O2 Academy Islington

This property is close to Paddington Station and is how we arrived in London. We arrived early and the staff was willing to hold our luggage for us. Incidentally, Expedia says to call ahead or contact the property. There’s no need for that. The property is prepared for you as long as you book through Expedia. The room was small, directly above the ground floor pub. A couple of nights were noisy for a while, but the pub closes at midnight so it wasn’t really an issue. Our room was small but clean. The restroom was really small but adequate. I couldn’t figure out the thermostat and couldn’t cool the room enough even though it is air conditioned. The bathroom got pretty warm because of poor ventilation. That was the biggest negative. The breakfast provided was what I would classify as light with the only warm option as toast, tea, and coffee. Still, it was fine and it was enough to start the day. The staff was always pleasant and welcoming. There is a bus stop near the hotel. It was convenient and we used that method of transportation often. The Edgeware Street Station is about an 8-minute walk down the road and we used that tube stop quite a bit. The neighborhood is a near a working-class commercial area and safe enough for us—we experienced no issues. This was a good value. It’s not fancy or big but I’d go there again. Not with kids, though. Just me and my wife.

Lots of room, safe, and close enough to walk to Hyde park, Buckingham palace, West End and other attractions.

Great hotel, great location, great breakfast, and very helpful staff.