You know what caught me off guard about The Chronicle? It’s tucked away on Norwich Street, which honestly feels like stumbling into a London secret – I mean, you’re literally steps from the chaos of the City but the street itself has this almost residential quiet to it. The building used to be something else entirely (you can tell from the facade), and they’ve done this really thoughtful conversion that keeps all the character while actually making it work for modern travelers.
The aparthotel thing is perfect here because – let’s be real – staying in the City of London proper usually means you’re either in some corporate box or paying through the nose for a proper hotel. These guys hit that sweet spot where you get apartment-style space with hotel services, which is clutch when you’re staying more than a couple nights. The kitchenettes are actually functional, not just for show, and I appreciated having somewhere to stash groceries from the Tesco Express around the corner on Fetter Lane. Speaking of location, you’re genuinely walking distance to everything that matters – St. Paul’s is right there (like, embarrassingly close), Fleet Street’s buzzing with pubs that locals actually drink at, and you can cut through to the South Bank via Blackfriars Bridge without dealing with tourist crowds from the Tower Bridge area.
What really sold me was the attention to details that matter when you’re living somewhere temporarily. The Wi-Fi doesn’t drop every five minutes, the shower pressure is proper strong, and – this might sound weird – but the windows actually open, which half the new builds in London don’t bother with anymore. The staff genuinely knows the neighborhood too, not just the obvious tourist spots. They pointed me toward Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese (which I probably would’ve missed) and warned me about the construction noise on King’s Cross that week. Honestly, the 8.7 rating makes sense – it’s not trying to be flashy or Instagram-perfect, it’s just really well-executed hospitality. The only minor thing is that Norwich Street can get a bit echo-y with delivery trucks early morning, but you’re in the actual City so that comes with the territory. If you want quiet countryside vibes, you wouldn’t be staying here anyway. For anyone who needs to be central for work or wants to experience London from a proper local base rather than tourist-land, The Chronicle gets it right in a way that feels refreshingly honest.