London gets boutique hotel with womb-inspired rooms

Three London-based companies have joined forces to launch the city’s first boutique hotel with rooms inspired by the womb.

The Zed Rooms, located in Shoreditch, is aiming to give guests the best night’s rest possible using insights rooted in the science of sleep.

The venue houses boutique apartments designed to mitigate the ‘first night effect’ – a natural reaction in which, according to Zed Rooms, half the brain acts as a ‘night watchman’ in unfamiliar surroundings, leading to a poor night’s sleep.

Each serviced-apartment at Zed Rooms has two spaces – the Woom Room and Loom Room.

Woom features a cocoon-like bed designed to mimic the safety and security of a womb, while Loom has a four-poster bed designed for dreaming and draped with ‘ethereal’ fabrics.

One of the venue’s ’Woom Rooms’

Both spaces have muted lighting, blackout blinds and sound absorbing curtains, along with other features aimed at supporting relaxation.

The venue was developed through a partnership between mattress firm Simba, accommodation provider Cuckooz and design company Studio Stilton.

Cuckooz co-founder Fabienne O’Neill said: “The disruption of the accommodation sector, how we travel, where we stay and what we accept as the norm when spending time away from home has been a long time coming.

“At Cuckooz we strive to be at the forefront of innovation within the hospitality sector and to push the boundaries when it comes to guest experience.”

Fabienne added: “Design and wellbeing are at the heart of everything we do, which is why the collaboration with Simba and Studio Stilton was such a natural progression for us.”

Simba sleep psychologist Hope Bastine commented: “Sleep is an all-encompassing experience and every element matters.

“The Zed Rooms are an elaborate infrastructure of symbiotic components, geared entirely to honing quality sleep. Fine tuning you overnight to navigate whatever life throws at you the following day.”