You know what struck me first about this place? It’s tucked away on High Timber Street, which honestly feels like one of those hidden London gems that most tourists never stumble across. I mean, you’re literally a five-minute walk from St. Paul’s Cathedral – and I’m not talking tourist-pace walking here, I’m talking actual London walking speed. The building itself has that solid, reassuring feel that makes you think it’s been watching over this corner of the City for decades.
The apartment really delivers on that “tranquil” promise in the name, which surprised me because, well, we’re talking about the City of London here. But High Timber Street is actually pretty quiet, especially in the evenings when all the office workers have cleared out. The two bedrooms are properly sized – not those shoebox situations you sometimes get in central London rentals. What I loved was how the windows let in this gorgeous natural light during the day, and you can actually hear the Thames if you listen carefully (the river’s closer than you’d think). The kitchen’s got everything you need if you’re planning to stay in occasionally, though honestly, with Borough Market just across the river and all those pubs tucked into the medieval streets around here, you might not use it much.
Location-wise, this place is pretty brilliant for exploring London properly. Sure, everyone talks about being near St. Paul’s, but what they don’t mention is that you’re also walking distance to the Millennium Bridge – perfect for those early morning strolls across to Tate Modern when the crowds haven’t descended yet. And here’s something locals know: if you head down to the Thames Path right by Queenhithe (literally around the corner), you get some of the best unobstructed views of the South Bank without fighting through the tourist masses at London Bridge. The Tube connections are solid too – Mansion House and Cannon Street stations are both close enough that you’re never really stuck, even when Transport for London decides to have one of its weekend engineering work situations. I actually found myself walking to a lot of places because everything felt surprisingly accessible on foot, which isn’t something I usually say about London accommodations. The 8.3 rating makes sense to me – it’s not trying to be some fancy boutique experience, but it absolutely nails the fundamentals of being a comfortable, well-located base for exploring the city.