'Smallest hotel in Britain' opens in a former underground toilet
Britain's 'smallest hotel' has opened in a former Victorian toilet under a busy road. The Netty, tucked underneath St Giles in Oxford, has undergone an incredible 17-year transformation.
The boutique hotel has just two suites, standing at 30 square metres each, which can be reached via their own individual street-level staircase. The Netty's unique design hopes to offer its guests 'an immersive experience that reflects the unique location and storied history of the space'.
The gentlemen's toilets were originally built in 1895. They were closed in 2008 over safety concerns.
The site was bought by Oxford business owner Gwyn Harries-Jones, but successive development plans never went forward and it sat unused for 11 years before work on the hotel began.
The hotel, named after an old Geordie term for an outhouse, has integrated local craftsmanship and cultural touches and has kept a few original features, like the floor tiles.
Steven Smith