London’s vibrant Nhow hotel is catering to remote workers with new hot desk packages, with seating around a large communal table in the lobby. Olivia Palamountain reports
As remote working continues to grow, so too does the need for places where people can get down to business, especially now that they are not forced to work from home due to government lockdowns. It’s good to get a change of scene.
Sure, there are members clubs and co-working spaces in many cities, but not everyone wants to commit to a subscription or monthly fee. After all, flexibility and freedom is at the top of the agenda for digital nomads.
Bridging this gap is London’s innovative hotel Nhow, which has come up with a timely plan to offer affordable, pay-as-you-go hot desk packages to non-hotel guests from its location on the fringes of hipster Shoreditch.
Conceived as an homage to the area’s industrial past, fused with its future as a tech hub, the hotel is a riot of bold and playful design – something Nhow hopes will get creative juices flowing and inject a bit of fun into the working week.
Looking to put in a solid day’s work? The “Fully Charged Hot Desk” option provides a desk for eight hours, plus a hot drink, a sandwich for lunch and water for a very reasonable £15.99. A half day with just a croissant costs £8.99. 
Sessions in the “Leave Me Alone Private Lab” are ideal for workers looking for total silence or privacy. Stints are flexible and cost £60 for two hours, with any additional hours charged at £30 per hour. A full day costs £240. The labs seat eight people and also features screens and whiteboards. 
For those wanting to stay the night, there is also the “Full Workation” package (£109 per night), where guests can hop straight into bed from the “office” (or possibly hit the bar for some post-work cocktails first).
You can even bring your furry friend to sleep over – pet-friendly add-ons include dog beds and fully loaded food and water bowls.
Named as one of the Best Places to Stay 2020 by The Times, Nhow is not shy of bold statements. Throughout the hotel, a punchy punk-meets-hi-tech design takes inspiration from traditional British icons, such as the Royal Family and the underground, reimagined in graffiti and contemporary art.
A 30-foot rocket-ship Big Ben installation, tables featuring cockney rhyming slang and a robot concierge named Henry, who will deliver towels, water and other amenities to guestrooms, are just a few unexpected highlights.
In the US, co-working brand WeWork has developed the WeWork On Demand app, which also lets people book and pay for workspace as and when they need it, rather than paying for monthly membership. (Read more here.)