You know what struck me first about NoHo 132? The location is honestly perfect – you’re literally in the heart of Fitzrovia, which I mean, if you’ve spent any time in central London, you’ll know is basically where all the good stuff happens without the tourist chaos of Covent Garden. I walked out the front door and within two minutes I was on Charlotte Street with its endless parade of proper restaurants and that slightly more grown-up vibe that makes you feel like a local rather than someone clutching a Lonely Planet guide.
The apartments themselves are actually proper apartments, not those weird hotel-apartment hybrids where you get a mini-fridge and they call it a kitchen. I’m talking full-sized everything – decent oven, real counter space, a fridge that can handle more than just champagne and cheese (though it handles those beautifully too). The living areas feel genuinely lived-in rather than showroom sterile, which honestly makes such a difference when you’re trying to decompress after trudging around the city all day. What really got me was the attention to small details – proper blackout curtains that actually block out those ridiculously early summer sunrises, and thank god because the street can get a bit lively on weekend nights. Not obnoxiously loud, just… alive, you know? It’s Westminster after all.
The building itself has this lovely converted feel – you can tell it’s got history but they’ve updated everything that actually matters. Check-in was refreshingly straightforward, none of that overly formal hotel theater, just efficient and friendly. I particularly appreciated that they seem to understand business travelers – the WiFi actually works properly (revolutionary concept, I know), and there are enough power outlets that you don’t have to choose between charging your phone and using your laptop. The whole setup honestly makes you wonder why anyone bothers with traditional hotels when you’re staying more than a couple nights. You’re a five-minute walk from Goodge Street station, literally around the corner from some of the best coffee in London on Rathbone Place, and close enough to Oxford Street that you can pop over for shopping without it being your entire day. Plus – and this might sound silly but it matters – the neighborhood actually quiets down at reasonable hours, so you can sleep without earplugs, which in central London feels like winning the lottery.