For a great mid priced hotel in London, try the Base2stay Hotel in London’s Earl’s Court neighborhood. With rooms starting at 93 GBP, the hotel is a great deal in an expensive city.
NYT Article: London: Base2stay
London: Base2stay
By BENJI LANYADO
Base2stay is a boutique hotel for the credit-crunch age. Housed in a stylish London town house with crisp stone pillars, it could rightfully charge a queen’s ransom for a night’s stay. But it doesn’t. By cutting nonessentials — restaurants, room service, gym, spa — the 67-room hotel, which opened two years ago, starts at £93, or $173, at $1.90 to the pound, a night. In this pricey town, you’d be forgiven for thinking that wasn’t allowed.
THE LOCATION
The hotel is tucked down a quiet street just off busy Earl’s Court Road, amid rows of Victorian and Georgian houses surrounding pretty squares and even prettier people. Both the Earl’s Court and Gloucester Road Underground stations are within walking distance, as are the Natural History Museum and Hyde Park. Nearby side streets are lined with chi-chi cafes and trendy bars that attract a mix of tourists and locals.
THE ROOMS
Modern and sparsely chic, the rooms were larger than I had expected and reinforced base2stay’s dueling concept: one eye on style, the other on cost-effectiveness. Shades of milky browns and cream formed a soothing backdrop, and high ceilings and wide wooden windows gave the impression of more space. My queen-size bed was plush and comfortable, with more Egyptian cotton and pillows than I could possibly use. Storage was ample, thanks to the luggage drawers under the bed and a smart-looking kitchenette with stainless-steel counter, fridge, microwave and a full set of glasses, ceramic plates and flatware. It felt like a high-end boutique hotel, but stopped well short of extravagant.
Continued on nytimes.com
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