You know what caught me off guard about this place? I was expecting just another cramped London rental, but Central London Beautiful 2bed actually lives up to its name – well, mostly. Tompion House sits right in that sweet spot of Islington where you’re close enough to everything that matters but far enough from the tourist chaos that you can actually sleep at night. The building itself has that solid, no-nonsense brick facade that screams “proper London living,” and honestly, stepping into the flat feels like you’ve borrowed a friend’s place rather than landed in some sterile hotel room.
The two bedrooms are genuinely spacious by London standards (I mean, you can actually walk around the bed without doing some weird sideways shuffle), and there’s this lovely natural light that streams in during the morning hours. The kitchen’s properly equipped too – not just a sad kettle and mini-fridge situation, but actual cooking space where you could make a decent meal if you wanted to save some cash from eating out every night. What really sold me on the location, though, is how effortlessly you can get around from here. Chapel Market is literally a five-minute walk, and if you’ve never wandered through there on a Tuesday or Saturday, you’re missing out on some of the best street food and vintage finds in North London. The Angel tube station is close enough that you don’t need to factor in extra travel time, but the real gem is being able to walk to King’s Cross in about fifteen minutes – perfect for those early Eurostar departures or just exploring the incredible food scene around Coal Drops Yard.
Now, I’ll be straight with you – the building can get a bit echoey in the evenings (you know how these converted places are), and the lift is one of those temperamental older ones that occasionally decides to take a break. But honestly? These are minor annoyances when you’re paying significantly less than what you’d drop on a cramped hotel room in Zone 1. The neighborhood has this lived-in authenticity that you just can’t manufacture – there’s a proper local pub on the corner where the bartender remembers your order by the third night, and the Turkish restaurant down the street does this incredible lamb dish that I’m still thinking about months later. Plus, you’re positioned perfectly for day trips; I managed easy walks to both the British Museum and the markets at Camden, and when your feet give out, the transport links mean you’re never stranded. It’s the kind of place where you start planning your next London trip before you’ve even checked out, which I suppose is the real test of any accommodation, isn’t it?