Living London: The Exhibitionist Hotel

Last Sunday, I woke up with my head resting on a bin bag, staring at a flashing neon sign, surrounded by graffiti.

But don’t worry – this isn’t a tale of a drunken escapade gone wrong (I’m more of a “in bed by 9 with a hot chocolate” kinda gal these days. Soz). I was staying at the new Trash City Suite at London’s Exhibitionist Hotel.

The Exhibitionist Hotel is right next door to The Natural History Museum and the V&A, and is home to ever-changing art installations and exhibitions. Every so often, they let an artist loose on one of their suites – and Trash City is the latest creation from graffiti artist Dotmasters.

If you’re looking for somewhere cool and contemporary for your next stay in London, The Exhibitionist hotel should be top of your list. Here’s why.

Boutique, bold and beautiful

From the second you set foot within the reception – which is dripping with framed art, interesting light fixtures and mismatched upholstery – you know that this hotel is different. This is a place where personality and quirks matter just as much as luxury or style. It would be easy to spend hours exploring the little nooks and crannies of the hotel, photographing each little detail. There are 37 rooms here in total, along with a cocktail bar and terrace, and you can also purchase the art on display.

We were asked to choose a scent for our room which was a nice touch, and asked to put down a £50 deposit, before being shown to the suite.

“So I sleep… on those?”

The Trash City Suite is designed to challenge and change your perceptions of luxury and make you think about the role of consumerism in our modern lifestyles – so the room isn’t straight up luxury by any means. Graffiti is splashed liberally across black walls, an outdoor terrace is adorned with classic Banksy prints and scarily-realistic looking drains appear sporadically across the carpet. The most distinctive features of the room however, are the piled up bin bags (don’t worry, they’re cushions) at the head of a bed designed to look like a kerb, and a huge neon sign hung precariously on the wall, welcoming us to Trash City.

A suite with a difference

I haven’t stayed in many suites before, so it was difficult to compare the Trash City suite with past experience. But I’m guessing that usually, your bedspread doesn’t look like a city pavement. For this reason, it probably isn’t everyone’s cup of tea – for some it may seem like novelty for the sake of it, or going against the reason of staying in a luxury suite in the first place. But to think this way is probably to miss the point. The Trash City Suite has not just a function – a room for the night – but a message. It makes you think – which is more than most hotel rooms.

I won’t lie, The Exhibitionist Hotel isn’t cheap (The Trash City suite costs £750 a night, and a standard room will cost you £200) but if you’re planning a special occasion or feel like splashing out on something a bit different, it’s perfect.

Have you ever stayed in the Exhibitionist Hotel? What did you think?

I stayed in the Trash City Suite in return for a review on StyleNest UK