Look, I’ll be honest – when I first walked up to the Westminster Classic Massionette on Arneway Street, I wasn’t expecting much from the outside. It’s tucked into this quiet residential stretch that you’d probably walk right past if you weren’t looking for it, which actually turned out to be one of its best features. You know what I mean? Sometimes the best places are the ones that don’t scream for attention.
The thing about this spot is that it really gets Westminster right. I mean, you’re literally a three-minute walk from Westminster Cathedral (the Catholic one, not the Abbey – locals will appreciate that distinction), and you can actually hear the bells in the morning, which sounds cheesy but honestly adds something special to the whole experience. The building itself has that classic London townhouse feel – you know, the kind with proper high ceilings and windows that actually open, thank god. My room was on the second floor and had this great view of the street below where you could watch actual Londoners going about their day, not just tourists with cameras. The staff seemed to know the neighborhood inside and out too – the woman at reception told me about this brilliant little café on Regency Street that I never would have found otherwise.
What really sold me on the place was the attention to details that actually matter when you’re traveling. The shower had proper water pressure (seriously, why is this so hard to find?), the walls were thick enough that I couldn’t hear every conversation in the hallway, and – this might sound weird – but the lighting was actually good enough to read by. You’d be surprised how many places get that wrong. The rooms have this sort of classic English feel without being overly fussy about it, if that makes sense. Dark wood furniture, decent-sized wardrobes, and they’ve clearly invested in good mattresses because I slept better there than I do at home most nights. Parking’s a bit of a nightmare, but honestly, that’s Westminster for you – I’d recommend the tube anyway since you’re so close to St. James’s Park station. The whole area quiets down beautifully in the evenings too, which was perfect after long days of sightseeing. I stayed there during a busy August week and never felt like I was stuck in a tourist trap, even though you’re basically in the heart of everything. It’s the kind of place that makes you feel like you’re staying in London, not just visiting it.