We Have a Winner – Stay at the Wilde ApartHotel in Central London
The Wilde Aparthotel at Covent Garden is the perfect place to stay on a short visit to London.
The price is reasonable (under $200 CDN a night when I booked, although this price may vary), the amenities and comforts are first rate, and the location unbelievable.
I’ve stayed in many places in London over the years, highlights being the ParkCity in Kensington and The Cavendish near Green Park, but never have I stayed in a place as fabulously located and appointed as Wilde Aparthotel, particularly if you, like me, are a theater nut.
Location, Location, Location
From the Wilde Aparthotel, you can walk to most West End theaters in under five minutes. Two of them are just across the street on the Strand.
After an evening at the theater, nothing kills the post-applause buzz like a long tube ride. I prefer to waltz no more than a few blocks along brightly lit streets thronged with other theatergoers. I especially appreciate the Wilde Aparthotel’s location when I am visiting London alone. Safety first, and for the solo traveler, the area feels very safe.
Value for Money at the Wilde Aparthotel
The Wilde Aparthotel, which is part of a chain owned by StayCity (their other property is at Paddington), has figured out how to provide visitors with a four-star experience in a five-star location at a price that won’t require them to mortgage their homes back home.
They cut corners on unnecessary stuff and spend money on things that directly contribute to customer comforts.
The two most obvious cuts are the lack of a lobby and breakfast service. A lobby is generally a waste of space and food is certainly not hard to come by in this part of London. Several coffee shops are within a five-minute walk of the hotel.
Arriving at the Wilde Aparthotel
Guests walk into a narrow entranceway and go immediately up the elevator to their rooms. Everything is sleek, modern and kind of quirky, befitting a hotel named after Oscar Wilde.
According to a plaque at the entrance, the hotel was opened by Oscar Wilde’s grandson. How cool is that!
An attendant is on duty each time I enter the hotel, always greeting me warmly and asking me if I need anything. Every staff member I encounter during my stay at the Wilde Aparthotel is friendly and professional. I feel like they really want me to have a good stay.
Room Features
My room is pretty tiny, but it has everything I can possibly need including a full kitchen, a desk, a fabulous rainforest shower, a large TV and a very comfy bed. Okay, I have to crawl across the bed and navigate around a million pillows to get to the window so I can open and close the curtains, but that’s not much of an inconvenience.
The room would be small for two people, but it is perfect for one.
Free Stuff
The fridge is stocked with free glass bottles of water (with more available whenever needed) and snacks. Yes, you read that right–free.
Unlike every other hotel I’ve ever stayed in, the Wilde Aparthotel does not charge for the contents of the minibar. Gone is the feverish scanning of price lists at 3 am, recoiling at the eye-watering prices and then having to make the agonizing choice between eating dinner the next day and slaking your thirst.
Instead, I pluck a cold, recyclable glass bottle of water and happily chug it down, secure in the knowledge that I can have another…and another.
Room Layout
The space is thoughtfully arranged with lots of little touches like fragrant shampoos and lotions in large refillable bottles, a sturdy umbrella which I needed on Day 2, fluffy towels, and good lighting. Really, it can’t be more perfect.
Back in the day, most affordable accommodation in London consisted of dreary bed-and-breakfasts with bathrooms down the hall, thin towels, lumpy beds, and hideous wallpaper reminiscent of Oscar Wilde’s last words on Earth.
Either that wallpaper goes or I do.
And he did.
What’s Close to the Wilde Aparthotel?
The Wilde Aparthotel is located on Adams Street just around the corner from the Strand. It’s no more than a five-minute walk from Trafalgar Square, the Thames, and Covent Garden.
Busses ply the Strand constantly to get to wherever you need to go in minutes. For my entire two-and-a-bit days in London, I never needed to take the Underground.
Numerous coffee shops and restaurants are very close by. On my first night, I enjoy a wonderful plate of fettucine and smoked salmon at Uvilo, an Italian place directly across the Strand from the hotel.
The portion is huge so I pack up the leftovers to store in my fridge. The small kitchen is equipped with a microwave and stove so the next day I’m able to heat up the leftovers for lunch. I’ve never had access to kitchen facilities in a London hotel.
I will definitely stay at the Wilde Aparthotel again and can recommend it unreservedly.