• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Hotels

Inside a sleep and wellness hotel that rents out minimalist ‘cocoons’

By
JP Mangalindan
JP Mangalindan
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
JP Mangalindan
JP Mangalindan
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 25, 2020, 7:00 AM ET
With the tagline 'Your key to calm in the heart of London’s busy Piccadilly,' Zedwell has been built entirely with sleep and wellness in mind.
With the tagline 'Your key to calm in the heart of London’s busy Piccadilly,' Zedwell has been built entirely with sleep and wellness in mind.Courtesy of Criterion Hospitality

London may be an enchanting city to many: charming urban sprawl with busy streets, tall glass buildings, and thriving nightlife. But relaxing? That’s a word rarely if ever used to describe the British capital.   

Hotel group Criterion Hospitality hopes to change that perception slightly with the launch of Zedwell Piccadilly later this month: a hotel with 700 rooms, or “cocoons,” across 10 floors, starting at $142 for a cocoon for one to $384 for a larger cocoon with multiple beds that sleeps up to eight people.

Designed by Shanghai-based architects Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu, whose architectural practice neri&hu eschews any one formulaic style in favor of what it calls a “dynamic interaction of detail, material, form, and light,” Zedwell Picadilly is a study in contrasts. The building’s exterior is aged concrete and glass, but the interior is a mix of soothing earthy tones, sustainable oak, and lush shades of green. And while the hotel hews to a clean, minimal aesthetic, the furniture favors sharper, squared-off angles.

The Zedwell was designed to serve as a cocoon, shutting out city noise.
Courtesy of Criterion Hospitality

Each cocoon offers a high degree of soundproofing to keep the noise out and employs luxe touches like solid oak, soft mood lighting, Egyptian cotton sheets, and a bathroom chock-full of Malin+Goetz toiletries nestled next to a rain shower. Likewise, air purifiers make sure there’s always gentle circulation of fresh air.

What travelers won’t find? Clutter of any kind: TVs, telephones, or even windows. By keeping harsh light, noise, and outside distractions to a minimum, Criterion Hospitality contends it has created a small anxiety-free zone that’s ideal for individuals, families, and groups of friends to rest.

“Our dream was to not just create a hotel but to encourage a new way of thinking for the modern-day traveler, whereby through the removal of unnecessary clutter and distraction, we create a cleaner, purer space where peace, balance, and calm can be achieved,” says Darija Aziz, head of interior design for Zedwell.

Rooms are designed to minimize anxiety and distractions through soundproofing and gentle circulation of filtered air.
Courtesy of Criterion Hospitality

While each cocoon appears tranquil, they’re also space-conscious. The hotel would not disclose how large its rooms are, but a cocoon for four or eight people looks like a tight fit, with bunk-bed-type situations that appear more optimized for square footage than for comfort and individual space. In other words, larger groups shouldn’t expect to spend much time in their cocoons outside of sleeping or getting ready. 

But when travelers aren’t resting, they can avail themselves of the hotel’s gym and studio space for yoga, Pilates, and group meditation classes. And for the professional road warrior, a lounge and coworking space offers a quiet place to work. Likewise, the hotel’s rooftop bar and restaurant are expected to host up to 1,000 people at any given time when they finally open this summer. Zedwell Piccadilly is the first of four Zedwell hotels planned, with additional Zedwell locations set to open in Marble Arch, Tottenham Court Road, and Greenwich later this year.

In the end, the hotel’s decidedly minimal and space-conscious aesthetic may not appeal to every traveler. But at the very least, they’ll likely be able to say they managed a good night’s sleep.

More must-read stories from Fortune:

—The most anticipated books of 2020, according to Goodreads
—Cabo’s newest luxury resort favors tranquility over nightlife
—The magic of the wedding industry’s most exclusive conference
—High-tech fitness offerings are the newest luxury hotel must-have
—The best travel destinations for every season of 2020
Follow Fortune on Flipboard to stay up-to-date on the latest news and analysis.

About the Author
By JP Mangalindan
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

Ed Bastian
SuccessCareers
12 Fortune 500 CEOs worked for Pepsi. Delta’s Ed Bastian explains why it’s a leadership factory
By Preston ForeApril 2, 2026
3 minutes ago
nic
CommentaryInsider trading
Prediction markets caught insider traders in real time. Congress wants to shut them down anyway
By Nic PuckrinApril 2, 2026
54 minutes ago
Ken Griffin, founder and CEO of Citadel.
NewslettersCFO Daily
The hedge fund billionaire betting Miami can rival New York’s Wall Street
By Sheryl EstradaApril 2, 2026
1 hour ago
farley
Future of WorkInfrastructure
Ford CEO Jim Farley says America is sleepwalking past its ‘essential economy’ crisis. Goldman Sachs just showed how big it really is
By Nick LichtenbergApril 2, 2026
1 hour ago
Nima Ghamsari smiles
NewslettersTerm Sheet
Blend’s post-IPO reset: CEO Nima Ghamsari bets that AI can turn it all around
By Lily Mae LazarusApril 2, 2026
2 hours ago
Photo: President Trump
Big TechMarkets
Trump hails ‘tremendous progress’ in Iran but all Wall Street heard was ‘back to escalation’
By Jim EdwardsApril 2, 2026
3 hours ago

Most Popular

Gen Z fled San Francisco for Texas and Florida. Now they're turning 'welcomer cities' into the next big tech towns
Real Estate
Gen Z fled San Francisco for Texas and Florida. Now they're turning 'welcomer cities' into the next big tech towns
By Fortune EditorsApril 2, 2026
6 hours ago
Two-thirds of parents say their adult Gen Z kids still rely on them financially  for support—even though it's putting them under strain
Success
Two-thirds of parents say their adult Gen Z kids still rely on them financially  for support—even though it's putting them under strain
By Fortune EditorsMarch 31, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of gold as of April 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of April 1, 2026
By Fortune EditorsApril 1, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of April 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of April 1, 2026
By Fortune EditorsApril 1, 2026
1 day ago
Jerome Powell says the $39 trillion national debt is ‘not unsustainable,’ but warns the trajectory ‘will not end well’
Economy
Jerome Powell says the $39 trillion national debt is ‘not unsustainable,’ but warns the trajectory ‘will not end well’
By Fortune EditorsMarch 30, 2026
3 days ago
Hiring just hit a level not seen since the economy was ‘closed down literally’ during COVID, top economist says
Economy
Hiring just hit a level not seen since the economy was ‘closed down literally’ during COVID, top economist says
By Fortune EditorsMarch 31, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.