Crestfield Hotel

Situated on a quiet side street and spanning several brick-fronted Georgian townhouses, the Crestfield offers basic accommodation in a contemporary setting. Granite flooring and a simple wooden front desk greets guests in the small lobby, where original carved ceilings and cute white shutters let in plenty of light. Embossed wall panels lead to a small 24-hour bar with brown-leather sofas and stools. The bar also serves coffee which, in warmer months can be enjoyed on the lovely outdoor terrace with wooden tables and greenery. As there's no elevator, stairs are steep, and hallways narrow, reaching rooms can be a challenge. Guests are a mix of tourist and business travelers, mostly here for the great location and affordable price. 

Situated on a calm street surrounded by mostly residential properties and other small hotels, the Crestfield is convenient for accessing the stations of King's Cross. The nearest tube, King's Cross St. Pancras, is a two-minute walk away and St. Pancras International is five minutes. Euston Station is a 10-minute walk and multiple buses stop nearby. A Tesco supermarket is five minutes away, and popular venue Scala is one minute farther. An eight-minute walk will bring travelers to The British Library. Covent Garden and London's financial district can be reached in 10 minutes by tube, while Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament are a quick 20 minutes away. On foot, Chapel Market is less than 20 minutes. Some local pubs and restaurants are dotted around the area. Heathrow Airport is an hour by taxi and slightly less by public transport. Gatwick is a 90 minutes by car or 50 minutes by public transit. London City is the nearest airport at 40 minutes away both by car and train.

Definitely a step up from the shabbier decor of a lot of the nearby small hotels, rooms at the Crestfield are small but attractive. Dark, striped wood paneling gives a sophisticated edge and is handsomely offset by white linens and Carolina-blue textured wallpaper. Blue drapes, chrome built-in reading lamps, and rectangular mirrors are the few decorative accents. Capacity varies from Singles, Twins, and Doubles, to Triples and Quads for group travelers or families.

All rooms have 32-inch (81-cm) flat-screen LCD Freeview TVs, tea- and coffee-making facilities, small desks with chairs, and hairdryers, but no fridges or air-conditioning. Fans can be requested from reception, as can an iron/ironing board. Closet space is limited to simple shelving, hooks, and a hanging rail, but the under-bed storage is handy for luggage. Views are not particularly scenic, either of the street or the back of nearby homes and gardens. The hotel's free Wi-Fi extends to all rooms. Bathrooms are a squeeze with walk-in showers, daily replaced towels, and a few toiletries.

Features at the Crestfield are few but sufficient for a budget London hotel. There's no full restaurant but all rates include a substantial continental breakfast consisting of cereals, pastries, cold meats and cheeses, and yogurt. Tea, juice, and coffee are also provided. Buffets are served in a simple cafeteria-esque room of bright-blue and purple tables. The 24-hour bar also has a guest iPad and a small garden seating area with wooden tables. Wi-Fi is free throughout. There's no gym.