower heads and chic niches to house the Evolve organic beauty toiletries, their natural skincare products that are handmade in the uk.

We had a nosy at the muse, the crown jewel of the hotel, which houses a two-story, top-floor suite with a freestanding roll-top bath at the foot of the bed, terracotta kitchenette lounge upstairs and rooftop terrace to catch the sunset over west london. *Insert glass of wine here*.

WHERE WE ATE

While the complimentary ‘naughty and nice’ breakfast in bed was enough to satisfy a family of small hippos with a taste for fresh ottolenghi pastries, we couldn’t wake up in notting hill and not visit one of the many local brunch spots.

Brunch

Westbourne grove is to brunch what soho is to happy endings. With a must-visit mid-morning eatery every hundred yards, on one corner you'll find TABXTAB, a bright open cafe lined with concrete and counter-top dining along the wall of windows. Expect the classics done well, alongside apple crumble vegan gluten-free pancakes, chicken katsu sando and not your average chunky bar of french toast.

Other brunch spots in the area

Eggbreak - we dare you to not fall in love with the nutella french toast (encrusted in a cornflake shell) or the ham, egg and cheese toasty

Cafe Beam - for mid-century interiors and borg upholstery, order the turkish eggs and french toast

Sundays in Brooklyn - get the stack of pancakes and regret nothing

Bondi Green - head out on a short walk for canal-side brunching

Dinner

Gold has been on our wishlist ever since it opened and the lure only grew when they announced the arrival of their roof terrace. This terracotta-walled, foliage-filled haunt is known for its open-flame cooking where the plates are to be shared and the flavours are to be bold. We ordered the chargrilled sprouting broccoli, roasted cauliflower, braised pork meatballs and chargrilled hispi cabbage and could have had it over and over. For dessert, we slipped over to the bar and opted for a cocktail instead.

Zephyr is a short 2 minute walk from Gold on Portobello Road and like its coal fired neighbour, it didn't disappoint. This sleek greek serves up your well known dishes with a London twist. We visited for their set lunch menu which included yellow tail tuna, seabass, the largest tomato salad you've ever seen and crispy potato terrine.

Other evening spots in the area

The Princess Royal - try out this new opening, a posh pub serving mediterranean fare with seasonal british produce and a raw bar of oysters and crudo

Laylow - a lively restaurant, low-key expect celebs

Cocotte - for an independent farm-to-table chicken house

Franklin’s Wine Bar - for when you're after a liquid dinner with a side of cheeses and meats

Strakers - a fave chef of ours, Thomas Straker, is opening his first restaurant later this year, expect honest, uncomplicated dishes

We left our girly getaway with full bellies, full hearts and well-rested heads having enjoyed playing tourist in our own city.