NYT 'Roughs It' at London's Rough Luxe

April 27, 2009 at 10:55 AM | by KatieK | Comment (1)

If you like your hotels with an oxymoronic twinge, London's Rough Luxe Hotel might be for you. The New York Times checked in to the buzzy boutique hotel for a review this weekend and, all things considered, seemed rather pleased with the property's unique flair.

If you'll recall, the hotel claims to be "half rough, half luxury," which translates into an "almost industrial" effect that's "like the interior of a guerrilla warehouse art gallery," explains the Times. Think distressed walls and salvaged furniture alongside posh linens and rainfall showerheads.

The hotel's King's Cross locale is even intriguing: "[A] chaotic transportation hub...beside a tangle of rail and subway routes" amid a slowly-gentrifying area still "riddled with budget food chains and dingy hotels" but also home to "a smattering of destination restaurants" and other trendy new offerings. So while the spot hasn't quite achieved hotspot status, it seems well on its way.

Highlights: Each room is unique, styled individually by designer Rabih Hage and featuring edgy art. The three rooms that come with private bathrooms have a "luxurious feel" — though the NYT sort of glosses over the less-than-luxe fact that the majority of the rooms don't have private bathrooms.

Lowlights: The hotel "deliberately forgoes substance in favor of style," which means "few added extras." The TV is "retro 1980s" � in other words, staticky. Rooms are "definitely on the small side." And rates are "a little more luxe than rough" at �155 a night.

Bottom line: "Many hotels claim to be original, but Rough Luxe actually is ... The emphasis here is on experience rather than indulgence."

[Photo: Jonathan Player for The New York Times]

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