When booking a trip have you ever had a hard time deciding what kind of accommodation is right for you? I go back and forth all the time between whether I want to stay at a hotel or an Airbnb when travelling and this totally depends on the format of the trip and who I’m with. I know I can think of benefits of staying at both. With hotels, someone cleans your room everyday and it’s convenient to get meals included such as breakfast, lunch or dinner on-site. With an Airbnb the space feels a little more like home, like it’s your place. You can also make meals in an Airbnb and if you are travelling as a family or with a group it’s nice to have the option to eat in and cook your own food. One thing I never considered until now for visitors to the UK was serviced apartments in London.
Recently I had the experience to visit Rockwell East Aparthotel in London which are indeed that – serviced apartments in London. If you guessed what the meaning of aparthotel is it’s exactly what you think – half hotel, half apartment. For people who struggle finding accommodation that’s between an Airbnb and a hotel, this option might be a good compromise between both.
I stayed in a Rockwell East studio apartment (there are also one-bedroom and family apartments too) which was spacious, with good lighting and interior design/art by acclaimed Fergus Hare. The kitchens come equipped and fully stocked with crockery, cutlery, glassware, pots, pans, baking trays and even a cookbook so that if you do decide to stay in and cook a meal (perhaps you are staying as a longer-term guest on business in London or travelling with a family) you definitely can.
The Rockwell East Aparthotel suites are perfect for longer-term guests looking for serviced apartments in London as well – students, guests travelling for business or people who want something between a hotel and an Airbnb. Like a hotel, someone comes to clean your room everyday and you can add on a breakfast package from Abel & Cole to the apartment as well so if you want a fully-prepared breakfast, you can get it. If not, you can do your own thing. There’s even a supermarket just down the road so you can stock up on food essentials.
The beds are comfy and spacious as well and there’s plenty of room to stretch out if two are sleeping the bed. In terms of amenities you would expect from a hotel, the Rockwell East Aparthotel also caters to this with toiletries from The White Company along with towels and dressing gowns.
Another great reason why Rockwell East Aparthotel might be more suitable to longer-term guests – there’s a washing machine and dryer so you can do your own laundry. They have all the amenities you would expect for serviced apartments in London and things you truly need if you are a guest in the city for longer than one night.
The location of Rockwell East Aparthotel is also great – it’s literally just down the street from Tower of London! Easily accessible by tube, you can get anywhere in the city of London pretty quickly. So, for serviced apartments in London it’s hard to find a better location and this one sits next to Aldgate, Algate East and Tower Hill Tube Stations. It’s also not far to Brick Lane, Spitalfields or Shoreditch so for foodie options or a night out it’s a great location. We ventured to Pizza Union for dinner around the corner in the evening which is a cute pizza place with affordable dishes and a nice atmosphere.
One thing I noticed as a freelancer is the All Day Café and Bar on the ground floor at Rockwell East. The café opens from 7am and is a great place to have a coffee and do some work on-the-go. It’s a bit of an undiscovered gem if I may say so myself. You can order food and drinks and I found it a quiet and relaxing place to get some work done.
Other key information to know? Check in time is 3pm and check out time is 10am, with prices starting from £150 a night.
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*I stayed at Rockwell East on a media stay but all opinions and views are my own as always
