Look, I’ll be honest – when I first saw “duplex” in the name, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this place on Harrowby Street. But honestly? It’s one of those hidden gems that makes you feel like you’ve got insider knowledge about London. The building sits right in that sweet spot where Marylebone meets Fitzrovia, and you know what, that matters more than most people realize.
The duplex setup actually works brilliantly here. You get this sense of having your own little London townhouse without the ridiculous price tag – well, as reasonable as anything gets in Zone 1 anyway. The downstairs feels properly lived-in (in a good way), with furniture that’s actually comfortable rather than just Instagram-worthy. Upstairs, the bedroom has these great windows that let in proper light, which is honestly a miracle in central London. I mean, some of these converted places feel like caves, but this one gets it right. The only thing I’d mention is that Harrowby Street can get a bit lively on weekend evenings – nothing terrible, just the usual London hum of people heading to and from the pubs on Crawford Street.
What really sold me on this spot is how genuinely local it feels. You’re literally a two-minute walk from Baker Street station, but more importantly, you’re around the corner from all these brilliant little spots that tourists never find. There’s this fantastic Lebanese place on Crawford Street that locals queue up for, and the Waitrose on Seymour Place becomes your best friend for morning coffee runs. The 8.6 rating makes total sense when you actually stay here – it’s not trying to be some fancy hotel with marble lobbies and doormen in top hats. Instead, it nails all the stuff that actually matters: reliable wifi, a kitchen where you can make proper breakfast, enough space to spread out your things, and that feeling like you’re living in London rather than just visiting it. Plus, and this is key, you can walk to Oxford Street in about eight minutes when you need to, but retreat back to this quieter residential pocket when the tourist crowds get overwhelming. Honestly, for a 4-star rating, it punches well above its weight.