Look, I’ll be honest – when I first heard “one bedroom flat in Tavistock Place,” I was expecting something pretty basic. But this place actually surprised me in the best way possible. The building sits on this lovely Georgian crescent that most tourists walk right past without realizing they’re missing out on one of Bloomsbury’s quieter gems. You’re literally a two-minute walk from Russell Square tube, but somehow it feels worlds away from the chaos.
The flat itself has this lived-in charm that you don’t get with those sterile hotel chains. I mean, it’s clearly been thoughtfully put together – the kitchen actually has everything you need (proper coffee maker, decent knives, enough plates for when you inevitably end up hosting impromptu drinks), and the bedroom gets surprisingly good light for central London. The shower pressure is honestly better than my own flat, which… well, that’s saying something. What really got me though was the little touches – there’s this perfect reading nook by the window where you can watch the world go by with your morning tea, and the heating actually works properly (anyone who’s stayed in London rentals knows this isn’t a given).
Here’s what you should know that nobody tells you: Tavistock Place is one of those streets where locals actually live, so the corner shop knows your order by day three, and there’s barely any tourist foot traffic even though you’re right in the heart of everything. The British Museum is literally around the corner – I’m talking a five-minute stroll – but you’ll probably find yourself wandering through the garden squares instead because they’re just that lovely. Parking is typical zone 1 nightmare stuff, but honestly, you won’t need a car. The tube connections are brilliant, and if you’re feeling fancy, those new Santander bikes are everywhere. One small thing – the building’s old, so you’ll hear your upstairs neighbors occasionally, but it’s more charming creaks than proper noise. Oh, and if you’re here in summer, crack the windows at night because it can get a bit stuffy, though that’s pretty standard for these Georgian conversions. The 8.6 rating makes total sense once you’ve stayed here – it’s not trying to be the Ritz, but for actually experiencing London like someone who lives here rather than just visiting, it’s spot on.