You know what struck me first about this place? The address might say Camden, but honestly, you’re smack in the heart of everything that matters in central London. Walking out the front door on Shaftesbury Avenue, you’ve got the neon buzz of Leicester Square literally around the corner, and I mean you can duck into Chinatown for proper dim sum in about two minutes flat. The location alone justifies that 9.6 rating – I’ve stayed in plenty of London places that claim to be “central” but have you trudging twenty minutes to get anywhere decent.
The apartment itself is one of those smart conversions that actually works. Two bedrooms, three beds total, which sounds a bit puzzling until you see the setup – there’s clearly been some thoughtful planning here rather than just cramming furniture wherever it fits. The living space feels properly lived-in rather than sterile, if that makes sense. I mean, you’re not getting a luxury hotel lobby experience, but honestly that’s not what you want here. What you want is a proper base where you can dump your shopping bags from Oxford Street (ten-minute walk, by the way) and actually spread out a bit. The kitchen’s small but functional – perfect for morning coffee and storing those Tesco meal deals, though let’s be real, with Soho’s restaurant scene on your doorstep, you’re probably not doing much cooking.
Here’s the thing about staying right on Shaftesbury Avenue though – it can get a bit lively, especially on weekend nights when the theatre crowds are out. But that’s sort of the trade-off for being in the absolute thick of things. You’re a stone’s throw from half the West End shows, and getting to Borough Market or anywhere along the South Bank is just a quick tube hop from Leicester Square. The transport links are honestly ridiculous – I lost count of how many bus routes run right past the building. Parking’s obviously a nightmare (this is central London, after all), but if you’re staying here, you really don’t need a car anyway. Actually, scratch that – you definitely don’t want a car here. The whole point is being able to walk to Covent Garden’s street performers, wander through Neal’s Yard when you need a proper coffee, or hit up the late-night spots in Chinatown when you get those 11 PM dumpling cravings. Sometimes the best part of London travel is just stepping outside and seeing where your feet take you – and from this spot, pretty much anywhere you end up is going to be worth the walk.