Budget hotels
4.2 4.2
Situated in the historic part of the City of London, just off Fleet Street, the four-star Apex Temple Court Hotel sits in a quiet courtyard. The contemporary interior design in the public spaces and rooms makes for a hidden gem.
This is the third Apex hotel in London; the others are also in the City of London. Comfortable luxury and understated elegance are good descriptions of the Apex style.
The post-war buildings were formerly chamber of lawyers in the legal heart of the Inner Temple and underwent a £ 50 million conversion to create this 184-room hotel.
All rooms have Bose SoundDocks, Sky TV (including some 3D TV options), plus everything you would expect: refrigerator, tea and coffee, iron, hairdryer, and safe. Higher-level rooms also have Nespresso coffee machines.
Location
The City of London is now a business district, but it was the site of London’s original settlement. The area has wonderful alleys and intriguing street names and is steeped in history. Across Fleet Street is Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, one of London’s oldest pubs, where famous diarist Samuel Pepys drank in the 18th century and Charles Dickens in the 19th century.
Look at Fleet Street for a breathtaking view of St. Paul’s Cathedral and head the other way to reach Covent Garden and the West End in minutes.
It is a very central location, as you can easily walk to Tate Modern, the London Eye and the South Bank and see many landmarks without using transport. It is also ideal for theater stays as it is very close to Theatreland.
When it’s time to sleep, the hotel is in a quiet courtyard and as the city is primarily a business area these days, you won’t be disturbed.
Room types
Apex Temple Court Hotel has 184 rooms ranging in size from the 25-square-meter City Double Room to the 49-square-meter Master Suite. If you book a Superior Double or Twin Room, a Deluxe Double Room, Junior Suite or Master Suite, you will have access to the Club Lounge on the ground floor.
Some 5th floor rooms have views of the London Eye and ‘Big Ben’.
For business travelers
Free Wi-Fi and free local calls make this a good base for a business trip. Rooms have plenty of storage space and the hotel’s Chambers Restaurant offers indoor and patio dining.
There is a good size desk in each room and Sky TV too when it’s time to relax.
For meetings, there is an eight-person meeting suite, and the Chambers Restaurant has a private dining space for up to 42 guests.
Book a Deluxe room or Suite and you will have access to the Club Lounge to provide the extra space you need during your stay. The Lounge has space to work or relax and includes complimentary drinks and snacks throughout the day.
For leisure travelers
That free wifi is appreciated as are the Elemis toiletries. Deluxe Rooms and Suites have an in-room sitting / sitting area as well as a bedroom, plus a spacious bathroom with a walk-in shower and separate bathtub. All rooms have Sky TV as well.
Each guest receives a free Apex Duck that especially appeals to younger guests.
My Review of the Apex Temple Court Hotel
The reviews are consistently good, so I had to try the hotel for myself. Took my daughter for a Sunday night treat. We entered through the great cobbled courtyard of the Sergeants’ Inn and didn’t realize there was an entrance directly on Fleet Street until we left.
Check-in time is earlier than most (2.30pm) and check-out time is later (12pm to noon), giving you even more time to enjoy your room. Check-in at the reception was friendly and efficient and we stayed in a deluxe double room. The separate living room was much appreciated, as was the dining room table where we sat for hot drinks and snacks. Complimentary bottles of water were provided and the free WiFi worked well.
The space was surprising for a London hotel and there is plenty of storage space too. The bedroom area had two closets and there were more closets in the living room area. While we appreciated the good blackout curtains and quiet location, a dimmer switch lamp would be nice as the bedside table lamp was too bright to leave on and sleep. We also had a hard time finding the on / off switch on the contemporary design lamps in the room.
When I was in bed and the lights were off, I could see standby lights on the two televisions, the Sky TV box, the wall control for the air conditioning unit, and the telephone. But the bed was comfortable and we both slept well.
As in many hotels, it appears that there were only sockets on one side of the bed. In the morning it was nice to know that we could open the window a bit to let in fresh air, and the Bose iPod docking station was appreciated.
The bathroom and walk-in shower were greeted by each of us, as were the Elemis toiletries, which made getting out of the comfortable bed more inviting. And the take-home Apex rubber duck made the game easy.
We stayed for breakfast which we both thought was delicious and well priced.
Conclution
A great price for a great hotel in a quiet, central location. Yes, I would definitely return.
Apex Temple Court Hotel Dirección: 1-2 Serjeants ‘Inn, Fleet Street, Londres EC4Y 1LL
