Who wants to stay in a basic hotel room when you can stay in one that makes you feel like you’re in a treehouse? Or one that feels like a luxurious private home? Or even better, an Airstream-like camper on top of a hotel? Yes, you read that last one correctly. Last winter, I traveled to London and Bristol to go off the beaten path, skipping the usual sights in search of more unique experiences and staying in three different places far removed from the ordinary.
London
I own a 13-foot egg-shaped Scamp and it makes me smile whenever I am in it. When I travel where my Scamp can’t go, I try to find places that make me feel the same way, at least a little bit. In London, I stayed at the gorgeous Treehouse Hotel, which is near Oxford Circus and offers views of the London Eye, The Shard, Canary Wharf and Regent’s Park. The whimsical hotel is filled with greenery and quirky details. I was delighted to find a vintage lantern, a Paddington Bear, a cuckoo clock and a birdhouse decorating my room.
Double Decker Bus Tour
Double decker bus. Afternoon tea. Gin cocktails. If you had to pick a place that you would associate with any of these things, you might pick London. Combine them all in one and you get the Bombay Sapphire Gin Afternoon Tea Bus Tour! This was such a fun excursion and you don’t have to like (or even drink) gin if you don’t want to. A carousing ride around the city aboard a vintage Routemaster with delicious treats was an absolute blast. Of course, I wanted to take the bus home and convert it into a camper, but you can’t have it all!
Portobello Hotel
My final night in London was spent at the gorgeous Portobello Hotel in Notting Hill, just steps from the famous Portobello Road Market. None of the 21 rooms at the hotel, which looks like a residence, are the same. The bathroom in mine featured a freestanding Victorian bathtub and shower that looked like it was straight out of a steampunk fantasy. Enormous windows overlooking a garden made the room feel as though it was a private green hideaway far removed from the city. After a day of browsing at the market, it was a welcome respite.
Unique accommodations
Bristol, hands down though, had the most unique accommodations of my trip. Sure, anyone can rent out an RV—even a hotel near me in Boston has some units—but they are all on the ground. The Brooks Guesthouse has four “rocket” caravans you can stay in on the roof, four stories up! Getting the caravans up on the roof must have been a one-day wonder. The well-equipped rockets feature a double bed, flat-screen TV, shower, LED mood lighting and a seating area. The views are amazing. Bristol’s Old City is right next to St. Nicholas Market. The location can’t be beat. It is a wonderful warren of shops and eateries.
I had plenty of great adventures exploring both London and Bristol, but my quirky accommodations made my trip even more special and I enjoyed spending time in them. Not that many people I know return from a trip raving about their hotels, but I have stories to tell about mine, plus bragging rights. There are many ways to get off the beaten path, even in the city.
If You Go
Treehouse Hotel
treehousehotels.com
Afternoon Tea Bus Tour
b-bakery.com/london/bus-tours
Portobello Hotel
portobellohotel.com
Brooks Guesthouse Bristol
https://www.brooksguesthousebristol.com/
This article by Kim Foley MacKinnon was originally published in Girl Camper Magazine
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