Honestly, when I first walked into this penthouse at Cambridge Court, I wasn’t expecting much – I mean, Sussex Gardens can be hit or miss with all those converted Victorian hotels. But stepping off the lift on the seventh floor, you immediately know this place is different. The space just opens up in front of you, and there’s this flood of natural light that makes the whole apartment feel way bigger than most London flats I’ve stayed in.
What really got me was how thoughtfully everything’s been done. The master bedroom actually fits a proper king bed without feeling cramped (which, let’s be honest, is rare in London), and the second bedroom isn’t just an afterthought – it’s got decent wardrobe space and doesn’t feel like a glorified cupboard. The kitchen’s properly equipped too, not just the usual hotel kettle and mini-fridge situation. I ended up cooking a few meals because, well, you’re literally two minutes from the Tesco on Praed Street, and after spending £15 on hotel breakfast elsewhere, making your own starts to make sense.
The location’s what really makes this work though. You’re on Sussex Gardens, which sounds fancy but it’s actually this perfectly positioned street that puts you between Paddington and Marble Arch without the chaos of either. The Lancaster Gate tube is closer than you’d think – maybe a three-minute walk – and you can cut through Hyde Park to get pretty much anywhere central. I loved that evening walk through the park to get to Knightsbridge, something you just can’t do from most London accommodations. Plus, Paddington Station’s right there when you need the Heathrow Express, which saved me a fortune on airport transfers. The neighborhood’s got this nice residential feel once you’re off the main road – actual Londoners live here, not just tourists, so there are proper local pubs and that brilliant Lebanese place on Edgware Road that’s open until stupid o’clock. Only minor thing is you might hear some street noise in the evenings, but honestly, it’s London – that’s just part of the deal, and the double glazing does its job well enough.