You know what surprised me most about the Marlin Apartments on Queen Street? Walking up to this place, you’d never guess from the outside that you’re about to step into something that actually feels like a proper London home rather than just another hotel room. I mean, we’re talking about the heart of the City here – literally a two-minute walk from Bank station – where most accommodations feel like expensive shoe boxes.
The apartment-style setup is honestly what makes this place work. Instead of cramming everything into one room like most central London spots, you get actual living space with a kitchenette that’s surprisingly functional. I watched the guy in the unit next to mine making proper breakfast every morning, and honestly, when you’re paying London prices, being able to grab groceries from the Tesco Metro around the corner instead of hotel breakfast every day makes a real difference to your wallet. The location is pretty brilliant if you’re here for business – you can walk to the financial district in minutes, but you’re also close enough to Borough Market (about a 15-minute walk across London Bridge) that you can easily escape the corporate vibe when you want to.
What I really appreciated was how quiet it gets at night, which seems impossible given that you’re surrounded by major roads and office buildings. Turns out Queen Street sort of empties out after work hours since it’s mostly offices and financial firms – so while you get all the convenience during the day, evenings actually feel peaceful. The staff at check-in were refreshingly straightforward too, no fake enthusiasm, just helpful information about things like where to find the nearest pharmacy and which pubs actually stay open past 6pm in this area (spoiler: not many). The 7.8 rating feels about right – it’s not luxury, but it’s solid and practical with some nice touches like decent wifi and windows that actually open, which you’d be surprised how many places skimp on. I’d definitely stay here again, especially if I needed to be in the City for meetings but wanted something that felt less corporate than the big chain hotels nearby.