The Rockwell Hotel, a bit of quiet in Earls Court
I know a place just a few minutes walk from Earls Court tube station that is a quiet haven in this traffic chocked, pedestrian clogged part of London. It doesn’t seem to matter what time of day or even what day, but there always seems to be masses of people in and around Earls Court.
Which is why it was such a surprise as soon as I walked in the lobby of The Rockwell Hotel. Although it’s right around the corner from Earls Court and located on busy Cromwell Rd, the interior of this refurbished Victorian townhouse is comfortingly quiet. I was greatly relieved to escape all the hustle and bustle so I can only imagine what jet lagged and exhausted tourists must feel like when the front door of the Rockwell closes behind them as they enter the lobby.
reception stairs – image courtesy of The Rockwell
The decor is comfortable and modern with high ceilings and plenty of windows to let in the light. As it’s a converted townhouse, there is a wide staircase that leads to the rooms but don’t worry, there’s also an elevator. If you can, request one of the rooms in the basement as they are large and comfy with small terraces set with a garden table and chairs which are a cozy little place to relax.
Lounge and fireplace, image courtesy of The Rockwell
If you don’t get a room with a terrace, the hotel also has a lovely back garden on the ground floor where you can also relax with a drink or two. The garden is behind the restaurant of the hotel, which serves modern British cuisine. The menu is uncomplicated but has a nice variety of dishes. We both started with salads, I had the summer salad of goats cheese and apple which was quite substantial. My friend ordered the Rockwell Chicken Salad, a house signature dish, a tasty combo of avocado, greens,chicken and blue cheese dressing, delicious. For the mains, I ordered the traditional Fish and Chips with mushy peas which was not only nicely crunchy and flakey at the same time but again a huge portion.
Fish and Chips, image by The Winesleuth
I could have easily shared my main course with my companion. My dining companion, however opted for the grilled salmon which she said was done perfectly, medium rare as requested. We both enjoyed our meals and the prices are not much over what you would pay in a good gastro pub but the food is definitely better and certainly beats the fast food chains that abound in Earls Court.
garden of The Rockwell, image courtesty The Rockwell
My bedroom – image courtesy of The Rockwell
After that meal, I was ready for bed and luckily I didn’t have far to go as my room was just downstairs. After a very peaceful and quiet nights sleep, I was a bit sad to be heading back to Balham already but the next time I have friends in town looking for reasonably priced and centrally located accommodation, I’ll be happy to recommend The Rockwell. Rates start at £140 for two people per night. If you want a taste of the hotel, check out this video.
I stayed as a guest of The Rockwell.