Celtic Hotel

There’s your typical London budget hotel (same-same furniture, minimal atmosphere, impersonal service), and then there’s the the family-run Celtic Hotel, a basic but friendly two-star establishment with reasonable rates, a fabulous Bloomsbury location and energetic Italian proprietors.

Quick read

Pros: Sweet staff. Impeccably clean. Homey and warm. A cat named “Dog.”

Cons: Rooms are basic (and sometimes small).

Rooms

The 35 rooms at the Celtic Hotel vary quite significantly in size, but high ceilings and pastel-toned walls help make even the tiny singles feel a little less cramped. Furnishings are of the basic, utilitarian variety, with clashing print curtains and comforters. But rooms are sparklingly clean, and little details like framed floral prints, cute lamps and pretty crown molding increase the charm quotient. All rooms offer free Wi-Fi (and the list of amenities end there).

Bathrooms

There are several different room types at the Celtic Hotel. The most basic (and cheapest) singles and doubles have in-room sinks and share all other facilities, and the most expensive rooms have private bathrooms. There are also middle-of-the-road rooms that have either only a shower or only a toilet.

Whatever the configuration, the bathrooms are spotless (they actually look brand new), and there are plenty of shared facilities to go around. The especially modest should note, however, that the “shower-no-toilet” rooms have free-standing showers—with no separate door.

Hotel

The Hotel Celtic has two spacious lounges, each done up with a mishmash of comfortable furniture and traditional fireplace. One has a television, and both are great for curling up with a book or stroking the resident cat (named “Dog”).

Mr. and Mrs. Marazzi, the Celtic’s smiley Italian owners, keep the place comfortable and homey. The family is so delightfully friendly that when they moved operations (from the St. Margaret’s Hotel, a former EuroCheapo favorite located just a few blocks away), virtually their entire staff wanted to move with them. How’s that for a good sign?

The Celtic goes way beyond standard duty for a hotel in its price category. Its rates aren’t the cheapest in London, but given its top-notch service and its location bang in the center of town (close to Russell Square, the British Museum, Kings Cross Station and the West End), the hotel represents a good value.

Breakfast, included in the room rate, is made to order and served in a light, airy room with mirrored walls. Note: The hotel does not have an elevator.

Guest reviews in brief

”Quaint” and “welcoming” are words that come up a lot in reviews of the Celtic Hotel. Guests enjoy the friendly service and the “brilliant” breakfast, as well as the hotel’s convenient location and impeccable cleanliness.

The few complaints about the Celtic center around the rooms (tiny) and their amenities (nil).