You know what surprised me about Sterling House? It’s tucked away in this quiet corner of the City of London where you’d expect everything to be glass towers and rushing bankers, but there’s actually this lovely residential feel to it. I mean, you’re literally minutes from Liverpool Street Station – I could hear the distant rumble of trains, but honestly, it was more comforting than annoying, like urban white noise that reminded me I was right in the thick of things.
The apartments themselves feel proper lived-in, not like those sterile hotel rooms where you’re afraid to touch anything. My kitchen had this slightly worn but completely functional setup – decent-sized fridge, proper cooktop, even a dishwasher that actually worked (you’d be surprised how often that’s not the case). The living area had enough space to spread out my laptop and papers without feeling cramped, though I’ll admit the furniture’s a bit dated. Nothing wrong with it, just gives you that “comfortable relative’s flat” vibe rather than Instagram-worthy modern. The bed was genuinely comfortable though – slept better than I have in most London hotels, and the blackout curtains actually block out the early summer light, which is a godsend if you’re trying to sleep past 5 AM.
What really sold me on the place was how it sits in the neighborhood. You’ve got Exmouth Market just a short walk away – and I mean, if you haven’t wandered down there for lunch, you’re missing out on some brilliant little spots. The whole Clerkenwell area feels like proper London, not tourist London. I found myself popping into the local Tesco Express on Rosebery Avenue more often than I expected, grabbing ingredients for breakfast because, well, when you have a full kitchen, why not use it? The staff at Sterling House were refreshingly straightforward – no over-the-top hospitality theater, just helpful when you needed something and otherwise left you alone. Check-in was smooth, though I’d recommend arriving after 3 PM because they seemed to be cleaning units right up until then. Parking’s a bit of a nightmare, as you’d expect in central London, but the transport links more than make up for it. I actually ended up walking to most places because everything felt surprisingly close once you got your bearings – even made it to Borough Market on foot one morning, which was a lovely surprise.