You know what struck me first about Star Street Serviced Apartments? The building itself feels properly London – not one of those glass towers that could be anywhere in the world, but something with actual character on a tree-lined street that feels residential rather than touristy. I mean, you’re technically in Westminster Borough here, but it’s got this village-y pocket feel that’s honestly quite nice. The W2 postcode puts you right between Paddington and Bayswater, which sounds boring on paper but actually works brilliantly – you’re close enough to Hyde Park that you can genuinely walk there for a morning coffee (there’s a decent cart near Speaker’s Corner), but far enough from the Oxford Street madness that you won’t hear tour groups at 7am.
The apartments themselves are proper serviced flats, not hotel rooms pretending to be apartments. I’m talking actual kitchens with full-size fridges, separate living areas where you can spread out your stuff, and – this matters if you’re staying more than a few nights – decent storage space. The whole setup feels like someone actually lives here, which makes sense because plenty of long-term business travelers do. Honestly, the 8.7 rating makes sense when you consider what you’re getting. The building’s got this quiet efficiency about it; check-in was refreshingly straightforward, no overly chatty concierge trying to sell me theatre tickets. One thing though – if you’re expecting daily housekeeping, clarify that upfront because it’s more of a weekly thing unless you specifically arrange otherwise.
What really won me over was the neighborhood knowledge you pick up just by being here. There’s this fantastic Lebanese place about three minutes’ walk away that locals queue for (seriously, follow the construction workers at lunch), and you’re actually closer to some of the better pubs than you’d be staying in central hotels where everything’s geared toward tourists. The Tube connections are solid – Lancaster Gate and Paddington are both walkable, though I found myself using Paddington more because, well, it’s Paddington and you can get pretty much anywhere. Weekend mornings are lovely here because it stays relatively quiet while other parts of London are already buzzing with foot traffic. If you’re the type who needs to be right in the thick of Covent Garden or Soho, this might feel a bit removed, but honestly? After a day of proper London chaos, coming back to this street feels like a bit of a sanctuary. Plus, having a kitchen means you can actually buy groceries at the Marks & Spencer near Paddington instead of surviving on meal deals and overpriced hotel breakfast.