Attentive service and swanky surroundings? Check. Huge suites that feel more like homes than hotel rooms? Check. And total tranquility slap bang in the middle of London? Well yes, actually. It sounds too much to ask for, but No. 5 Maddox Street is a surprisingly peaceful urban retreat: bags of style, but none of the usual city stresses. Step through its unassuming doorway, tucked away on a side street between Soho and Mayfair, and the hustle and bustle outside melts away.
The atmosphere throughout is calm and refined, and there’s a touch of Zen about the 1-, 2- and 3-bed apartments, which come with bamboo floors and orchid-filled vases. White walls and clean lines create a feeling of space, touchy-feely fabrics add cosiness, and Geodesis candles fill the air with soothing aromas. If you want to cocoon yourself away you can whip up meals in your swish kitchen or have food delivered to your door; venture out and you’ll find restaurants and bars all around. And afterwards you can return to your city pad and sprawl in front of the fire - the crowds of Regent Street are just around the corner, but you’d never know it.
Highs
- Hotel-style luxuries (Frette linens, Artisan du Chocolat chocolates, Ren toiletries) with the privacy of an apartment
- Perfectly placed for exploring central London, yet very quiet
- Light-filled apartments (as stylish and serene as ever during our last revisit), some with terraces for alfresco dining
- Service is excellent - there’s a 24-hour concierge, and smartly dressed staff appear out of nowhere to open doors
- Ideal for romantic city breaks and shopping weekends - and families are very welcome, too
Lows
- No lift - staff will help with your luggage, but you could find yourself trudging up several flights of stairs to your apartment
- Executive Apartments overlook the street and suffer some noise, but their secondary glazing is fairly effective
- No twin beds, so friends who don't want to cosy up will need to shell out for a larger apartment with a bedroom each
- 3 cots
- Baby bath
- Highchairs
- Children\'s crockery and cutlery (on request)
Some equipment may need to be requested in advance
Available by arrangement; book in advance
It\'s self-catering, and the kitchens have microwaves. Nearby are family-friendly cafés and takeaways, plus Waitrose and Marks and Spencer for groceries. Meals can be delivered, too
- Children\'s DVDs (popcorn supplied!)
- The Natural History Museum (15 minutes by Tube)
- The Science Museum (15 minutes by Tube)
- The Victoria & Albert Museum (15 minutes by Tube)
- Hamleys toy shop (3-minute walk)
- St James\' Park (20-minute walk)
- Boutique Serviced Apartments
- 12 apartments for 2-7
- Self-catering (+ meal delivery service)
- All ages welcome
- Open all year
- Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Babysitting
- Creche / Kids Club
- Car not necessary
- Parking
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
- Daily Maid Service
- Towels & Bedlinen
- Concierge Service
- Laundry Service
- Free gym passes
Rooms
There’s a sleek modernity to the apartments’ Asian-inspired décor and palette of cream, taupe and chocolate brown. Bamboo floors, white walls and huge windows make them wonderfully bright and airy, but plush textures mean they’re far from clinical. Living rooms have giant leather floor cushions, velvet sofas and spiral-shaped Tom Dixon lamps; bathrooms come with Ren toiletries and kimono-style robes. Other 5-star flourishes include Geodesis candles and fresh flowers, and you’ll even find umbrellas in the wardrobes.
We stayed in a 1-Bedroom Deluxe Apartment, which had a decked balcony and a mirrored fireplace. It was blissfully quiet, and we awoke feeling like we’d spent the night in the countryside rather than the city. The 2-Bedroom Loft Apartments have rooftop views and soaring ceilings. One is split-level, with a leather staircase twisting up to a mezzanine sleeping area; the other has a terrace. There’s also the 3-Bedroom Bartlett Apartment, which has 2 terraces and an open-plan living area with pops of lime green.
The smallest apartments are the double-bedded Superior and Executive Apartments - though they’re still bigger than most hotel rooms. We’d recommend avoiding the latter if you're a light sleeper, as their bedrooms face the street.
Features include:
- Bathrobes
- Hairdryer
- In-room treatments available
- Iron
- Minibar
- Safe box
- WiFi
Eating
The gleaming white kitchens are as stylish as the other rooms, but they’re also practical. You get all you need to cook a full meal (oven, hob, microwave, dishwasher, toaster and kettle, pans, utensils, crockery and cutlery, even chopsticks). All apartments have tables, but as they only seat 2-4 you might find there are more guests than chairs.
Staff can fill your cupboards with Whole Foods groceries on request, but to get you started there’s a welcome tray with coffee, Fair Trade teas, fresh fruit and chocolates. There’s also a ‘big bar’ (nothing ‘mini’ here) stocked with a few basic ingredients, divided into ‘good’ options like organic pasta and fruit juice, and ‘bad’ ones such as crisps, wine and a Bloody Mary cocktail mix (all charged for).
If you don’t want to cook, you can order from an array of restaurant delivery menus. There’s also a breakfast menu, again with healthy choices (fruit salad, muesli) and naughty ones (the Full English, smoked salmon and scrambled eggs). If you’re feeling a little hazy you can select a ‘hangover breakfast’ of bacon and egg muffins and vitamin sachets. Breakfasts aren't available on Sundays; instead you’ll find a complimentary basket of pastries waiting at your door.
There’s no shortage of options if you want to eat out, including trendy Thai restaurant Patara, which sits directly underneath the apartments and offers a 10% discount to Maddox Street guests. Also nearby are the much-lauded 5 Pollen Street and Michelin-starred Hibiscus.
Features include:
- Bar
- Breakfast
- Dishwasher
- Full kitchen
- Hob or stove
- Kids' meals
- Meal delivery service
- Microwave
- Organic produce
- Oven
- Restaurants nearby
- Shopping service
- Toaster
- Welcome tray
Activities
- Shop till you drop - the designer delights of Regent Street lie just around the corner, high street heaven is a 2-minute stroll away on Oxford Street, and the upscale boutiques of Bond Street and Mayfair are to the west. Don’t miss Liberty for eclectic high-end fashion and Fortnum & Mason for foodie treats
- Kids (and big kids) can occupy themselves for hours at massive toy emporium Hamleys on Regent Street
- You’re in the heart of Theatreland, and you’ll find a copy of Time Out in your apartment for the latest listings
- Head to St James’ Park and take a walk around its ornamental lake (home to a colony of pelicans). Hyde Park and Regent’s Park are also within easy reach
- Culture vultures will find the National Gallery and the Royal Academy nearby. The clued-up staff can recommend the latest exhibitions
- Night owls should head to the hip bars of Soho. If you want to see and be seen, start with cocktails at art and music venue Sketch (9 Conduit Street)
- Feeling energetic? Make use of the free pass to a nearby gym. In need of relaxation? Soothe your muscles and mind with an in-suite massage
For more London tips, see our destination guide.
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Historical sites
- Museums / galleries
- Nightlife
- Plantlife / flora
- Private guided tours
- Shopping / markets
- Theatre
- Well being
Best Time to go
Come at any time of year - London is always buzzing. Spring and summer bring flowering parks, crowded pavement cafés and throngs of tourists; autumn is generally quieter, but the weather is often pleasant. Winter sees the streets fill with Christmas shoppers and January sales bargain-hunters - it’s a great time to visit if you want to take to the ice on an outdoor rink or soak up the festive atmosphere.
Our Top Tips
After a hectic day of sightseeing, light a candle, open a bottle of wine, order food from Patara and curl up in your lovely living room with a stash of DVDs borrowed from reception.
Location
No. 5 Maddox Street is located on a side street just off Regent Street in central London, between Soho and Mayfair. It’s a 2-minute walk from Oxford Circus Tube station (on the Bakerloo, Central and Victoria lines), and an easy walk from Piccadilly Circus.
By Air:
London City (15km away) is the closest airport, but most scheduled airlines fly into London Heathrow (24km away) or London Gatwick (39km away). Some budget airlines land at London Luton (44km away) or London Stansted (50km away). Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving these airports.
From the Airport
Taxis to Maddox Street cost approximately £30 from London City airport, £65 from London Heathrow and £120 from London Gatwick. Staff can also arrange transfers (see Rates) or you can take public transport (see below).
By Train:
Rail services to London from elsewhere in the UK arrive at Paddington, Marylebone, King’s Cross, St Pancras, Euston, Waterloo, Liverpool Street or Victoria stations, all of which are an easy Tube ride from Oxford Circus. International Eurostar trains from Paris, Lille and Brussels arrive at St Pancras station.
From Heathrow airport you can take the fast Heathrow Express rail service or the slightly slower Heathrow Connect service to Paddington. The Gatwick Express service travels from Gatwick airport to Victoria in 30 minutes, and the Stansted Express takes 45-60 minutes to reach Liverpool Street station. There's a Docklands Light Rail (DLR) service from London City airport to Bank, where you can connect with the Tube network.
By Coach:
Coach services from all the above airports and elsewhere in the UK arrive at London Victoria. These are often much cheaper - but considerably slower - than the train.
By Car:
Driving around London can be stressful so most people rely on public transport. However, if you want to hire a car see our car rental recommendations. There’s no parking at No. 5 Maddox Street, but a public car park is available on Old Burlington Street nearby.
Getting Around:
Buses and Tube lines serve all areas of central London. For the cheapest fares buy a pre-paid Oyster card, which is valid on all bus and Tube services, as well as overground trains in the London area.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.
More on getting to the UK and getting around
Airports:
- London Heathrow 24.0 km LHR
- London Gatwick 39.0 km LGW
Other:
- Beach 90.0 km
- Shops 0.1 km
- Restaurant 0.1 km