Overview
First Impressions
Walking up to Platform 9 on Penton Rise, I’ll be honest — the name had me curious from the start. This four-star boutique hotel sits in a converted Victorian building that’s got character written all over it. The entrance feels understated but welcoming, with staff who actually seem to know the neighborhood inside and out.
The Islington Advantage
You know what I love about this location? It’s properly London without being touristy. Islington has this brilliant mix of locals heading to work and visitors who’ve figured out that staying slightly off the beaten path pays off. Angel tube station is a five-minute walk, which means you’re connected to everything — but when you come back at night, you’re in a real neighborhood with proper pubs and places where Londoners actually eat.
The Room Experience
My room was compact but cleverly designed — they’ve made the most of every inch without it feeling cramped. The beds are genuinely comfortable (I’m picky about this), and the bathrooms are modern with decent water pressure. What struck me was the attention to small details — proper curtains that actually block out light, enough plugs near the bed, and windows that open properly for fresh air.
Food and Local Scene
The hotel doesn’t have its own restaurant, but honestly? That’s fine by me. Step outside and you’ve got Chapel Market just around the corner — a proper London market that’s been running since the 1800s. There’s also Ottolenghi nearby for excellent coffee and pastries, plus enough gastropubs within walking distance to keep you busy. The staff gave me solid recommendations that weren’t just the obvious tourist spots.
Why Guests Love It
Platform 9 works because it gets the balance right — professional service without being stuffy, modern comfort in a building with actual history. The pricing feels fair for what you get, especially considering you’re getting genuine London neighborhood vibes rather than generic hotel district atmosphere. It’s the kind of place where you might actually bump into locals at the coffee shop next door, and that’s worth something.
Guest reviews
"Wonderful apartment, with an extraordinary location"
Very clean, an exceptional location, and very comfortable, and also easy to communicate with the owner.
What could be improved: Just a little trouble trying to use the shower because we couldn’t regulate the water temperature.
4 February 2025
"Lovely stay"
Location is good with lots of food options and groceries. Easy to travel to Cambridge with Kings Cross and St Pancras nearby. Appreciate the washing machine and kitchen utilities. Wifi issue was resolved quickly.
What could be improved: The shower is very tricky with hot water going off frequently.
17 June 2024
"Fair."
The property location is excellent
What could be improved: The facility like WIFI and shower are not functioning well. The hot shower turn on and off every time and no WIFI connection during our stay.
6 June 2024
"Superb"
Clean, comfortable, spacious flat with various household appliances.
What could be improved: Asking for GBP300 deposit after confirmation was suprising, but fully refunded back after 1 day.
21 February 2024
"Good apartment, only need small improvements"
The location is excellent, near the bus stop, train station, and supermarket. The apartment is large, cozy, and well-equipped
What could be improved: The internet is awful, it was tough to work from the apt. The shower isn't good, the heating turns off every 2 minutes and runs cold water for a while until gets back to normal. Also, they sent the check-in instructions at the last minute and when we got there they were still cleaning the apartment.
8 October 2023
"Good"
location , airy , comfortable, good kitchen
What could be improved: 3 levels
hot water was inconsistent so we ended up not having decent shower
16 February 2023
"Great flat in a great location. Minutes from St Pancras and Islington."
Very easy to pickup keys at the shop, bottom of the road. Flat was nice and clean and in a great location.
20 July 2025
"Good"
Nice and clean and bright
What could be improved: Very hot, even if it wasn't summer. No good way to cool the flat down so would be very uncomfortable in full summer.
3 June 2025
"Good"
Property was surprisingly nice and relatively quiet. Everything was clean.
Had great views - we could see the Shard and St Paul's Cathedral
What could be improved: Collecting the keys in the dark (all key boxes were at a low level) in front of a gate to a multistorey block of flats with lots of people entering and leaving
I did not feel comfortable having to submit my credit card details to leave a deposit prior to arriving.
No possibility of having a shower (bath only) as the controls were damaged
9 December 2024
"Very good"
Plenty of space, felt safe and secure, good location ans good value for money. Flat was quiet and clean.
What could be improved: The separate check in process wasn't communicated beforehand due to their system errors and if you had poor English or are not good with technology you may have issues. Shower tap was broken and it was difficult to get ahold of staff.
19 September 2024
