Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much when I first walked up to Page8 – the entrance is pretty understated on Saint Martin’s Place, which is actually perfect because you’re literally steps from Trafalgar Square without dealing with all the tourist chaos right outside your door. The building itself has this sort of refined, old-school London vibe that immediately tells you this isn’t going to be one of those soulless chain hotels.
What really got me was how they’ve managed to nail that sweet spot between boutique charm and actually functional hospitality. The rooms are thoughtfully designed (and I mean actually thoughtful, not just throwing around fancy buzzwords) – everything feels intentional without being fussy. The beds are proper comfortable, which honestly matters more than all the design awards in the world when you’re dealing with jet lag or you’ve spent the day walking around London’s cobblestone streets. You know what I really appreciated? The soundproofing is excellent, because even though you’re in the heart of Westminster, you’re not going to hear the buses rumbling down Charing Cross Road at 6 AM.
The location thing though – this is where Page8 really shines, and I don’t just mean because it’s central. Sure, you can walk to the National Gallery in about two minutes and Leicester Square is right there, but what I loved was being on the edge of Covent Garden without being in the thick of the street performers and crowds. You’ve got that little corner of calm on Saint Martin’s Place, but step around the corner and you’re immediately plugged into everything – the good restaurants on St. Martin’s Lane, the theaters, even those late-night spots that locals actually go to rather than just tourist traps. The Tube connections are brilliant too (Leicester Square and Charing Cross stations are both super close), which matters when you’re trying to get anywhere in London without spending half your day underground. I mean, the staff genuinely knows the area and can point you toward the kind of places you’d never find on your own – like that little wine bar tucked away behind the Coliseum, or where to grab proper coffee before the tourist hordes descend. With a 9 rating, you sort of expect things to work smoothly, and they do, but it’s the small touches that make the difference here.