Celtic HotelEditor's Pick

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It’s tough to come up with a reliable metric for the effects of good, friendly management on a budget property, but the fact of the matter is that a well-run hotel with low nightly rates and decent, friendly owners is a gold mine for budget travelers.

The 35-room Celtic Hotel is one such star of a hotel, the likes of which are all too rare in London. It’s in a good location in Bloomsbury not far from Russell Square and the British Museum. Previously, the Marazzis, the delightfully friendly family behind Celtic Hotel, ran St. Margaret’s Hotel, a former favorite of ours located just a few blocks away. When they moved operations, virtually their entire staff wanted to move with them. How’s that for a good sign?

The Celtic Hotel has undergone a remarkably quick rejig. Newly renovated rooms are almost delicate in their floral reincarnations. They’re light and airy, with motif-driven drapes and bedspreads and bedside lamps with smart lampshades. Big paper globe lampshades add to the funky impression. The remaining pre-renovation rooms follow a more antiquey design, with lots of floral patterns and a mix of unmatched furniture. All rooms, renovated or not, are sparklingly clean.

Celtic Hotel goes way beyond standard duty for a hotel in its price category. Even the breakfasts, cooked to order, are top-notch. Plus, there’s a hotel cat named “Dog” occasionally prowling the ground floor’s two cavernous lounges. These delightful rooms are expansive, rambling, and very atmospheric, and are a great place to curl up with a book or have a conversation.

» 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.