When you live in a big city like London, the idea is you can see and experience new things every day.
Well, that’s the theory anyway. The reality is my husband and I both work from home, so most days we’re hanging around the same little part of the capital, visiting the same deli for our lunch, and pounding the same streets to take our kids to and from school.
So, for Father’s Day, we decided to get the family out of north London and try a new part of town. No aeroplanes or passports involved, and hopefully a stress-free weekend away – but revitalising enough to feel we’d all been somewhere different.
Dao by Dorsett West London was our destination, an hour away on public transport. A luxury aparthotel overlooking the green in Shepherds Bush, and a stone’s throw from Westfield White City with its array of kids’ activities (more on those later).
This was no pokey hotel room where you squeeze in two adults and two children. Instead, the rooms come with lounges and kitchenettes. We stayed in the Dream Duplex Suite. A step up from a hotel room or even a suite with adjoining bedrooms, or even a spacious apartment. This was actually a mini house. A step up from our own flat! It had stairs for a start (kitchen, lounge and cloakroom downstairs; two en-suite bedrooms upstairs). It also had three loos – one more than we have at home.
The kids were besides themselves. Staying at a hotel is always fun, but this enormous, gorgeous two-storey suite was off the scale. Cue games of hide and seek, “bumping” down the stairs on their bottoms, and throwing their cuddly toys from room to room.
The highlight for my six-year-old son was probably watching the buses travel down Shepherd’s Bush Green from his bedroom window; my four-year-old delighted in using the remote control to open and close the large blackout blinds.
Despite being on a busy road, our suite spanning the 7th and 8th floors was super quiet (apart from the occasional police siren – this is London after all). The kitchen was well-equipped, although the absence of a dishwasher may make you think twice about repeatedly self-catering your meals.
We tried the breakfast in the stylish lounge on the ground floor. There’s a decent buffet offering cereal, pastries, fruit and so on, plus you can order a cooked dish. I enjoyed an eggs benedict, while my husband celebrated Father’s Day with a vegan breakfast. The kids got their sugar hit via pancakes with maple syrup and berries.
There are 74 apartments at Dao by Dorsett West London, which blend hotel amenities with full cooking facilities and home comforts. So, if you want to make yourself a meal, you can. If the weather’s rubbish, you can chill out in your apartment. If you’ve got young kids, they can go to sleep (fingers crossed) and you can relax in the lounge and watch Netflix. No more sharing a tiny hotel room and retreating to the bathroom with a bottle of wine when the kids are finally in bed.
To take your stay up a notch you can book a “Dao journey”. The recently launched packages have something for everyone, from parents with young kids and pet owners to those looking to get fit or just relax. The £29 Family Adventure offers colour-in placemats and pens, books, a range of hot chocolates, discounts at nearby Kidzania plus a special discount at CocoRio, which offers in-room creative childcare services where you can book an actor, musician or artist to look after your child.
Four-legged friends are also welcome at Dao (guests travelling with pets pay a £70 pet policy, which covers cleaning services at the end of their stay). Upgrade to Dao’s “Pet Friendly” journey for an extra £29 and you get a pet bed or tent, food and water bowls, and toys. Owners also receive a pet sitting discount voucher from Paws Galore.
Meanwhile guests opting for the Move Your Way package (£29) get equipment delivered to their apartments, such as a Peloton bike, yoga mat and protein water drink. The Self Care Club (£70) offers perks like a face mask, CBD balancing oil and scented candle, plus a discounted rate on in-room treatments.
We obviously chose the Family Adventure, but we managed a bit of self-care too, courtesy of the complimentary “chill out and sleep well mist” and “relaxing night cream” in our bedroom (plus the lovely Elemis toiletries in the bathrooms and the dreamy duvets – very snuggly).
Dao by Dorsett West London is in a great location – close to the tube, restaurants and bars (The Hoxton is a couple of doors down), and the mega mall that is Westfield. To complete our weekend away, the kids went climbing at City Bouldering (we booked a “drop and shop” slot, but we swapped the shopping for a cocktail and spent a joyous kid-free hour). The following morning, we walked over to Kidzania, a “city” where kids try out dozens of professions. There was even a mini Dao by Dorsett where you can play at being a housekeeper. Our kids loved tidying the bedrooms and making the beds… shame they’re not so houseproud at home.
There is also a Dao by Dorsett AMTD Singapore, and next year the group will expand, with the opening of Dao by Dorsett Hornsey Town Hall in north London. Very close to where I live, in fact. The Grade II listed building will feature 68 serviced apartments and suites, along with an arts centre for events, co-working spaces, cinema and a rooftop terrace.
It will certainly provide something “new” to experience in my part of town, and if it’s anything like its west London cousin I imagine it will look fantastic while offering guests comfortable living spaces with a dash of luxury. I look forward to its arrival.
Dao by Dorsett, 56 Shepherd’s Bush Grn, London W12 8TT. For more information, including details of offers and Dao Journeys, please visit www.daobydorsett.com.
