Home Away From Home: 6 Superb Hotels You Can WFH In The Pandemic
Working from home doesn’t actually mean you have to work from home. You know that, right? What does it matter if you’re working on your laptop from a suburban bedsit or beachside hotel in Croatia? It doesn’t. Which means the world (of work) is now your oyster. All you really need is a reliable, fast internet connection and you’re on your way.
That said, some places lend themselves better to working from home away from home than others. We’ve picked out a few ideas for perfect work getaways, from city centre sanctuaries to rural retreats. Get your work done early, take advantage of reduced weekday prices and make the most of the new normal.
Hotel Brooklyn, Manchester
Opened in mid-February this year to much ado, before closing and re-opening in August due to the pandemic, in just a few months Hotel Brooklyn has staked a claim as one of the best hotel experiences Manchester has to offer. This 189-room hotel is not only a bastion of sleek modern design but also a pioneer for accessibility with the UK’s first fully-accessible hotel suite.
For a city centre WFH retreat, it’s perfect. High-speed wifi ensures all those Zoom calls go to plan; stylish and comfortable desk space is available both in rooms and downstairs at the bar; and a delectable room service menu gives you very little reason to leave.
Suites add an extra level of luxury and there’s an option for both city views and terrace rooms.
The Bells, Leeds
For those looking for another luxury city stay, consider Leeds. The Bells is an ideal WFH retreat: a stone’s throw from Leeds Minster, these six refurbished serviced apartments sit within a 17th-century building, offering majestic open-plan layouts and the perfect office base for a few days with a vibrant city on your door step.
Two rooms, Emmanuel and Great George, have decked balconies with hot tubs, which certainly beats an afternoon coffee next to the water cooler. Another room, Liberty, boasts a split mezzanine bedroom and a floor-to-ceiling window. A sleek, modern kitchen boasts all the mod cons while nearby eateries and cafes offer a chance to stretch your legs in-between Pomodoro breaks.
Rudding Park, North Yorkshire
For a workday with a difference in rural surroundings, Rudding Park has everything you might need. A mere 10 minutes from the A1 and nearby Harrogate, the country manor hotel is surrounding parkland, offering the ultimate in privacy. The Grade-I-listed Georgian building features inspired bright and colourful interiors while extensions to the building have been done tastefully.
Despite a heritage location, rooms are extremely office friendly with comfortable work areas and dependable internet. Two on-site restaurants provide a sumptuous end to the day and for work breaks there’s plenty of picturesque fresh air to be had. The spa wing offers a variety of relaxing treatments as well as gym access and a pool.
The Scarlet, Mawgan Porth
Adults-only, tick. Eco-friendly, tick. Sea vistas, tick. All that and we haven’t yet mentioned how delightful the rooms are with their underfloor heating, floor-to-ceiling glass and complimentary tea and coffee delivered to your room throughout the day (a worker’s dream). Located on the clifftops overlooking Cornwall’s Mawgan Porth, there’s certainly worse places to do a day’s work on your laptop.
If working hours are flexible, even better. Get everything done in the morning and spend the afternoon making the most of a natural reed-filtered swimming pool, eucalyptus steam room, cedar barrel sauna and a host of other gloriously indulgent spa options.
Bike & Boot, Scarborough
For keen surfers and cyclists looking to mix work and play, Scarborough’s Bike & Boot is a boutique hotel option that fits the bill. With a beachfront location and 65 rooms, it provides the ideal working from home escape for those wishing to incorporate activities into their work day. Rooms are bright and modern with super-fast internet and comfortable work spaces.
Dog-friendly, with a special area for cleaning wellies as well as bike and surfboard storage, guests can expect warm hospitality and bright, cosy interiors. An on-site cafe restaurant serves pizzas, grilled meats and pasta and there’s the opportunity to hire hiking equipment such as raincoats and umbrellas.
Birch, Hertfordshire
On the London-facing outskirts of Hertfordshire, not far from the M25, sits Birch, a converted Georgian house hotel that was practically made for working from home away from home. Rather than period opulence, interiors opt for a contemporary take with bare floorboards, open-plan layouts and chill out areas. The Hub offers an informal workspace, whilst a cafe, artisan bakery, multiple bars and a restaurant cater to all your food and watering needs.
Central to the Birch offering is its ability to turbo boost your workday and stay with a range of activities, from yoga in the courtyard to a bird box building class in one of the communal spaces. Wifi is speedy, the offering is achingly cool and Robin Gill’s latest venture, The Zebra Riding Club restaurant, provides the ultimate treat, further bolstering a great value option.
