A little while ago I booked two paid stays at the Doubletree Islington to attend a gig at the Roundhouse and then
#1 son's 30th which he has arranged at a venue close by. To be honest my first choice in Islington would have been the Hilton - a weekly stay for business for a year or so - but I had no HHonors points and the rates were very different.
Friday night was the first of these stays and the first at this hotel. Location is good, an easy walk from Kings Cross and a couple of minutes to Angel tube station and the delights of Islington. (We can recommend CraftCo for beer, and the Delhi Grill on Chapel Market for food. If feeling a little more flush with cash and time, Gallipoli for mezze and the Pig and Butcher for gastropubiness are easily accessible).
For me the lobby felt a little unbalanced. It's bright and spacious to the right, but feels cramped where the desks are as immediately to to the left is the restaurant. Check in was swift and efficient, but lacked any reference to status. Not that I'm obsessed, but it is unusual. May be down to the fact that I had booked an Executive Room to get lounge access, for at the time of booking I didn't think I would renew my Diamond status.
We were given a room on the 5th floor and told to access it by the lift close by the Executive lounge. This access feels a bit awkward as it is through what looks to be a hotel service areas and a conference centre facility. There is a small fitness centre on the way.
The room was fine. After my recent experiences of a weekly stay at a Hampton Inn in Amsterdam, the biscuits and water in the room and the fact the toiletries aren't fixed to the wall felt luxurious
. Our view was over an inner courtyard, but to be honest I'm not sure any other view would have been more appealing. The only let down in the room was the duvet which had all the fluffiness of a Tunnocks wafer.
After a trip out for an early dinner we then sampled the Executive Lounge for an hour or so. Red and white wine, a bottled beer and soft drinks for the thirsty, and a couple of hot offerings (fish balls and a potato thing) for the hungry. Snacks included Walkers crisps, peanut M&Ms, mixed nuts and help yourself cookies. I have to admit I quite like Doubltree Exec lounges, in my experience they are unpretentious, rarely crowded and don't attract the ravenous hordes.
We had breakfast in the restaurant and the next morning. Food offerings were the usual Hilton options, and were good and hot. Service and coffee were not great. We repaired to the Exec lounge to try the coffee there and have a look at the breakfast options, which were the usual hot and cold buffet options with the added benefit of a proper toaster.
All in all for the right price it's a good offering and - duvet aside - of comparable quality to the Hilton nearby. I've no problem I'm being headed here in a fortnight.