Honestly, when I first walked up to 5 Doughty Street, I almost missed it – which is actually part of its charm. This gorgeous Georgian townhouse sits quietly on one of Bloomsbury’s most perfectly preserved streets, and you know what? That’s exactly what makes it special. The whole street feels like you’ve stepped back in time, with these beautiful 18th-century facades lined up like something out of a period drama. I mean, Charles Dickens lived just a few doors down at number 48, so you’re literally staying in literary history.
The hotel itself is this lovely 4-star boutique place that gets the balance just right between period character and modern comfort. When you step inside, there’s this immediate sense of calm – thick walls mean you won’t hear much street noise (though Doughty Street is pretty quiet anyway), and the interiors have that classic British elegance without feeling stuffy. The rooms vary quite a bit since it’s a converted townhouse, so some are larger than others, but honestly, they all have character. I particularly loved the way they’ve kept original features like high ceilings and sash windows while adding proper modern bathrooms and decent WiFi – because let’s be real, you need both when you’re traveling.
Location-wise, this place is actually brilliant for exploring London. You’re about a 5-minute walk to Russell Square tube station, which puts you on the Piccadilly line straight to Heathrow or into the heart of the West End. But here’s what I really appreciated – you can walk to so many places from here. The British Museum is literally around the corner, you can stroll through the beautiful garden squares of Bloomsbury, and if you head down toward Holborn, there are tons of great pubs and restaurants that tourists don’t usually find. Plus, Covent Garden is only about a 15-minute walk through some really lovely streets. The staff seem to actually know the area too, which is refreshing – they pointed me toward this fantastic little café on Lamb’s Conduit Street that I never would have discovered otherwise. With an 8.2 rating, it’s clearly doing something right, and after staying there, I get it. It’s not flashy or trying too hard, just a really well-run place in a genuinely special part of London where you feel like you’re experiencing the city rather than just visiting it.