Suite Spot: The Distillery, London
[...] 265 years after the Gin Act halted the flood of the liquor that aggravated so many social ills, the distillers of Portobello Road Gin have opened what must seem like heaven to modern fans of the drink: the Distillery, a gin-themed boutique hotel.
In its mix: three guest rooms, a restaurant, a bar, an actual distillery and the Ginstitute, which offers classes in gin- and cocktail-making that include the colorful history of the colorless spirit.
The handsome rooms, which include a mini-bar featuring spirits distilled on site, are also a relative bargain in pricey London — book well in advance.
If you can’t spend three hours (or $137) crafting your own blend in the Ginstitute’s Gin Experience, try the Master Class, which teaches how to make five classic cocktails in 105 minutes ($74).
Check out Electric Cinema, a few steps away, to watch mainstream and art-house movies from a comfy double bed, leather armchair or sofa.
The menu in the hotel’s ground-floor Resting Room offers small plates of locally sourced British fare, while GinTonica, one floor up, showcases Spanish and Mediterranean tapas.