All summer, we’ve had headlines about border chaos and hour-long security queues.

So much so that I started questioning whether my usual hop to Europe was really worth the stress (or the money… we’re all broke, aren’t we?)

Months after the EU rolled out its new Entry/Exit System (EES), some airports are still struggling with the manual labour of fingerprinting and photographing on first entry. 

So I did something radical. I stayed right where I live, in London.

I’m not alone. A staggering number of Brits are choosing not to whip out the passport this year (some 43%, according to data).

Millions fly in to see the wonders of London each year, but those of us who live here rarely look up from our phones. And what a shame that is.

Here’s how I fared on a ‘micro-staycation’ at The Derby. 

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On paper, The Derby London City is surrounded by bankers, office workers, and frazzled commuters.

In reality, it feels surprisingly detached from the chaos.

With a fresh remodel, the hotel takes notes from the iconic British bowler hat (the Derby), but the decor is anything but worn-out.

There are plenty of nods to the City’s financial past, none more so than the gold Treasury Wall you pass at check-in.

Each day, a few lucky guests receive a key to unlock one of the boxes and reveal a special gift.   

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Rooms are spread across ten floors, and arriving at mine on the ninth, I am straight into a bright and airy space with a sumptuous bed, Nespresso coffee corner and a bathroom with a killer view of the Shard.

I’m not one for baths, but here I make an exception.  

Not pictured is the sweeping panorama of the River Thames and St Dunstan-in-the-East, the bombed-out church that has become one of London’s most beautiful hidden landmarks. It’s open to the public and is a calming oasis in the middle of London’s concrete.

Downstairs at Rycrofte’s, the hotel’s restaurant, the centrepiece is a funkyhorseshoe-shaped bar wrapped around a stained-glass window, a nod to the ruins outside.

If you’ve seen the central London sights and are just here to relax, the afternoon tea is worth sticking around for.

Once again, stained-glass takes centre stage.

Dinner is a mixed affair. The evening menu offers a fairly plain selection of dishes, though some arrive without the extras you might expect, leaving sides as optional add-ons. 

Still, it’s hardly a deal-breaker when you’ve got the City on your doorstep. 

Places like 14 Stories, a high-rise jungle for modern British dining with city views is just around the corner.

And as you make your way back, you can grab a cocktail from Eastcheap Records, a brilliant live music bar right down the street.

If it wasn’t a big night on the town, the 24-hour gym is waiting for you to get a morning workout in.

It bucks the jaded hotel gym stereotype by being fully stocked with the latest Technogym equipment.

The dinner may be only adequate, but breakfast is where this place really shines.

Fresh fruits, smoothies, crêpes, and the classic Full English are genuinely excellent, served by attentive staff that would brighten the dullest morning. 

Too often, The City is dismissed as a ghost town that shuts down after office hours.

But as The Derby proves to me, a bustling city can become a relaxing getaway at its most graceful and unhurried.

Has anyone ever said that about an airport? 

Jed was a guest of The Derby but don’t expect us to sugarcoat anything — our reviews are 100% independent. 

Rooms at The Derby London City, Curio Collection by Hilton start at £265 a night. 
 


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