Good Hotel London

This is a London hotel that redefines waterfront real estate: Good Hotel London literally floats on an inlet of the River Thames. Built in the Netherlands before a submersible barge transported the whole thing across the North Sea to the Royal Victoria Docks, just east of Canary Wharf, it’s now an easy trip from Central London via cable car or river taxi (or the less scenic option, the London Underground).

As you might expect, the rooms are compact, but they’re cleverly arranged, with the modern, minimalistic design you’d expect from a team of top-notch Dutch designers. The look is industrial — there’s plenty of steel and concrete, as befits a former detention center — but there’s also a lot of clean, natural woodwork too. The team here likes to brag that they have views most Londoners could only dream of waking up to, and they’re not exaggerating: upgrade to a waterview room, and you’re guaranteed killer views of the Thames.

But the best views are found on the rooftop terrace, the real draw of this hotel (imagine New York’s High Line if it were actually on the Hudson River). Stroll the full length of the lush, green roof or admire the skyline over locally sourced food and craft beer from the in-house restaurant and bar. What’s more, you can feel good about staying here. That name isn’t a hard sell, or an attempt to game the search engines, it’s part of their mission: Good Hotel makes it a priority to train and employ long-term unemployed Londoners in the art of hospitality to help them get back on their feet.