Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much when I first walked up to Whitfield Street Apartments on Grafton Way – the building looks pretty standard from the outside, tucked between those typical London Georgian terraces. But you know what? Sometimes the best places are the ones that don’t need to show off from the street.
The location is actually brilliant once you figure out the neighborhood. You’re right in that sweet spot between Fitzrovia and Camden where it feels properly London without being touristy. Warren Street tube is maybe three minutes away (and I mean a proper three minutes, not that inflated travel time hotels usually give you), plus you’ve got both the Northern and Circle lines right there. What I really loved though was being so close to Charlotte Street – honestly one of the best restaurant strips in central London, and most tourists have no idea it exists. You can walk to the British Museum in about ten minutes if you cut through the backstreets, and Regent’s Park is right there when you need some green space.
The apartments themselves are surprisingly spacious for London standards. I mean, you’re not going to be doing cartwheels in there, but you can actually open a suitcase without having to move furniture around. The kitchenette is small but functional – perfect for making proper coffee in the morning or storing those Marks & Spencer sandwiches you’ll inevitably buy. The wifi actually works (thank god), and the heating is decent, which matters more than you’d think in an old London building. One thing to note though – the walls aren’t super thick, so if you’re a light sleeper, pack earplugs. It’s not terrible, just typical for these converted buildings.
What really sold me on the place was how quiet Grafton Way stays, even though you’re literally in Zone 1. Sure, you get the occasional delivery truck in the morning, but nothing like the chaos you’d deal with staying near Oxford Street. The check-in process was refreshingly straightforward too – none of that “your room will be ready at exactly 3 PM” nonsense. They actually seem to care about getting you sorted quickly.
The 4-star rating feels about right – it’s not luxury, but everything works and it’s clean. That 8.4 rating makes sense when you factor in the location and the fact that you’re getting proper apartment-style space rather than a cramped hotel room. For the money, especially if you’re staying more than a couple nights, it beats most of the chain hotels in central London. Plus there’s something nice about feeling like you’re actually living in the neighborhood rather than just passing through it.