Here’s Why Hotel Indigo Is Perfect For A Short Stay In London

Rest, recovery and productivity are all possible here

Sensing my fatigue from the overnight flight, the front desk staff made every effort to get me into my room a couple of hours early, for which I was grateful.

While there was an elevator, I preferred taking the open staircase to my second-floor room, as it had a somewhat homey feel to it that was reminiscent of heading upstairs at your own house.

You can’t help but pause to admire the setting as you walk to your room. While the walls are a simple stark white, you’ll discover an eye-catching mural of the neighborhood on the ceiling and a bright rainbow-patterned carpet at your feet.

As I entered my room, I was immediately relieved to feel the cool rush of air conditioning. Since Europe had record heat waves this summer, the last thing I wanted to experience was an extremely hot room should an unexpected rise in temperatures occur during my stay.

It was hard to miss the bold decor, too.

In a fitting nod to the property’s location and on-the-go travelers like myself, the room featured wallpaper resembling the inside of Paddington Station, plus photos of the Tube on the wall. Those details, combined with a bold red rug, cabinetry interiors and accent linens, served as an attention-grabbing contrast to the neutral white walls and light wood floors.

Given the property’s location close to the city center, space in the room was limited, though everything I needed for my brief stay was there. The room featured an open-concept design with dedicated areas for sleeping, working and lounging, plus a bathroom.

The queen-size bed was especially comfortable — it was only my adjustment to the new time zone that interrupted my sleep in any way. On both sides of the bed were nightstands with plenty of electrical outlets, though an adapter for the United Kingdom’s plugs is needed to use the outlets.

Needing to work on this trip, I was pleasantly surprised by the desk space. Located just beneath the flat-screen TV, the mirror-top desk gave me ample room to work on my laptop. The chair, impressively, had a lot more lumbar support for long working hours than you may expect when looking at it.

You can even have a cup of coffee or espresso without getting up thanks to the Nespresso machine being ideally situated on top of the desk. I was particularly fond of this perk, as it’s an in-room amenity I hope to see more hotels add instead of traditional single-use coffee makers.

To the right of the desk was a small wardrobe with a luggage rack, some hangers, a couple of bathrobes and a full-size ironing board.

Roll the door to the left to reveal the opposite side of the closet, where a safe and a minifridge stocked with complimentary sodas, orange juice and water were located.

An added bonus was the free miniature bottle of Vitelli prosecco by the desk. It was a nice touch for those looking to toast their arrival in London.

Beyond the main room was the compact (but well-appointed) bathroom. Much like the bathrooms you’ll find at any mid-level hotel brand in the U.S., this one featured all the essentials, including a step-in shower with a large rain shower head, a toilet and a tiny vanity with a bowl-shaped sink.

Similar to other hotels that are opting for more eco-friendly toiletries, my room at the Hotel Indigo London — Paddington came stocked with full-size, pump-style bottles of shampoo, conditioner, hand wash, body wash and lotion. The Biology Smart Skincare products were locked in place on the wall by the sink and shower.

One feature I was particularly fond of was the bathroom’s towel warmer. It’s a uniquely European touch that you rarely find in the U.S.

There’s a place to grab a drink

While there were several aspects of the property that I thoroughly enjoyed, one of my favorites was the on-site bar and lounge. Despite technically not being part of the Hotel Indigo London — Paddington, it was accessible without ever stepping foot outside.

Situated down a short hallway just beyond the front desk, the venue was an excellent place to grab a drink as a guest of this hotel or the adjacent Mercure London Hyde Park Hotel, as it’s connected to both properties.

Once inside, it was easy to relax. The living room-inspired setting featured a number of cozy seating options, including tall chairs with bold colors and animal-influenced fabrics, modern bar seats and a large tufted leather couch tucked into a corner. A dark ceiling with tiny lights emulating the night sky added to the cool, comfortable ambiance.

After a long day of work, the space proved to be the perfect low-key setting to unwind with a glass of merlot (about $7.50) without having to stray too far from my room

It’s easy to reach central London

In addition to being a convenient stop for travelers who have to go to the airport, I’d return to the Paddington area for its affordable yet convenient access to everything worth seeing in London.

Within just a couple of hundred steps, you’ll reach the top platform at Paddington Station.

From there, you can take the escalator down to catch the Tube. The Bakerloo Line will bring you to Oxford Circus after five stops or Picadilly Circus after six — both are about 10 minutes away from the hotel.

If you buy a Transport for London day pass, hopping on the Tube at Paddington and taking it a few stops to another part of London is every bit as easy as wandering the streets near the hotel looking for somewhere to eat. Put another way? You could walk 10 minutes down the street to a pub near the hotel you found online (and there are plenty), or you can ride the Tube for the same amount of time to reach the city center.

Depending on where you want to go, it can be even quicker and easier to catch the Elizabeth Line, named for the late Queen Elizabeth II.

During my brief work trip, I found it easy enough (and a nice change of pace) to attend a Zoom meeting in my room, then catch the Tube to another part of town (like Oxford Circus) to get some more work done at, say, a coffee shop in a cozy alley without wasting too much time in transit.

I even found it relatively simple to catch the Tube’s District Line out to Southfields (which is about a 15-minute ride away) to cross an item off my bucket list: a tour of the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, also known as Wimbledon. The ease of this outing was further evidence of how staying in Paddington can really serve as a convenient option for both leisure and travel days.

The rates are reasonable

Like most hotels, the Hotel Indigo London — Paddington’s room rates will largely depend on the timing of your stay and demand on those nights. However, I frequently found prices for standard rooms hovering around £270 ($300) when looking at the coming months. For instance, an entry-level room went for £278 ($322) on a weeknight in October.

You could pay about £35 ($40) more for the highest level “Premium” room, though the site doesn’t specify what you get for that extra cost beyond “extra space and comfort.”

While an award redemption that night would require more than 60,000 IHG One Rewards points, I was able to reserve my standard room for a much lower rate of 49,000 points the first night and 54,000 points the second night.

Given that this award rate equals about £230 ($255) per night, according to TPG’s latest valuations, I feel certain I got a great deal on my room, especially when factoring in all that I enjoyed during my stay.

Bottom line

If you’re looking for luxury while visiting London, the Hotel Indigo London — Paddington may not be the right option for you.

However, if your visit is brief, leading to your preference to stay in a convenient location that will let you maximize your time in the city without straying too far from the airport, this property is an ideal place to hang your hat.

I may not have another trip to London planned right now, but the next time I’m transiting through or popping by quickly for work, I know it’ll be at the top of my list of hotels to consider.