Twenty Nevern Square

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.

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