When a place rates itself as assuredly (in huge bold letters, no less) as Good Hotel does, it’s natural to feel a little sus. But it’s true: Good Hotel really does make you feel good. Service is cheery and laid-back without being overly casual, the food leaves nothing to complain about and – maybe it’s the luxurious silence of the area or perhaps the proximity to gently lapping water – I visited in 2024, and I don’t know if I’ve ever had a better night’s sleep in the city. Aside from all that, guests can walk out of Good Hotel feeling extra gratified by virtue of its ‘do good’ DNA.
Why stay at Good Hotel?
As you walk along Royal Victoria Docks, this huge black shipping container is impossible to miss. Originally built as a Danish prison, this floating hotel docked in London in 2016 after sailing across from Amsterdam. Its founder, Marten Dresden, had come up with the Good Hotel concept four years prior while travelling in Guatemala. Now, each night you spend there pays for a week of school for a child in South America, with profits also going towards hospitality training for long-term unemployed locals (lots of whom become Good Hotel employees).
The hotel also hosts regular community workshops and events that guests can attend. There are comedy nights, yoga classes, salsa classes, kids art clubs and, if you’re in the mood to be extra good, litter-picking around the local area.
What are the rooms like at Good Hotel?
Throughout the hotel, the interiors are slick, earthy-toned and paired back — think low-hanging lights, origami-style lamp shades and charging ports hidden inside bed frames. There’s little in the way of colour besides two teeny hand-crafted worry dolls perched on your pillow (a nod to the hotel’s Guatemalan links). While the amenities are pretty basic, you don’t necessarily feel like you’re lacking anything. There’s a desk if you need it and a kettle to make tea and coffee, but don’t expect to be able to delve into a minibar or binge TV.
The most budget friendly of the Good Hotel’s rooms are the compact (dare we say, cosy) 13 square metre ‘Good Rooms’. But if you’re in the mood to spend a little more, ‘The Best Rooms’, found in each far corner of the hotel, all span 30sqm and give their occupants wall to wall windows overlooking the waterfront. The en-suites all come with walk-in rain showers and locally-made toiletries.
A small warning: if you’re a type A who likes to fully unpack your suitcase on holiday, you won’t be able to do that here. In our Best Room, there were just five hangers dangling on the wall in lieu of an actual wardrobe.
What is the food like at Good Hotel?
The breakfast bar here is excellent. Stack your plate with cured meats, salad, pastries, fruit, sourdough and all the crucial components of a full English. It’s also absolutely worth staying on site for lunch or dinner. The kitchen offers a delicious, succinct tapas-style menu, made up of locally sourced produce. During our visit, the standout dishes were the caramelly, parmesan-clad grilled leeks and the melt-in-the mouth grilled sea bass. Drinks-wise, there’s a selection of fun artisan wines, specifically ordered from vineyards that use natural, biodynamic and low-intervention methods (we knocked back a dangerously drinkable bottle of Spanish orange wine). For tee-totallers who still like to feel involved, there are a few de-alcholised wines, including zero percent Sauvignon Blanc and Monstrell.
The hotel’s rooftop bar opens up in the spring and summer months for guests and passers by to dine alfresco and enjoy a cocktail or three right above the dock’s peaceful waters.
What’s the area like around Good Hotel?
At first glance, there isn’t much going on at Royal Victoria Dock – a place made up largely of corporate offices and restaurant chains. Most people venture to this side of town for the gigs and conventions going on at the O2 or ExCel Centre but there’s plenty more to explore if you know where to look.
You’re right next to the IFS Cloud Cable Cars, so it would be rude to pass up on some cheap 360 views of the city. And if you’re so inclined, you can take a cold dip in the dock where the water is consistently ranked ‘excellent’ based on World Health Organisation guidelines. Or just watch those brave enough while you enjoy a warm and toasty hotel breakfast. If you’re willing to travel a little further away, thirty minutes on the DLR will get you to Mudchute Park and Farm, one of Europe's biggest city farms populated by adorable ponies, alpacas, sheep and pigs. If you’re after a night out during your stay, head for FOLD, a mecca for London’s grassroots clubbing, just a half hour walk away (Good Hotel has 24-hour service, in case you’re planning a big one).
It’s also a fairly easy journey into central London. You’re around a five minute walk from Royal Victoria Station for the DLR or Custom House station for the Elizabeth line.
Why you should you book a stay at Good Hotel
Because of its excellent value and great ethos. No, there’s no pool or little bottles of prosecco in your cupboard, but Good Hotel has all the core things you could need from a hotel, done really, really well. And why book at a basic chain hotel when here, your money can go towards making a proper positive impact?
DETAILS
Address: Royal Victoria Dock, Western Gateway, London E16 1FA
Price per night: From £91
Closest transport: Royal Victoria station (DLR) or Custom House station (Elizabeth line)
Book now: Via Booking.com