You know what struck me first about the Grange Buckingham? It’s tucked into this lovely Victorian terrace on Bedford Place that honestly feels more like a proper London neighborhood than tourist central – even though you’re literally a five-minute walk from the British Museum. I mean, you’ve got Russell Square tube right there, but the street itself has this quiet, almost residential vibe that’s actually pretty rare in central London.
The building itself is classic Bloomsbury – all that gorgeous Georgian architecture that makes you feel like you’re staying in a Jane Austen novel, but with decent WiFi and proper heating (thank god). Inside, they’ve done this interesting thing where it feels traditionally British without being stuffy about it. The lobby’s got these rich burgundy tones and dark wood that could easily tip into “trying too hard” territory, but somehow it works. Check-in was refreshingly straightforward – no twenty-minute spiel about amenities I’ll never use. The staff genuinely seemed to know the area well, which is honestly refreshing when you’re dealing with London hotels that sometimes feel like they’re run by people who’ve never actually walked around their own neighborhood.
Here’s what I really appreciated though – the rooms are proper four-star without the inflated pricing you get closer to Oxford Street. Yeah, they’re not massive (this is London, after all), but they’re thoughtfully laid out with enough space to actually unpack your suitcase. The beds are legitimately comfortable, and the bathrooms have that satisfying weight to the fixtures that tells you they didn’t cheap out on the details. What really sold me was how quiet it gets at night. Bedford Place doesn’t get the late-night foot traffic that some of the busier Bloomsbury streets do, so you can actually sleep without earplugs – which, if you’ve stayed in central London before, you’ll know is basically a minor miracle. The only slight downside is that the elevators are a bit slow, but honestly, that’s such a minor thing when you’re getting this level of comfort in this location. You’re walking distance from everything that matters – Covent Garden, the West End, even Borough Market if you fancy a morning stroll – but you come back to this calm little pocket that feels almost village-like. For the price point and that 7.5 rating, it’s exactly what it should be: solid, comfortable, and genuinely well-located without the tourist trap markup.