You know what? I actually stumbled onto Prime Apartments Gloucester Road by accident when my usual spot was booked, and honestly, it turned out to be one of those happy mistakes. The building sits on this quiet side street – Collingham Place – which sounds fancy but is really just tucked away enough that you’re not dealing with the chaos of the main Gloucester Road traffic. I mean, you’re literally a two-minute walk from the tube station, but you’d never know it from how peaceful it gets at night.
The thing that struck me first was how it doesn’t feel like a typical hotel at all. These are proper apartments, so you’ve got actual kitchen space (not just a sad little kettle), decent-sized rooms, and – this matters more than you’d think – proper storage. The furniture’s got that modern but not-trying-too-hard vibe, and the beds are surprisingly comfortable. I’ve stayed in fancier places that left me with a crick in my neck, so there’s that. What really sold me though was the location intelligence – you’re basically planted between South Ken and Earl’s Court, which means you can walk to the Natural History Museum in about fifteen minutes, but you can also duck into any number of great pubs or grab groceries at the Tesco Express around the corner without feeling like a tourist doing tourist things.
The staff actually knows the neighborhood, which sounds basic but you’d be amazed how rare that is. When I asked about good breakfast spots, the guy at reception didn’t just hand me a generic list – he told me about this little café on Old Brompton Road that does proper eggs benedict and doesn’t charge museum prices. The check-in was smooth (though I’d call ahead if you’re arriving super early), and they sorted out my Oyster card situation without making me feel like an idiot. Look, it’s not the Ritz – the elevator’s a bit slow and you can occasionally hear your neighbors if they’re really going at it – but for the price point and that 8.2 rating, it delivers exactly what it promises. Plus, and this is key if you’re planning to actually explore London rather than just Instagram it, you’re positioned perfectly to hit Borough Market, pop over to Chelsea, or catch a show in the West End without spending half your day on the tube.