I just spent a delicious week in London and no doubt a large part of that was having been lucky enough to spend it staying at 40 Winks.
Considered one of the best boutique hotels in the world (it literally only sleeps 3 persons max at any given time) and lauded by the likes of the Wall Street Journal and German Vogue, 40 Winks is under the aegis of the equally amazing incarnated Mad Hatter himself from Alice in Wonderland, David Carter, one of the top interior designers in the world.The place has to be seen and experienced to be believed. Every single room, every corner, every nook and cranny is Insta-grammable and worthy of multiple-page spreads in publications like Architectural Digest. Easily.
I found out about this place from my "Quiet London" guide (from the same folks who produce "Quiet Paris" and 'Quiet New York") and I had easily some of the deepest and most restful sleeps I've had in a very long time (having the beds done by the best bed-makers in Britain helps, no doubt). Housed in an early Georgian townhouse, which is about 300 years old and located in edgy-East London, from the outside you'd have no idea of the world inside you're about to enter.
During the day, the front rooms are flooded in daylight and even looks cute and benign but come nighttime and the house and rooms and the ambience take on a decidedly Gothic flavour. You'd almost expect the Godfather of Goth himself, Peter Murphy to suddenly step out of the shadows crooning "Bela Lugosi's Dead". The place is VERY popular among London insiders and creative professionals the world over and model shoots often happen in the rooms. Actors and pop-stars often stay here as well. I couldn't believe my luck when a whole week stay was open and coincided with my London stay. I jumped on it without hesitation.
Now a word about Mr. Carter. The thing about travelling and the more you travel, you realise a place is only as good as the people there or the people who run it. I've already likened him to the Mad Hatter (as I'm sure many others before me have already) but that would be too simple. David is far more than an uber-talented interior designer, a gracious host, an interesting and clever raconteur; he is also a really kind and decent man who like other visionaries is trying to create and bring something unique and creative to the world and he's done it with 40 Winks. It's like having Oscar Wilde, Saki, Noel Coward, W. Somerset Maugham and Gore Vidal all rolled up into one. I have no hesitation whatsoever in staying here again and I hope that will be soon.
If you're just looking for a place to stay in London, don't bother coming here, there are thousands of other options in London. On the other hand, if you want to have your senses stimulated, you're willing to add your part to the stay here with interesting and creative conversation and appreciation, then 40 Winks might be just the place for you. I already miss the place. read more