The Counselors – 2 Bedroom Apartment Central London by Wild

Hotel Description

You know what struck me first about The Counselors? Walking up Pembroke Road, you’d almost miss it – it’s tucked into this gorgeous Victorian terrace that honestly looks like it belongs in a Nancy Meyers film. I mean, the whole street does, but there’s something about number 82 that just feels right. The moment you step inside, you realize Wild (the company behind it) really gets what travelers actually want. It’s not trying too hard to be boutique-y, but everything just… works. The two bedrooms are properly spacious – and I say that as someone who’s stayed in way too many London “apartments” where you can touch both walls from the bed. The kitchen actually has everything you need if you want to grab groceries from the Whole Foods on Kensington High Street (about a seven-minute walk, by the way), though honestly, you’re so close to some incredible restaurants that cooking feels almost wasteful.

The location is what really makes this place special, though. Pembroke Road sits right in that sweet spot where you feel like you’re living in residential Kensington – there’s something genuinely peaceful about the tree-lined street – but you’re literally a three-minute stroll from all the chaos of Kensington High Street. The Earl’s Court tube station is close enough that you don’t think twice about hopping on the Piccadilly line, but far enough that you don’t hear the rumble at night. And here’s something most people don’t realize until they’re actually staying in this area: you’re walking distance to both Hyde Park and Holland Park. I spent way too many mornings with coffee from the little café on Wrights Lane, wandering through the Japanese garden in Holland Park before the crowds hit. The neighborhood has this lived-in feel that’s hard to find in central London – you’ll see the same dog walkers every morning, there’s a proper local pub (The Scarsdale) where people actually know each other, and the whole area just feels… normal, in the best possible way.

What really sealed it for me was the attention to detail that you only notice after a few days. The wifi actually works everywhere in the apartment (revolutionary, I know), the shower has proper pressure, and – this might sound small – but the blackout curtains are the real deal. You can sleep past sunrise, which is clutch during those brutal summer months when London daylight starts at 4 AM. The 9.7 rating makes total sense once you’ve been there; it’s one of those places where nothing goes wrong, but more importantly, lots of little things go right. The check-in process was smooth, the space felt immediately comfortable rather than intimidatingly perfect, and by day three I was genuinely sad to be leaving. If you’re looking for something that feels like borrowing a friend’s really nice London flat rather than staying in a hotel, this is your spot.

Rooms

• Two-Bedroom Apartment with 2 single beds, 1 large double bed and 1 sofa bed for 6 adults

Facilities