Upon approach, one senses that Arran House is a special place. The black brick exterior, the gleaming door arch, painted white, and, in warmer months, the window boxes of flowers all indicate that this Georgian townhouse is inhabited by a keeper of a hotel.
And, indeed, Arran House is one of our favorites among the Gower Street guesthouse cluster. The hotel boasts attractive, simple rooms. It’s a smallish hotel, with 28 rooms, catering largely to American guests.
Super-fluffy duvets, crème colored walls, rustic wooden bed frames, and heavy, pristine dark blue drapes set the stage in rooms. The effect is homey, not fancy. Rooms have plenty of storage space. One room we saw, with shared facilities, had an in-room sink well equipped with shelving for toiletries. The shared bathroom we spied was roomy and spotless, with attractive gray floor tiles.
For added atmospheric kick, the hallways are hung with theatre posters. The lounge is a welcoming space with an Internet station, television, brochures, a bookshelf, and some comfy couches.
Light sleepers might want to request a room in the back off Gower Street.
» Alex Robertson Textor
Note: This hotel was visited by a EuroCheapo editor and is recommended based on cleanliness, location, price and overall quality. EuroCheapo did not charge this hotel to be listed.
About the Arran House Hotel neighborhood
Situated north of Piccadilly Circus and the West End, leafy Bloomsbury is famous as the former headquarters of the bohemian writing clique known as the Bloomsbury Group. The charming neighborhood is centered around Russell Square and boasts the British Museum, University of London, and Georgian townhouse-lined streets. Budget-friendly B&Bs line Gower Street, just west of the University, easily accessible to the rest of the central city. This is London at its most charming and, arguably, most literary.
more about Bloomsbury