Okay, so I’ll be honest – when I first saw “Luxurious Penthouse” in the listing, I rolled my eyes a bit. You know how these places love to throw around fancy words. But walking into Flat 70 on Macclesfield Road actually made me eat those words pretty quickly. This isn’t your typical London rental trying too hard to impress; it’s genuinely something special, and that wrap-around terrace? Yeah, it’s the real deal.
The thing that gets you right away is how much space there is – I mean, proper space, not that cramped “cozy” nonsense you usually get in Islington. The penthouse spreads out naturally, and you can actually move around without bumping into furniture every five seconds. But honestly, you’ll probably spend most of your time outside anyway. That terrace goes around almost the entire flat, and I found myself out there with my morning coffee just watching the neighborhood wake up. There’s something pretty satisfying about being above all the hustle on Chapel Market (which is literally around the corner, by the way – perfect for grabbing fresh stuff if you’re planning to cook). The view isn’t postcard-perfect London landmarks, but it’s real London life, and I actually preferred that. You get rooftops, little gardens tucked between buildings, and just… the city breathing, you know?
Location-wise, you’re in that sweet spot where Islington gets interesting but hasn’t gone completely mental with the prices yet. Angel station is maybe a seven-minute walk – I timed it because I’m weird like that – and you’ve got the Northern line right there, so getting anywhere central is pretty painless. What I really loved though was how walkable everything felt. Exmouth Market with all its little lunch spots is close enough that you’ll probably end up there more than once, and if you’re into the whole artsy thing, there are galleries and quirky shops scattered around that you’ll stumble across just wandering. The area gets pretty lively on weekends (fair warning if you’re a super early sleeper), but it’s the good kind of lively – people actually living their lives, not just tourist chaos. Check-in was refreshingly straightforward too, none of that awkward key-hunting drama you sometimes get with these private rentals. The 9.2 rating makes total sense once you’re there – it’s one of those places where the little details are just… right. Not perfect, because nowhere is, but right in a way that makes you want to extend your stay.