Look, I’ve stayed at my fair share of London hotels, and the DoubleTree by Hilton near Tower Bridge honestly surprised me. When you first walk up to 7 Pepys Street, you’re basically in this quiet pocket of the City that feels almost residential – which is weird because you’re literally a three-minute walk from one of London’s biggest tourist magnets. The building itself has that classic London brick thing going on, and you know what? The lobby actually feels warm instead of that sterile corporate vibe you get at most chain hotels.
The location is where this place really shines, though not in the obvious touristy way everyone mentions. Sure, Tower Bridge and the Tower of London are right there (I mean, it’s in the name), but what I actually loved was being able to walk to Borough Market in about fifteen minutes through these quiet side streets most visitors never see. And here’s something the booking sites don’t tell you – you’re literally around the corner from some of the best pubs in London. The George on Borough High Street is this incredible galleried coaching inn that dates back to the 1600s, and locals actually drink there. Plus, if you’re into that whole financial district energy, you can walk to Bank or Monument stations through these amazing little alleyways that feel like you’re discovering secret London.
The rooms themselves are… well, they’re solid. Nothing that’ll blow your mind, but the beds are genuinely comfortable and the bathrooms are bigger than what you’d expect for central London. I stayed on the fourth floor facing the courtyard, which was actually perfect because you don’t get the street noise from Tower Bridge Road – that area can get pretty hectic with tour buses, especially during summer weekends. The staff genuinely seemed to know the neighborhood when I asked about dinner recommendations, which honestly doesn’t happen that often at chain hotels. They pointed me toward Champor-Champor, this tiny Thai place on Tower Bridge Road that I never would’ve found otherwise. One small thing though – the elevators are a bit slow, so if you’re in a rush, just factor that in. And parking? Forget about it unless you want to pay through the nose, but the Tube connections are brilliant so you really don’t need a car anyway.