You know, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first walked up to this place on Berwick Street – honestly, the entrance is pretty subtle and you might walk right past it if you’re not paying attention. But that’s actually part of what makes it work so well. You’re literally in the heart of Soho, which means Oxford Street’s chaos is just a two-minute walk north, but somehow this little stretch feels surprisingly calm for the area. The building itself has that classic London thing going on where it looks totally unremarkable from the outside but then surprises you once you’re inside.
The apartments are genuinely well thought out – I mean, someone clearly spent time figuring out how to make these spaces work for actual humans, not just look good in photos. The kitchens are small but functional (you can actually cook a proper meal if you want), and there’s enough storage that you’re not living out of your suitcase the whole time. What I really appreciated was the little details, like having proper blackout curtains – trust me, when you’re dealing with jet lag and those ridiculously early London summer sunrises, you’ll thank whoever made that decision. The Wi-Fi actually works throughout the building too, which honestly shouldn’t be noteworthy in 2024 but somehow still is in some London hotels.
Location-wise, you’re sort of in the perfect storm of everything being walkable but not touristy-overwhelming. Berwick Street Market is literally outside your door – it’s this lovely old-school fruit and veg market that runs Monday through Saturday, and the vendors are characters straight out of a British film. By evening though, it transforms into this buzzing street with some really solid restaurants and pubs. You’re a five-minute walk from Carnaby Street if you’re into shopping, but honestly, the better finds are the independent shops scattered around the surrounding streets. The tube connections are brilliant – Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road are both super close, so you can get anywhere in London without the hassle. One thing to note: weekends can get pretty lively in this area (it’s Soho, after all), but the rooms are well-insulated enough that it wasn’t an issue for me. The 8.5 rating feels about right – it’s not trying to be fancy, but everything works well and the staff genuinely seem to know what they’re doing. For the price point and location, it’s honestly hard to beat if you want to actually feel like you’re staying in London rather than some generic hotel bubble.