You know what struck me first about Cheval Calico House? It’s tucked away on this narrow little lane in the City that most tourists never find – Bow Lane is one of those medieval streets that somehow survived the Blitz and all the modern development. I mean, you’re literally walking past 600-year-old churches to get there, which honestly makes checking into your hotel feel pretty special.
The building itself is this gorgeous converted Victorian warehouse, and they’ve done something really clever with it. Instead of trying to cram in tiny rooms like most London hotels, they’ve kept these spacious apartment-style suites that actually feel livable. My suite had these massive windows overlooking the lane, and in the mornings you’d hear the clip-clop of horses from the nearby Bank of England ceremonial unit – not something you’d expect in the middle of the financial district, but there you are. The interiors walk this nice line between historic character (original brick walls, high ceilings) and modern comfort without going overboard on either side. You get proper kitchenettes too, which is brilliant if you’re staying more than a couple nights or just want to grab groceries from the Tesco Metro on King William Street instead of eating out every meal.
Location-wise, it’s sort of perfect if you want to be in the thick of things but not touristy things, if that makes sense. You’re a five-minute walk from St. Paul’s Cathedral, but you’re also surrounded by all these fantastic City pubs that locals actually use – the Bow Wine Vaults literally next door has been serving wine since 1890 and does proper British food without the tourist markup. Bank and Mansion House stations are both walkable, so you can get anywhere in London pretty easily, and honestly the whole area empties out after work hours which means you get this peaceful, almost village-like feeling in the evenings. Weekends are particularly quiet since it’s mostly office buildings around there.
The staff really knows their stuff too – they’ll sort out restaurant bookings, give you actual useful directions (not just “turn left and walk”), and I noticed they remember your name pretty quickly. Check-in was smooth, no queuing around, and they’ve got this 24-hour front desk which is reassuring when you’re coming back late from West End shows or dinner. One small thing – parking is basically nonexistent around there, but that’s true for most of central London, and with the transport links you really don’t need a car anyway. The 9.2 rating makes total sense when you stay there; it’s one of those places that just works without any drama or unpleasant surprises, and in London hospitality, that’s actually saying something.