Hotel Review
Location
Staycity Aparthotel is located in the historic centre of Greenwich and is just a few minutes walk from Greenwich mainline railway station with frequent trains to and from London Bridge taking only 8 minutes. The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) is also nearby with links from the London Underground at Bank taking 20 minutes.
Arrival and Check-In
Check-in is from 3.00 p.m. and I’m pleased to report that we were warmly welcomed when we arrived slightly earlier. We had checked in on-line the previous day so it was just a matter of collecting our key cards from the friendly receptionist sitting behind a perspex screen.
It was the first time we’d arranged accommodation since March when the Coronavirus pandemic dashed ours and everyone else’s plans. Realising that life is now a little different we decided that an aparthotel would fit the bill nicely offering us a home from home experience.
The Room
Getting our room keys, we headed to the lifts where an orange sign informed us that only one family/ group was able to use a lift at any one time, but with only three floors, two lifts and a staircase, I doubt there would be much of a wait.
Both studios and apartments are available accommodating up to four guests. We were staying in a one bedroom apartment and on reaching the door we were reassured by a seal letting us know that the room had been cleaned and sealed for our protection.
Our spacious room was light and airy and we knew instantly that we’d made the right decision and would feel perfectly safe and comfortable there. The question that I’m sure we’re all asking was, would the stringent safety measures detract from an enjoyable stay? Gone are the scatter cushions adding welcoming splashes of colour and helping to create a cosy atmosphere but I’m certain we can all cope without them, safe in the knowledge that the rooms have been deep cleaned.
The apartment measured a very generous 34m2, sleeping up to four people and giving us plenty of space to spread out. The entrance doorway leads into an open plan living area with a large sofa bed and wall mounted television in one corner. Wi-Fi is fast and reliable and our Sunday newspapers with their numerous supplements downloaded to our iPads in seconds.
There’s a well equipped kitchen corner complete with induction hob, microwave, fridge, toaster and most importantly a dishwasher. Self catering is absolutely fine but surely no-one wants to be washing up afterwards when they are on holiday. Alongside the appliances there’s a good range of quality utensils, pots, pans and crockery and that all important bottle opener/ corkscrew if you end up buying a bottle of wine without a screw top as we frequently do. A welcome pack consisting of tea, coffee, sugar and milk is provided in all rooms and our evening request for extra milk was provided quickly.
Facing the kitchenette is a glass topped table with four chairs, ideal for dining, working or playing the occasional board game. Plug sockets are plentiful and sensibly placed with a pair above and below the table making it easy for us to charge our numerous devices.
From the small Marks & Spencer food hall near Cutty Sark we found plenty to tempt us for our dine in meal and only had to carry our groceries a short distance as it’s just one stop on the DLR from Greenwich.
A cleverly designed dividing wall separates the living and sleeping zones offering privacy if the sofa bed in the open plan lounge area is also being used. The bedroom had large windows offering a pleasant outlook and we slept soundly on the extremely comfortable Hypnos mattress without disturbances.
There’s a good sized wardrobe and I was delighted to discover that it had a socket built into one side of it making the hairdryer ready to use and not leaving me searching for somewhere to plug it in.
The stylish bathroom featured a large rainfall shower, heated towel rail, toiletries and a large pile of thick, fluffy white towels.
The Facilities
The reception lobby has leather sofas along one wall and a member of staff is on duty at all times. Coming in and out, we met three receptionists and they were all very friendly and helpful.
In the basement there is a large laundry room with washers/ dryers, ideal for guests staying more than a few days. Rooms are equipped with irons and ironing boards eliminating the need to request one. There’s also a useful luggage storage room but instead of just somewhere to leave bags and suitcases, it is even more secure as it is equipped with large lockers.
Although we had been happy to arrive by public transport not everyone might be ready to take this step yet but as the Staycity Greenwich has its own secure parking, this can be a real bonus, especially in London. Guests could even bring along their own groceries without needing to go shopping or eating out and simply enjoy a change of scene enjoying walks along the river or in Greenwich Park.
Out and About
London might not be the obvious choice for a holiday at the moment with many preferring rural locations to big cities but Greenwich is an ideal base for a short break and here are a few suggestions of things to see and do.
Greenwich Park
Dating back to Roman times, it’s London’s oldest royal park and is part of the Greenwich Maritime World Heritage site. Climb to the top of the hill by the Royal Observatory for some stunning views over Greenwich and across to Canary Wharf.
Old Royal Naval College
Stroll through the grounds of this wonderful Baroque building designed by Sir Christopher Wren, formerly a home for retired sailors and now the main campus of the University of Greenwich.
Tour of the Cutty Sark
One of the last tea clippers built for speed and taking part in tea races from China earning premiums for returning swiftly with the prized cargo. A fire in 2007 required long term repairs and it was five years later when the ship re-opened with a glass canopy over the dry dock and a new museum on board. Pre-booked tours have just resumed with a surprising amount of space on board for safe viewing and social distancing.
Riverside Walks
Stroll along part of the Thames Path in both directions from near the Cutty Sark enjoying scenic views whilst breathing in the fresh air. You might also like to cross the river by means of the Greenwich foot tunnel to Island Gardens on the Isle of Dogs. From there you can follow signposts and continue along to Canary Wharf passing Mudchute and the attractive Millwall Inner Dock on your way.
Greenwich Market
Visit London’s only historic market set in a World Heritage Site. Browse the stalls where you’ll find gifts, clothing, arts and crafts intermingled with lots of tempting street food.
Overall
A pleasurable stay in a stylish apartment providing the perfect base after months of being stuck at home due to lockdown. In these uncertain times Aparthotels offer guests the flexibility of a hotel experience with the added benefit of being able to social distance. We felt so much better for our city break and if you are considering a few days in London then StayCity would be a good choice.
Details
Staycity Aparthotel, 66 Greenwich High Road, Greenwich, London SE10 8JL
For more ideas on how to spend a weekend in Greenwich you may also like:
Exploring Greenwich & Docklands
We were guests of Staycity Aparthotels and as always all views and opinions are entirely my own.
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