Where to stay in London?

[Desert Traveller]

I will be London for a night in early April, arriving in the evening and departing in the morning from LCY. My usual places have rates that are a bit on the high side for the value offered. So, I am looking for something different: a HH, SPG, or IHG property that is nice and not too far from LCY. I have searched a bit and came up with the following short list:

• Hilton Canary Wharf GBP169 - usual place, but not worth staying there this time round.
• Aloft Excel GBP109 - not stayed at an SPG property in ages...what should I expect with Aloft?
• CP Docklands GBP139 - not a huge fan of CPs...is this one any good?
• Hilton Docklands Riverside GBP114 - never stayed there, any experiences?
• Hilton Tower Bridge GBP242 - definitely not worth staying there for that rate.

I have not been to London in a while, do let me know if I should look to stay elsewhere.

[CarbonMan]

• Hilton Canary Wharf GBP169 - usual place, but not worth staying there this time round.
• Hilton Docklands Riverside GBP114 - never stayed there, any experiences?
• Hilton Tower Bridge GBP242 - definitely not worth staying there for that rate.

I have not been to London in a while, do let me know if I should look to stay elsewhere.

I have stayed at all 3 Hiltons mentioned. The Hilton Docklands is definitely the worst of them all. It's in a very old building. When I stayed there last about 15 months ago, the rooms in wing closest to the Thames were small and narrow - though you get very nice sunrise/river views. The building was not purpose-built as a hotel hence even the passageway to the rooms were like navigating a maze. The lifts are also tight. It is a class below, the Canary Wharf hotel - they shouldn't even call it "Hilton", perhaps "Hilton Garden". However, I'm not sure if they've spruced up the rooms recently.

It is next to a ferry point that'll get you directly to Canary Wharf (every half-hour at peak time). Access to the Underground is bad. The nearest station is Canada Water, which is a long walk away. There was a hotel shuttle bus going back and fro but make sure you are early to board as it is, obviously, very popular. Alternatively take the ferry across to Canary Wharf, walk about 10-15mins to either the Canary Wharf underground (15mins) or DLR (10mins). The latter will get you to LCY. Of course, the simplest way to get around is with a mini-cab.

The restaurant is okay; though breakfast tends to be crowded as the hotel is quite popular with companies conducting multi-day conferences (cheap!).

If you're just there for the night, it's perhaps not altogether inconvenient or bad, but you need to manage your expectations. BTW, there's a notice that a marathon on Apr 21 will close all roads around this hotel.

BTW, Hilton Canary Wharf @ GBP169 is considered cheap - I've stayed there on a few occasions when it was charging GBP300+! London hotels!

[Desert Traveller]

I have stayed at all 3 Hiltons mentioned. The Hilton Docklands is definitely the worst of them all. It's in a very old building. When I stayed there last about 15 months ago, the rooms in wing closest to the Thames were small and narrow - though you get very nice sunrise/river views. The building was not purpose-built as a hotel hence even the passageway to the rooms were like navigating a maze. The lifts are also tight. It is a class below, the Canary Wharf hotel - they shouldn't even call it "Hilton", perhaps "Hilton Garden". However, I'm not sure if they've spruced up the rooms recently.

It is next to a ferry point that'll get you directly to Canary Wharf (every half-hour at peak time). Access to the Underground is bad. The nearest station is Canada Water, which is a long walk away. There was a hotel shuttle bus going back and fro but make sure you are early to board as it is, obviously, very popular. Alternatively take the ferry across to Canary Wharf, walk about 10-15mins to either the Canary Wharf underground (15mins) or DLR (10mins). The latter will get you to LCY. Of course, the simplest way to get around is with a mini-cab.

The restaurant is okay; though breakfast tends to be crowded as the hotel is quite popular with companies conducting multi-day conferences (cheap!).

If you're just there for the night, it's perhaps not altogether inconvenient or bad, but you need to manage your expectations. BTW, there's a notice that a marathon on Apr 21 will close all roads around this hotel.

BTW, Hilton Canary Wharf @ GBP169 is considered cheap - I've stayed there on a few occasions when it was charging GBP300+! London hotels!

CarbonMan, many thanks! I managed to get the Canary Wharf for GBP252 total for a three night stay a week later. But yeah, London hotel prices are nuts. Mostly not good value for money. I might just go with the Canary Wharf again...

[yflyer]

If you are a Hilton person, a hotel to consider would be the Hilton Euston. I stayed there recently and the rooms were newly renovated and very good. Location-wise it was fine too, a short walk from Euston station.

On another trip, I stayed at the Hilton at Hyde Park. It is a very old hotel with rooms in need of refurbishment, but the location was great...right next to Hyde Park and two tube stations (And close to Kam Tong, whose excellent roast duck was discussed in another thread on this forum), and a lot cheaper than the other Hiltons as well.

I have to say that GBP 252 for 3 nights in London is a bargain!

[Desert Traveller]

If you are a Hilton person, a hotel to consider would be the Hilton Euston. I stayed there recently and the rooms were newly renovated and very good. Location-wise it was fine too, a short walk from Euston station.

On another trip, I stayed at the Hilton at Hyde Park. It is a very old hotel with rooms in need of refurbishment, but the location was great...right next to Hyde Park and two tube stations (And close to Kam Tong, whose excellent roast duck was discussed in another thread on this forum), and a lot cheaper than the other Hiltons as well.

I have to say that GBP 252 for 3 nights in London is a bargain!

Thanks for your input, yflyer! I have stayed at the Hilton Euston a few years ago. That must have been before the renovation, it was not a very impressive stay back then. And Hilton Hyde Park is a bit out of the way this time round. But as luck would have it, the rate for the Hilton Canary Wharf has come down to GBP119. So, I'll be spending another night there.

[CarbonMan]

But as luck would have it, the rate for the Hilton Canary Wharf has come down to GBP119. So, I'll be spending another night there.

Must be the bad weather, I have never seen Hilton Canary Wharf's rate so low before!

[Sethor]

The way Europe is still going I think hotels are struggling to fill rooms & seem to offer great rates when you book last minute (Less than month before arrival). I managed to get a King Executive Plus room for just over GBP190/night at the Waldorf Hilton recently (booked day before arrival).

[leo]

great rates to be had at SPG hotels..

[rlarosa]

In Feb I stayed at the Waldorf Hilton in Aldwych. Great location - just behind the Strand and an easy walk to Covent Garden & Soho. It's an older style hotel but the rooms were huge and recently renovated. I thought this hotel had a lot of character.

RL

[Kyo]

That's not a true Waldorf Astoria property, if I recall correctly? The name is, but the brand isn't - it's a Hilton, as is the Syon Park and Bentley... There are no more WAs in London, right?

Any photos of the rooms? I am considering a stay in a few places, and this property was one of them, actually

[milehighj]

Isn't Syon Park a WA property?

[Kyo]

Not for awhile now... was reading up about it y'day night...

[milehighj]

Am pretty sure it was still WA in Feb when I last checked London hotels. Not that I'd have stayed out there... Nor am I much of a Hiltonite...

[Kyo]

According to the official WA website, there is only one WA in the UK - in Edinburgh, 'The Caledonian'

[MAN Flyer]

Any photos of the rooms? I am considering a stay in a few places, and this property was one of them, actually

Are you dumping Hilton as well or are you sticking with them despite the devaluation ?