You know what struck me first about Citadines Holborn? It’s one of those places that gets the location thing absolutely right without screaming about it. I mean, you’re literally on High Holborn – which honestly sounds fancier than it is, but in the best possible way. It’s this perfect spot where you can walk to Covent Garden in about eight minutes (I timed it), but you’re not dealing with the tourist chaos right outside your window.
The building itself has that solid London feel – you know, the kind where you feel like you’re staying somewhere with actual history instead of some glass box that could be anywhere. Inside, it’s got this aparthotel vibe that actually works. The rooms are more spacious than your typical London hotel situation, and they’ve got little kitchenettes that are genuinely useful if you’re staying more than a couple nights. I actually used mine for more than just making terrible instant coffee – though the coffee situation could definitely be better, if I’m being honest. The 7.6 rating makes sense to me because it’s solidly good without being fancy. There are little things that show it’s not quite premium – the hallway carpets have seen better days, and sometimes the lift takes forever – but nothing that really bothers you.
What I really appreciated was how quiet it gets at night, which is sort of miraculous given that you’re basically in central London. High Holborn isn’t exactly a party street, so you get the convenience without the 3 AM drunk people situation that you’d deal with closer to Leicester Square. Plus, you’re a quick walk from Russell Square if you need some green space (and honestly, sometimes you just need trees when you’re in London). The staff seemed to actually know the neighborhood too – they pointed me toward this little sandwich place on Theobald’s Road that I never would’ve found otherwise. Check-in was smooth, no drama, though they do that thing where they hold a deposit on your card that takes a few days to come back. The whole place just feels… reliable, I guess? Like it’s not going to wow you on Instagram, but you’ll sleep well and wake up in a spot where you can actually do things without spending half your day on the Tube.