I am often asked about open water in central London. While there is a brilliant selection of lidos in London, some heated and some icy-cold in winter, open water is more of a challenge in a city like London. There are the famous and historic Hampstead Ponds, which are totally worth a visit, but there are also venues like West Reservoir and the Royal Docks which are popular swim destinations for city swimmers.
The Good Hotel floats in Royal Victoria Dock, which is exactly where you can get up and swim each morning you stay. The hotel itself is a repurposed floating hotel building that was towed across the North Sea from Amsterdam. If that wasn’t unusual enough, The Good Hotel is a social business, which means excess profits go to good causes across the world and the hotel provides long-term unemployed people the opportunity to build a career in hospitality. Where possible everything is upcycled, re-used or sourced locally and sustainably, which includes everything from the furniture in the rooms to the food served.