Look, I’ve stayed in my fair share of London apartments, and this place on St Martin’s Lane honestly surprised me. You walk up to the second floor – no lift, just so you know – and step into what feels like someone’s actual stylish flat rather than a sterile hotel room. The location is absolutely mad good, I mean, you’re literally overlooking Trafalgar Square. Not “near” it, not “walking distance” to it – you can see Nelson’s Column from the windows.
What struck me first was how quiet it actually gets at night, which sounds impossible given where you are. During the day, sure, there’s the usual tourist buzz drifting up, but by evening it settles into this nice urban hum. The flat itself has that lived-in comfort you don’t usually find in central London stays – proper kitchen where you can actually cook (though honestly, with Rules restaurant practically next door and Dishoom just around the corner on Covent Garden, why would you?). The furnishing feels thoughtfully chosen rather than bulk-ordered, if that makes sense. There’s decent storage space too, which anyone who’s tried to unpack in a cramped London hotel will appreciate.
Here’s what really works about this spot – you can walk to the National Gallery in literally two minutes, catch a show in the West End without needing transport, and when you’re done with the tourist bits, you’ve got proper local pubs tucked down the side streets. I found myself popping down to Gordon’s Wine Bar (it’s this tiny candlelit cave of a place nearby) most evenings because, well, when else are you going to live like this in central London? The Indigo Flats team were pretty responsive too – had a minor issue with the heating on my first night and they sorted it quickly without the usual hotel runaround. Only real downside is street-level noise during the day if you’re trying to nap, but that’s London for you. Oh, and if you’re planning to drive here… don’t. Just don’t. The parking situation around Westminster is basically a nightmare, but the Tube connections are brilliant – Charing Cross and Leicester Square stations are both right there. This place works best if you want to feel like a proper Londoner for a few days rather than just another tourist passing through.