38-51 Bedford Way, Camden, London, WC1H 0DG, United Kingdom
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Royal National Hotel Overview

First Impressions

The Royal National Hotel sits right in the heart of Bloomsbury, and honestly, you can’t miss it — this massive Victorian building takes up nearly an entire block on Bedford Way. I’ll be upfront: it’s not trying to be boutique or trendy, but there’s something reassuring about its old-school London hotel vibe. The lobby feels grand in that slightly worn way that makes you think of all the travelers who’ve passed through over the decades, and the staff actually seem to know what they’re doing.

Location That Actually Matters

Here’s what I love about staying in London — when you’re this close to Russell Square tube station (literally a two-minute walk), the whole city opens up. You know what’s even better? The British Museum is practically next door, and you can wander through those gorgeous Bloomsbury garden squares without fighting tourist crowds. Couples especially seem to get this location — they’ve rated it 9.1, and I mean, I get it. There’s something romantic about strolling through these tree-lined streets, plus you’re close enough to Covent Garden and the West End for evening plans.

The Room Experience

Look, this is a three-star hotel, so set your expectations accordingly. The room I stayed in was clean and functional — nothing fancy, but the bed was comfortable and the shower had decent pressure (which honestly matters more than fancy toiletries). The windows are big enough to let in proper light, and if you’re lucky enough to get a street-facing room, you’ll have nice views of the Georgian architecture. It’s the kind of place where you sleep well and don’t feel like you’re missing out on anything essential.

Breakfast Worth Getting Up For

The breakfast situation here actually surprised me. They’ve got a proper buffet setup with full English options, but what impressed me was how they handle dietary restrictions — vegetarian, vegan, halal, gluten-free options that don’t look like afterthoughts. The dining room gets busy around 8 AM (typical hotel rush), but the staff keep everything well-stocked. I mean, it’s not going to change your life, but it’s a solid start to the day, and you won’t leave hungry.

Why Guests Love It

There’s parking available if you’re driving (though honestly, why would you in central London?), but most people choose this place for the location and value combination. The Royal National Hotel works because it delivers exactly what it promises — a comfortable base in an excellent neighborhood without pretending to be something it’s not. You’re paying for that Bloomsbury address and the convenience of being steps from major attractions, good transport links, and some of London’s most pleasant walking areas. It’s the kind of place that makes sense for travelers who want to spend their time exploring the city rather than hanging around their hotel.

Royal National Hotel Accommodations

AccommodationDetails
Standard Double Room1 double bed for 2 adults
Standard Twin Room2 single beds for 2 adults
Standard Triple Room3 single beds for 3 adults
Family Room1 single bed and 1 double bed for 3 adults
Deluxe Double Room1 double bed for 2 adults
Deluxe Triple Room3 single beds for 3 adults
Twin Room with Extra Bed3 single beds for 2 adults
Deluxe Twin Room2 single beds for 2 adults
Deluxe Quadruple Room4 single beds for 3 adults
Deluxe Family Room1 single bed and 1 double bed for 3 adults
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Reviews of Royal National Hotel

  • Oana from Romania (8/10)

    Great atmosphere. Very goof breakfast and also outside pub. Clean room. Elevators are operating very well. Easy to visit London. Undeegrounf and bus near of the hotel. The access for diaabled easy to use.

  • Katriona from France (7/10)

    The beds were comfortable, the rooms were clean and serviced properly, the breakfast was good.

  • Ros from United Kingdom (8/10)

    Location, car parking availability, cleanliness

  • Violetta from United Kingdom (7/10)

    Breakfast was nice with a wide selection of foods and drinks.

  • Pl from Singapore (7/10)

    Location is good. Very near to Russell Square underground station.

  • Amirah from United Kingdom (9/10)

    Staff were friendly and helpful. Check in and check out were fast. Hotel area and room were clean, spacious and modern. Hotel is close with train station & tubes. There were restaurants and convenient stores nearby. Felt safe to walk at night and day as it was not secluded. Will very much consider this place again in the future.

  • Natalie from Australia (7/10)

    Convenient location

  • Julie from United Kingdom (8/10)

    Great location- between Euston and the theatreland area

    Clean great breakfast and friendly staff

  • Claire from United Kingdom (8/10)

    Spotlessly clean room, friendly and helpful staff, great location

  • Paul from United Kingdom (8/10)

    Clean, friendly, good food and great location

Surroundings

What’s nearby:

  • Argyle Garden: 1 km
  • Gordon Square: 300 m
  • British Museum: 600 m
  • Crabtree Fields: 900 m
  • Tavistock Square: 300 m
  • Bloomsbury Square: 700 m
  • Malet Street Garden: 450 m
  • Woburn Square Garden: 300 m
  • Judd Street Open Space: 900 m
  • Centre Point Tower London: 1.1 km

Restaurants & cafes:

  • Restaurant Chong Qing: 50 m
  • Restaurant Pavilion Roastery: 10 m
  • Restaurant Blooms Pizza Café: 10 m

Top attractions:

  • Big Ben: 3 km
  • London Zoo: 2.9 km
  • Regents Park: 2.6 km
  • Somerset House: 1.8 km
  • Madame Tussauds: 2.2 km
  • St James’s Park: 2.9 km
  • Banqueting House: 2.4 km
  • Trafalgar Square: 2.1 km
  • Piccadilly Circus: 2.1 km
  • Churchill War Rooms: 2.8 km

Natural beauty:

  • Forest Queen’s Wood: 7 km
  • Lake The Serpentine: 3.9 km

Ski lifts:

  • Brentwood Park Lift: 35 km
  • Sandown Ski Centre Lift: 31 km

Public transport:

  • Metro Goodge Street: 800 m
  • Metro Russell Square: 300 m
  • Train Euston Station: 700 m
  • Bus Victoria Coach Station: 4.7 km
  • Train St Pancras Railway Station: 1.1 km

Closest airports:

  • London City Airport: 14 km
  • London Gatwick Airport: 48 km
  • London Heathrow Airport: 25 km

Facilities

Bedroom:

  • Linen
  • Wardrobe or closet

General:

  • Minimarket on site
  • Vending machine (snacks)
  • Vending machine (drinks)
  • Designated smoking area
  • Non-smoking throughout
  • Wake-up service
  • Heating
  • Carpeted
  • Lift
  • Family rooms
  • Facilities for disabled guests
  • Non-smoking rooms

Kitchen:

  • Electric kettle

Bathroom:

  • Toilet paper
  • Towels
  • Bath or shower
  • Private bathroom
  • Toilet
  • Free toiletries

Activities:

  • Live sport events (broadcast)
  • Bowling Additional charge Off-site

Food & Drink:

  • Coffee house on site
  • Wine/champagne Additional charge
  • Kid meals Additional charge
  • Special diet menus (on request)
  • Snack bar
  • Bar
  • Restaurant
  • Tea/Coffee maker

Accessibility:

  • Emergency cord in bathroom
  • Toilet with grab rails
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Upper floors accessible by elevator

Room Amenities:

  • Clothes rack

Languages spoken:

  • Arabic
  • English
  • Spanish
  • Hindi
  • Italian
  • Polish

Cleaning services:

  • Daily housekeeping
  • Dry cleaning Additional charge
  • Laundry Additional charge

Safety & security:

  • Fire extinguishers
  • CCTV in common areas
  • Smoke alarms
  • Security alarm
  • Key card access
  • 24-hour security
  • Safety deposit box

Media & Technology:

  • Flat-screen TV
  • Telephone

Reception services:

  • Invoice provided
  • Lockers
  • Luggage storage
  • 24-hour front desk

Business facilities:

  • Meeting/banquet facilities Additional charge

Parking Public parking is possible on site (reservation is not needed) and costs £24 per day.:

  • Parking garage
  • Electric vehicle charging station
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House Rules at Royal National Hotel

Pets:

  • Pets are not allowed.

Groups:

  • When booking more than 10 rooms, different policies and additional supplements may apply.

Check-in:

  • From 14:00 to 00:00

Check-out:

  • Until 11:00

Age restriction:

  • The minimum age for check-in is 18

Cancellation/prepayment:

  • Cancellation and prepayment policies vary according to accommodation type. Please enter the dates of your stay and check the conditions of your required option.

Guest reviews

Staff:

8.3

Comfort:

7.9

Location:

8.9

Free WiFi:

7.8

Facilities:

7.5

Cleanliness:

8.0

Value for money:

7.3