It’s easy to have a soft spot for this place near the British Library. This author even stayed here often when he was just out of college (in room no. 3, a cozy single on the rear landing—still there, still snug). Back then, the Beynon family had a young son, Glyn. Today, Glyn is a grown family man, and he’s in charge—and he’s doing a proud job of updating the family B&B in a 1780s townhouse (ask him about its history) far beyond the expectations of its tariff range. He installed new bathrooms with all-new piping, accounting for the larger-than-average showers; he soundproofed the front windows to keep out the roar of Gower Street’s traffic. He also converted the former parlor, with its antique (nonworking) fireplace, into room no. 2, a spacious double. The Jesmond is a classic (four units share bathrooms), and in fact, has been a Frommer’s selection ever since Europe on $5 a Day (when a room cost $3.20). Don’t confuse this place with the Jesmond Dene, a B&B on Argyle Square—it’s very good, too, but not as central.