Look, I’ll be honest – when I first pulled up to Grand Plaza Serviced Apartments on Princes Square, I wasn’t expecting much from the outside. It’s one of those classic London conversions where they’ve taken these gorgeous white Victorian terraces and turned them into proper accommodation, but you know how hit-or-miss those can be. This one actually gets it right though.
The thing about staying here is you’re properly in Westminster Borough – I mean, you can walk to Hyde Park in literally five minutes, and Paddington Station is close enough that you’ll hear the occasional rumble of trains if you’re on the back side of the building (not annoying, just… London). What really sold me on this place was how they’ve managed to give you that serviced apartment feel without making everything feel sterile and corporate. The kitchenettes are actually usable – proper fridge space, decent hob, enough counter room to make breakfast without doing some weird juggling act with your coffee and toast. You’ll find yourself popping into the Tesco Express on Praed Street for supplies, which honestly became part of my morning routine.
The staff genuinely seem to know what they’re doing, which isn’t always a given with these apartment-style places. Check-in was smooth, they actually listened when I mentioned I’m a light sleeper (got me a room facing the square instead of toward the busier streets), and when the shower pressure was a bit rubbish the first day, they had someone up to sort it within a couple hours. The 7.8 rating feels about right – it’s not going to blow your mind, but everything works properly and the beds are comfortable enough that I wasn’t thinking about my back every morning. The decor is that safe modern neutral thing you’d expect, though honestly after a day of wandering around London, you just want somewhere clean and quiet to crash. Speaking of quiet – evenings are lovely around Princes Square, very residential feel, but you’re still close enough to Bayswater Road that getting anywhere central is dead easy. If you’re the type who likes having kitchen access but doesn’t want to deal with the faff of a proper rental, this hits that sweet spot nicely.