Z at Gloucester Place

Spread out across several converted Georgian townhouses, the Z at Gloucester Place actually covers a rather large footprint. Most of its buildings are on the same block, and three of them are connected all in a row, but another three are scattered up and down the street. They present a perfectly charming London backdrop with red-brick facades trimmed in white, all topped with narrow chimneys.

Reception and check-in for all of the buildings is at 51 Gloucester Place, where guests can also find a sweet little 24-hour cafe done up in white subway tile and metal stools and chairs. A small adjoining courtyard adds to its charm. However, guests staying in annex buildings will find they must trek up and down the street to reach both reception and the cafe. Still, it doesn't seem to bother guests who find the location -- ideal for sightseeing central London -- and the rates hard to beat. Most guests are couples, along with the occasional family and business traveler. The cafe encourages a bit of mingling as does the social happy hour at night, where guests are treated to free wine and cheese. 

This hotel is spread across several townhouses on a relatively quiet road in a largely residential, upmarket neighborhood on the edge of Marylebone in central London. The main building occupies a row of townhouses at 51-55 Gloucester Place, with annexes at 23, 33, and 87 Gloucester Place, all located between Portman Square and Marylebone Road. There's not much on the block, but restaurants, bars, and cafes can be found on neighboring streets, and plenty of the city's tourist attractions are within walking distance. Hyde Park and Marble Arch is a 10-minute walk away, as is the Sherlock Holmes museum. Oxford Street is even closer, a seven-minute stroll. Other major sites require a taxi or tube ride, such as Buckingham Palace (a 24-minute tube ride), the London Eye (26 minutes), and Westminster Abbey and Big Ben (21 minutes). Thankfully, the hotel is surrounded by four tube stations within a 12-minute walking radius. Paddington Station is a 13-minute tube ride away, and from there guests can take a 15-minute express service connections to Heathrow Airport; a 33-minute taxi ride will also get guests there.

The Z's compact rooms are spread across six townhouses, but they share a uniform, streamlined style. Wood floors, platform beds, and textiles in white and gray maintain a tidy, contemporary look. Rooms tend to be rather snug, and in lower categories small cube stools are tucked under bedside tables providing the only seating. Higher-category rooms and Junior Suites expand things with king-sized beds and sitting areas furnished with upholstered chairs in red piping.

All rooms are relatively well equipped with free Wi-Fi, 48-inch flat-screen TVs, and electric kettles paired with tea and coffee. However, basement rooms suffer from petite windows with poor views, while others have windows overlooking the street, and some interior rooms lack windows all together. On the flip side, Club Rooms (in a separate annex) offer an upgrade of free breakfast and afternoon tea. 

Just as the rooms do, bathrooms vary in size -- some are tiny, others are downright cramped. But all are tastefully finished with modern fixtures and glass walk-in showers. A few upper-category rooms even add separate soaking tubs, and all are stocked with free toiletries including cotton rounds and Q-tips, a nice perk. That said, most bathrooms are separated from bedrooms with frosted glass partitions, which may not offer enough privacy for some.

Extra features here are rather limited, but there are a few perks that add to the Z's value. The main building has a charming cafe, open 24 hours, decked out in stool seating along two windows and a long communal table. Glass doors open to a cozy, walled outdoor courtyard with bench seating between box planters. Breakfast and lunch are served here, although both are for an added fee -- except for Club Room guests whose rates cover breakfast, afternoon tea, cocktails, and drinks and snacks throughout the day. But all guests are invited to attend the hotel's wine-and-cheese happy hours, which are provided for free. Infant cots and rollaway beds are available for families traveling with kids, and Wi-Fi is free throughout.