Choose your room wisely at this solid budget choice in a pretty part of Earl’s Court – in case you thought there weren’t any pretty parts of Earl’s Court.
Sadly, you won’t earn bragging rights checking into 20 Nevern Square Hotel – but what it lacks in fancinessit makes up in being a cosy and charming budget spot in central(ish) London where you can simply rest your head. There’s friendly room service and impressive Asian-inspired decor, while rooms are kitted out with TVs and iPod docks, and there’s free, if sluggish, Wi-Fi. Plus, if you go for a room with a four-poster bed, you can pretend you've snoozed like royalty, even if the mattresses are a tiny bit stiff.
The hotel is also on a leafy square in a sweet part of Earl’s Court. Chain restaurants, a small gym, coffee shops and even a massage parlour aren’t too far away either, while the new Design Museum is a leisurely stroll away.
But as Twenty Nevern Square is a former Victorian townhouse, it's been chopped up into all sorts of random ways which means not all of the 20 rooms have been created equal – and be warned: the ceiling can creak horribly at night.
The basement room No.1 looks like the executive suite at a musty nursing home. It’s clean, with fine vintage furniture and old-fashioned wall art, but honestly? Your nan deserves better. Staff member Thomas realised he’d mixed up the rooms and offered us No.7 instead, which was a good size, with classier decor and a lovely bathroom with a good closet shower – but just a shame about the window view. Unless you like staring at brick walls, better to wangle one of the rooms that look out onto that pretty square.
Thankfully, the breakfast is flawless. The lush continental spread is served buffet-style in a stylish dining room. You’ll pass a chic common area to get there, which you probably won’t bother with if you’re here for the locale. But at least they’ve made an effort.
Time Out tip: A lot of people take pics with the ‘Tardis’ – an original police box outside the main entrance. But music fans should swing by the lesser known Logan’s Place – a residential road where you can find Garden Lodge. It’s the former home of Freddie Mercury and it’s now become the star’s unofficial shrine. And if you want a great Thai, head to Addie’s Thai – it’s legendary.
BY: MATILDA EGERE-COOPER
