Look, I’ve stayed in plenty of London hotels that claim to be “boutique” but feel like corporate boxes with fancy soap. Peterson House isn’t one of them. Walking up to this converted Georgian townhouse on Gilbert Street – which, by the way, is one of those impossibly quiet Mayfair side streets where you forget you’re in the middle of one of the world’s busiest cities – you immediately get that this place has some actual character.
The thing about staying here is you’re literally a two-minute walk from Berkeley Square (yes, where the nightingales supposedly sang), and honestly, the location spoils you rotten. I mean, you can pop out for coffee at that little place on Davies Street, wander through to Oxford Street when you need proper shopping, or just sit in Mount Street Gardens when London’s doing that thing where it’s actually sunny for ten consecutive minutes. The staff genuinely knows the neighborhood too – not just the obvious tourist spots but where to grab decent takeaway curry at 10 PM or which pub has the best Sunday roast within walking distance. What really got me though was how they’ve managed to keep the feel of an actual residence. The apartments (because that’s what they really are) have proper kitchens with full-size fridges, not those sad hotel mini-bars that cost £8 for a bottle of water. The living spaces feel like someone’s well-appointed London flat – you know, if that someone had excellent taste and a cleaning service. I actually cooked breakfast a couple mornings, which sounds mundane but there’s something lovely about having coffee in your pajamas while watching Mayfair wake up outside your window.
The 9.1 rating makes complete sense once you’ve been there a day or two. It’s not flashy – you won’t find a rooftop pool or marble everything – but the details work. Hot water that’s actually hot, wifi that doesn’t cut out during video calls, beds that don’t leave you wondering if your back will recover. Check-in was refreshingly straightforward, none of that hovering-around-the-lobby-for-ages nonsense. And here’s something I didn’t expect: it’s genuinely quiet at night. I don’t know how they managed this in central London, but even with the windows open (the air conditioning works fine, I just like fresh air), you’re not dealing with constant traffic noise or drunk people shouting at 2 AM. Maybe it’s the way Gilbert Street curves, or maybe Georgian buildings just have thicker walls, but you’ll actually sleep. The only minor thing – and this is really minor – is that some of the apartments face the courtyard rather than the street, so if you’re hoping for that classic London window view, mention it when you book. But honestly, even the courtyard’s pretty charming in that understated British way.