When hubby and I visited Luton this summer, we were excited to check-in to the town’s only penthouse suite at Best Western’s only Sadie Hotel. Located in the town center and just steps away from the fast transport links to central London, this modern hotel is the result of a multi-million-pound refurbishment of a former 1960’s office block, and is Best Western’s first ever ‘boutique lifestyle’ property. On arrival, we were warmly greeted by Vish who showed us to our duplex apartment suite on the 4th floor, where I was intrigued to discover we even had our own doorbell and electronic “Do Not Disturb” sign. The bedroom was large and well lit, thanks to several big picture windows. There were two comfortable beds with premium linens, a work desk, Chromecast TV, a minifridge and tea/coffee maker, as well as plenty of wardrobe space. Fluffy robes and slippers made our stay even more relaxing. Our hi-tech bathroom was tastefully decorated - we used a touchpad on the wall to control the heavenly overhead rainfall shower, which was very soothing and refreshing after a long day in Luton. We really appreciated the complimentary bottles of water which were restocked daily, as well as the selection of luxury organic toiletries plus two toothbrushes and toothpaste - these were nice, thoughtful touches. The spiral staircase in our bedroom led to a spacious upper level lounge with two stylish chairs for chilling out in front of yet another TV, another minifridge, and some pretty funky mirrors. Doors here led onto the rooftop terrace with views across the town, and our private outside space included our own hot tub jacuzzi which was housed inside a giant igloo. Not quite what you’d expect to find in Luton. It’s clear to see that this 87-bedroom boutique hotel has been very carefully custom designed. The decor is bright and contemporary, but with many pertinent nods to Luton’s hat-making history. The appropriately named Milliner’s Cocktail Bar has a vibrant, trendy feel and the menu at the Hatmaker’s Restaurant reflects the different cultures of Luton’s diverse heritage. If you look hard enough, the orange/white/blue color scheme could even be vaguely reminiscent of a certain "Hatters" football club. Being Luton born and bred myself, I really appreciated the many quirky reminders of the town's past - there are bonnets, bowlers and boaters everywhere. The unique hat-shaped lighting is so cute and clever, and the 120 millinery-inspired canvases in the bedrooms were hand-painted by local artist Jignesh Patel. Some headwear hints were so subtle that I almost failed to spot them, such as hat designs discreetly blended into the curtains in our room. The Sadie’s staff were friendly and helpful (hotel manager Vish was particularly brilliant throughout our stay). I was curious about the hotel’s rather unusual name, only to discover its origin is a bit of a mystery. Owner Ali Mussani explained, “I wish I could tell you how the name Sadie was chosen by Best Western International, but nobody at Best Western UK knows either. Apparently BWI launched two new boutique brands, Sadie and Aiden simultaneously. At the moment we are the only Sadie brand in the world, as Covid affected the development pipeline. But quite a number of Aidens will be opening soon”. Hearing that we were guests at the world’s only BW Sadie made our stay even more special. The Sadie is a beautiful new hotel which brings a touch of upscale luxury to my hometown. Growing up here, I never imagined the old job center building could look and feel quite so fancy. Staying in The Sadie’s exclusive penthouse apartment was a real treat. But the icing on the cake for me was taking a late night dip in the rooftop igloo jacuzzi. Luton certainly doesn’t get much posher than that.
7 Comments
JIIll Winston
7/28/2024 06:23:31 pm
WOW, what a beautiful hotel. Adding this to the list for our next trip to London. We definately want the penthouse! 🇺🇸🇬🇧
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Bob
7/28/2024 07:01:23 pm
Me and my wife often use Best Western, a brand we trust. I've never heard of sadie until now. thanks for the info.
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Fran
7/29/2024 05:58:35 am
This looks AWESOME!!!!
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Paula
7/29/2024 07:59:15 am
Looks amazing...I love the attention to detail that celebrates the town's history.
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Deirdre
7/30/2024 09:20:06 am
Wow thanks for the recommendation Mary. Will definitely give the bar / restaurant a try when we are next out and about in Luton.
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Tara
7/30/2024 01:10:42 pm
This is such a refreshing, honest detailed review.
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Suresh Abbas
7/31/2024 12:54:09 am
Beautiful property in Luton.
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AuthorLiving and loving life Archives
July 2024
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