The London hotel that offers the best of a cruise... without leaving dry land

Independent

4 days ago

There's a crystal jar of Werther's Originals on a marble-topped table in my river view suite at the Sea Containers Hotel.
They are a tried and tested recommendation for curing sea sickness - although it's highly unlikely I'll be needing them.
Swapping high seas for a high rise, I'm setting off for a voyage back through time on a ship that will never set sail.
My ocean-worthy cabin is one of four new suites to recently open at London hotel Sea Containers.
The Thames-side property occupies a wing of a 1978 block once homing a shipping firm.
Originally modelled by British designer Tom Dixon to resemble a 1920s cruise liner, the hotel first launched in 2014 and was revamped and renamed Sea Containers five years later.
Taking the nautical theme one step further, the new rooms take a deeper design dive into the golden era of transatlantic travel with each one inspired by a different era in time.
I'm staying in the Edwardian cabin suite, a room decorated with the sort of walnut wood furnishings and plush velvet sofas that might have filled the Titanic. The mood, however, is reassuringly buoyant and the only blocks of ice on my horizon float in a wine bucket, currently keeping cool a bottle of Laurent-Perrier champagne.
From my window, I watch mud larkers rummage for lost urban treasures on the pebbly Thames shoreline as commuters rush across the Millennium Bridge.
All four suites – including the Deco Cabin Suite, Mid-Century Cabin Suite and Dynasty Cabin – were curated by Lore Group creative director Jacu Strauss. Neighbouring one another on the 15th floor, they huddle together in a private area at the end of a red-carpeted corridor and each has a strikingly individual door.
Here's what I found when I stepped inside…
Cabin design
From a collection of 'impossible bottles' filled with galleons to dramatic oil paintings of ships tossed by waves, every surface of the suite celebrates maritime magnificence. Glossy kelp-green tiles decorate the cloakroom, while a leather-embossed writing desk with ink well and fountain pen provides the perfect tools to write a postcard home.
Shipshape service
Every night around 6pm, each suite receives a knock from a mixologist pushing a trolley stacked with all the ingredients to make a negroni – a welcome aperitif on wheels.
Inside the room, bottles of spirits are lined up below shelves of crystal decanters, and fine wines fills fridges – all available for consumption as part of the room rate.
More 'gifts' can be found inside drawers – candles, room sprays, relaxing balms and tinctures are all available to use and take home.
Hotel extras
Award-winning cocktail bar Lyaness and rooftop space 12th Knot are joined by an all-day restaurant with a fine bistro menu championing British ingredients such as Wye Valley asparagus, Porthilly mussels and Suffolk pork belly.
Below deck, the Agua Spa offers a menu of treatments. A signature facial uses honey to deep cleanse and gentle massaging of cheeks, forehead and the eye area to achieve a glamorous glow.