Influencer Molly Thompson braved sleeping in a public toilet for the night below one of the UK’s busiest streets – and she couldn’t believe what awaited her when entering the “mysterious“ room
Oxford is a city known for its historical buildings, cobbled streets and world-famous university, but one of its quirkiest accommodation options sits in an unlikely place – underneath one of the busiest roads leading into the city centre.
The Netty, tucked away on St Giles’ Boulevard, is no ordinary boutique hotel. Once a pair of Victorian public conveniences, the two subterranean rooms have been converted into a unique bolthole that has caught the attention of travellers looking for something a little different.
Influencer Molly Thompson recently shared her stay with her followers, documenting her experience in a video that quickly racked up thousands of views. “Hidden underneath one of the main roads into Oxford there are two pretty well hidden Victorian public toilets that have actually been refurbished into a hotel,” she explained.
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“You head down this flight of stairs, and you check in in a similar way to an Airbnb with a code and then you’re inside.”
Behind the unassuming entrance, the rooms are a blend of old-fashioned charm and modern styling, designed to appeal to travellers who want more than a chain hotel experience.
Molly admits she wasn’t sure what to expect when she descended beneath the street: “I will say, it’s kind of dark and mysterious down here but look at this room. It’s honestly so much bigger than I thought it was going to be.
“Immediately, all the furnishings is what catches your eye because it’s been decorated so well. It’s old fashioned but in a super chic, modern way.”
One quirky design choice is a nod to the building’s unusual past. “They’ve actually left the original toilet flooring in the toilet which I didn’t love the thought of because surely this is the one part of the men’s public toilet that you would want to get rid of first,” she jokes.
Each room still carries traces of its history – with one room marked by a blue toilet, once the men’s, the other a pink toilet from the women’s.
The Netty, with prices starting at £160 a night, has been kitted out with a well-stocked fridge of drinks and cocktails, tea and coffee making facilities, a large flatscreen TV, and a contemporary shower. Molly described the space as smelling “amazing” and added, “Nothing about this smelled like a toilet.”
For those wondering about the name, a small vanity area explains the inspiration. “Apparently Netty is Geordie slang for a toilet,” Molly explained in her video.
Not everything about the experience was perfect though. With the rooms lying directly beneath St Giles’, guests are close enough to the action to feel the rumble of passing cars.
“The real test was sleeping because one thing you can’t do anything about is the traffic noise. You are literally under the main road,” Molly admitted.
“That did keep me awake in the night but it did also make me feel slightly anxious that anyone could walk downstairs and knock on the door. I felt a bit exposed but I genuinely do think if you’re staying here with someone else this is such a unique, boutique hotel experience.”
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