THE STRATFORD
What kind of break takes place approximately 10 miles from my doorstep? The kind where my boyfriend and I want to celebrate four years together… but busy schedules will only allow 24 hours to do it. At first, booking a hotel in my own city seems a bit frivolous, plus there’s an added thought of ‘will this actually be relaxing?’ as we board the same Tube I get on every morning for work. However, I’m soon reassured.
Within minutes of walking into The Stratford, I feel thousands of miles away. Our aptly named Manhattan Studio transports me Stateside with a minimalist Scandi-meets-big Apple grandeur, combining floor-to-ceiling windows and an enormous bathtub in a marble bathroom (which I immediately fill to the brim). We spend the night sipping on gin and tonics, nestled on the sofa in front of a roaring fire in the cocktail lounge, The Mezzanine, as the DJ plays mellow R&B. We dine at the Brasserie for dinner, one of two restaurants at The Stratford, where we tuck into burrata and salmon followed by the Stratford Cheeseburger before heading back to our room and climbing into the comfy king-sized bed. Leaving in the morning, it feels like we’ve been away much longer than a night. And, with Stratford International on the doorstep, it is easy to get back to reality – no flight required. However, there’s still time before normal life resumes, and what better way to finish our staycation than with some retail therapy at Westfield Stratford? I often wish I could be transported to New York for an evening; now, it turns out, I can. JODIE DUNWORTH
TRIP NOTES Rooms from £199 (thestratford.com)