You know what struck me first about this penthouse? Walking into that marble lobby at Cambridge Court, you immediately get the sense this isn’t your typical London rental. I mean, Sussex Gardens has its mix of budget hotels and slightly dodgy B&Bs, but number 4 is honestly in a different league entirely. The building itself has this understated elegance – well-maintained Victorian facade that doesn’t scream tourist trap like some of the flashier places around Marble Arch.
The penthouse itself is… well, it’s properly impressive. Three bedrooms that actually feel spacious (and if you’ve spent time in London, you’ll appreciate that’s no small feat), with windows that let in more light than you’d expect. What I really loved was how quiet it gets up there – you’re literally a two-minute walk from Oxford Street’s chaos, but somehow the street noise just doesn’t penetrate. The kitchen’s been done up recently, looks like, with appliances that actually work properly and counter space where you can spread out if you’re planning to cook. And honestly, with Borough Market about twenty minutes away on the tube and that excellent little Waitrose on Connaught Street just around the corner, you might actually want to.
The location is what makes this place special though – I keep coming back to that. You’re positioned right where Bayswater meets Marylebone, which means you’ve got Hyde Park literally across the street (perfect for morning runs or just escaping the city madness), but you’re also walking distance to Paddington if you need to catch trains out of the city. Marble Arch tube station is maybe three minutes on foot, and from there you can get pretty much anywhere without changing lines. What locals know is that this particular stretch of Sussex Gardens is actually the good bit – close enough to the action but far enough from the Edgware Road traffic that gets properly mental during rush hour.
The building’s got proper security, which you’ll appreciate if you’re staying for more than a few days, and the neighbors seem to be a mix of long-term residents and other short-stay guests who aren’t throwing parties every night. Check-in was surprisingly smooth – none of that standing around waiting for someone to show up with keys. And the flat itself? It’s been maintained really well. Sure, it’s not going to win design awards, but everything works, it’s clean, and there’s enough personality in the space that it doesn’t feel sterile. The master bedroom’s got blackout curtains that actually block out light, which is honestly a godsend if you’re dealing with jet lag.
If I’m being completely honest, the building can feel a bit echoey in the hallways, and parking around there is typical London nightmare territory unless you’re willing to pay through the nose. But for what you get – the space, the location, that perfect balance of being central but liveable – this place delivers. It’s the kind of spot where you can actually settle in for a week and feel like you’re living in London rather than just visiting it.