Raglan Hotel

Situated on a largely residential street in suburban North London, the Raglan Hotel occupies three converted Victorian houses and is part of what was once the home of Lord Raglan, a decorated officer who fought in Waterloo and the Crimean War. Similar in style to the other buildings lining the street, the three-story Raglan Hotel has a painted brown and white brick facade with white window trim, bay windows, a recessed second floor balcony, and top-story dormer windows. Inside, the lobby decor is updated and contemporary, though somewhat generic, with neutral white walls, tiled floors, and brown accents. Black-and-white photos of the city decorate the walls along with a small aquarium inset in the wall. Bay windows serve as well-lit seating areas with slouchy (somewhat worn) brown leathery couches and square ottoman-style seats. Hallways throughout are less well-kept than the lobby, with worn brown carpets and narrow stairways (there are no elevators). Guests, a mix of business and leisure travelers, say the staff is friendly and know the area well. 

Situated on a residential street in the north London suburb of Muswell Hill, about a half-hour drive from central London, the Raglan Hotel is located beyond the city center, which is reflected in its price. While there are many eateries and high-end shops in walking distance, this location is a bit far from the sights of central London, which can be reached in about a half-hour to an hour via public transportation. Guests looking to sightsee in central London may be disappointed, though Muswell Hill and Queens Avenue bus stops are about a three-minute walk from the hotel, while the nearest tube station (East Finchley) is a 20-minute walk away. Alexandra Palace (“Ally Pally”), which hosts exhibitions and concerts and has park facilities, is a 12-minute walk from the hotel. The hotel offers only four parking spaces, which are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Others will likely have to find street parking.

• Three-minute walk to nearest bus stops
• 12-minute walk to Alexandra Palace and park
• Four-minute drive to nearest tube station (East Finchley) (20 minutes on foot)
• 12-minute drive to Highgate Cemetery (Karl Marx’s grave)
• 40-minute drive to Heathrow Airport
• 44 minutes to Tower of London by public transport (30 minutes by car)
• 55 minutes to Buckingham Palace by public transport (30 minutes by car)
• One and a half hours to Gatwick Airport by public transport 

The 50 guest rooms at the Raglan Hotel range in style and size, from the smallest Standard Single Room to a single Mini Apartment with a kitchenette and sofa bed. Rooms are spacious and the decor is tasteful and contemporary, if somewhat generic, with brown-and-white color schemes. But rooms show varying degrees of wear and tear, and some guests complain in particular about the state of the wall-to-wall carpeting, which is shabby and worn, though the hotel has plans to replace some of it. On the whole, however, most guests find the rooms fairly clean and comfortable for a hotel in this range. 

The smallest Standard Single Rooms features cream-colored walls with brown accent walls, dark brown wood furniture, single beds with white sheets, and drum pendant lights. Single bathrooms are compact with full white tiling and wet-room style showers. Luxury bathrooms are much larger with combination shower/tubs. All rooms have LCD TVs with Freeview, free Wi-Fi (though guests say the reception is poor), tea/coffee facilities, hairdryers, desks, wardrobes, and free individual toiletries. Only some rooms have air-conditioning, however, and those lacking it can be hot during the summer. Light sleepers should consider garden-facing rooms, as street-facing rooms can get noise.

The hotel has a pleasant, but basic breakfast room with wood floors, white walls, wooden cafe tables, and somewhat worn brown couches. This is where the English and Continental breakfasts are served, though they don’t come standard with the room rate. In general, guests find the breakfasts satisfactory. Free coffee and tea are available all day in the breakfast area.

For business guests, the hotel has over 150-square-feet of generic, but tasteful rooms for meetings and conferences as well as offering catering and planning capabilities for such events. A spacious, outdoor patio area provides lots of tables and seating and a Zen-inspired stone garden with manicured bushes and trees. There is no on-site fitness center or bar, however.