Crescent Hotel

Oh, how we love the Crescent Hotel, a prim three-star property perched on the beautifully green—and very quiet—Cartwright Gardens (a gorgeous expanse of Georgian houses overlooking communal tennis courts and gardens). From the moment you enter the hotel’s reception room, with its ornate wallpaper and glowing lampshades, this lovely gem feels like an English country bubble, right in the middle of the city.

Quick read

Pros: Oh, so charming. Quiet yet central location. Very clean. Great breakfast. Friendly staff.

Cons: No elevator (and steep stairs). Small bathrooms and some tiny singles.

Rooms

The Crescent Hotel’s 27 guest rooms are spacious (by London standards) and immaculately clean and, in general, maintain an aesthetic consistency largely missing from London's midrange hotels. They don’t have the cookie-cutter feel of large or chain hotels, but a traditional aesthetic is common throughout.

We saw pale green or rosy hued walls, deep green bedding and tapestry pillows. Furnishings, many of which are antiques, come in rich woods and deep cherry tones, over which we imagine our fussy aunts would swoon.

Rooms are equipped with a coffee/tea maker, fan, TV and telephone.

Bathrooms

Most rooms have private bathrooms, but a few single rooms share facilities. Bathrooms are small and some might feel dated, but they are spotless. And there are no more than three single rooms to one shared bathroom.

Toiletries and a hair dryer are provided in the rooms with private baths.

Hotel

The Bessolo family has been managing the Crescent Hotel since 1956, and they have this hospitality business wired. Here you’ll get efficient, friendly service and a homey vibe. The cozy lounge, with its pretty crown molding and plush furnishings, offers a free Internet station plus coffee, tea and snacks (available throughout the day). And the tranquil garden is a perfect place to unwind when the weather is nice.

Guests come to the Crescent from all over, with lots of Americans, families and academics particularly well represented. 

A full English breakfast, included in the room rate, is served in a cheery breakfast room done up with myriad trinkets adorning sunny yellow walls. Wi-Fi is available for an additional fee. Guests have access to the Cartwright Gardens tennis courts. Note that the Crescent does not have an elevator (there are, however, a few ground-floor rooms). 

Location

The Crescent Hotel has a fantastic Bloomsbury location, within spitting distance of King’s Cross. The British Museum, Covent Garden and the shops of Oxford Street are all easily accessible from here as well.

The hotel is set on Cartwright Gardens, a tranquil London oasis with a tradition of radicalism. Built in the early 19th century, the area is named for Major John Cartwright, champion of universal suffrage, the abolition of slavery and other progressive movements of his day. Many notable Londoners have called this area home, and Cartwright Gardens has also been the setting for several works of literature, including Trollope’s The Small House at Allington.