Originally Posted by
Lambi
As one of the younger members of this part of the forum (mid 30s), can you help me understand what you guys are looking for in a hotel when going to places such as London, New York and other English speaking larger cities? I understand location, hardware, F&B, amenities such as pool, spa and such, but what kind of service are you guys looking for? Do you stay a lot in the hotel when visiting such places?
I understand the need for an awesome concierge service in Tokyo and Seoul, I understand you need a really nice pool in Bangkok. What kind of service is it that you're looking for in London? What am I missing here?
I understand your sentiment - I pick a hotel for the hard product. But I'd never go back if the service was poor. In the majority of cases great service is not going to be experienced in city hotels. You're either there a short period of time, and even if you are, you're not in the hotel long enough for them to do anything to impress. Yet unless you have no interaction with any member of staff during your stay, you will feel it whilst there. It's as simple as room setup, check-in process, food orders being right, housekeeping bothering to show up, and what touches they have put into making your stay comfortable. It's about knowing when something does go wrong (it will eventually), that it will be resolved without hesitation. It's about recognition, even on a short stay, so you're not repeating the same order every morning, as they've already figured it out.
Like Jon, I also almost never use concierge (although a few years ago The Connaught's concierge did refer me to what became my favourite restaurant in London) and I started all my London travel for business, so I wanted it to be as comfortable as possible. Sometimes I would arrive at 10pm and have to leave at 6am the next day, so knowing I'm going to have the room setup perfectly and have zero hassle was worth paying extra for. As part of being a regular guest, it is all about convenience. Last Tuesday I stayed at The Connaught, and can book a room with a single text message at 11am, and arrive at 3pm, grab the key without signing anything, go to the bar for some lunch and leave without signing anything. Check out the next day is just saying goodbye on my way out the door and getting an emailed invoice a few minutes later.
Service will matter more when you feel the absence of it somewhere, then it will have a larger focus next time. If service is a key consideration, I'd say the best hotels in London are: The Beaumont, The Goring, The Connaught and 45 Park Lane