atojbk

Anyone get here from LGW? Planning next summer with two small kids flying in and out of LGW

corporate-wage-slave

Not sure how mobile you are, but Hilton Bank is about 10 minutes walk from Blackfriars Station, which is mainly on a bridge over the river Thames. So this walk from station to hotel is quite eye catching, basically south along the bridge and then through Hopton Street to the hotel. From airport to Hilton will take about 45 minutes for an adult. Not all trains go to Blackfriars but it is typically 4 trains an hour. If you want to do the minimum of walking then just get the train to London Victoria and a taxi from there. Trains to Victoria come in 2 groups, the Express service, which has a premium fare, and the usual service which stop at a few other stations. These usual services only actually take an extra 5 minutes (some can end up quicker than the Express!) so personally I wouldn't pay extra for the Gatwick Express. Children under 5 are free, so if it's just 2 adults then you can use contactless banking cards / credit card, Apple Pay, Android Pay to operate the entry gates rather than buying tickets, one payment device per adult fare, it can still point to one bank account or credit card account. Or you can buy an old fashioned set of tickets at Gatwick, no need to plan that in advance. However the Gatwick Express does over reductions on tickets bought in advance of travel.

atojbk

seems like a train goes to London Bridge station as well. Wouldn't that a better combo with the taxi? Says 27 mins on google from LGW to london bridge station?

est-gratuite

To get from London bridge to Hilton bankside, you will need to take a taxi.
If however you arrive at Blackfriars station (and use the correct station exit) it's a short walk.

corporate-wage-slave

I did think about that, but since it's still walkable from London Bridge I think some taxi drivers wouldn't find it a good fare. It's just over 1 km (0.7 miles). I should have mentioned you get a good view of St. Pauls and the City of London from Blackfriars.

DrAJ

Or stay at Hilton Tower Bridge (not doubletree) instead which is right across the street and 2 mins walk from London Bridge stn. No pool but otherwise I think it gives Bankside a run for it's money... the lounge is smaller and a less impressive physical space but better happy hour offering by far imho

wizla

Yep, completely agree with you.
If they was both the same price I would probably choose Bankside because of the pool ( although I prefer a sauna ) but that’s the only deal breaker for me, anything else I prefer TB.

toothy

I stay at both. The Bankside is a nicer hotel and has a better breakfast, but both are nice hotels. They're about a 20 minute walk apart.

T

xooz

We were in the area last week and rode the bus (381) between London bridge and Bankside areas. Not for someone with any significant luggage but convenient enough for us.

soundgarden

Headed here in a few weeks w/husband and two kids and trying to plan out food. Having trouble figuring out the breakfast (seems like it's only in the lounge on weekends?). Is the restaurant buffet part of breakfast for Diamonds? Fine either way, just trying to plan. Thanks very much.

ThatT1Feeling

Yes as a Diamond you will get restaurant buffet breakfast for free. In fact when I was last there, 4 adult family members all got free breakfast. The 3 rooms we used were all booked by me but I had assume that only me plus a guest would get free breakfast - but there was no issue in our case.

soundgarden

Great info. Thank you so much for the quick response, I appreciate it.

eponymous_coward

I'll see what I can do, I had a brace of Hilton points to spend (might as well before there's another devaluation) and my first choice (Hart Shoreditch) didn't have standard award availability to cover my entire stay (October 18-24), and I decided the Bankside's pool + bar + exec lounge combination beat Canopy's location by just a smidgeon (Shoreditch and Whitechapel tend to be my haunts in London on vacation) or Tower Bridge's better proximity to the tube, plus the points cost was better... but they're all pretty close (and Borough and the south side of the Thames is also one of my haunts in London).

All told I am getting about .7 US cents per point for the stay so seems like a reasonable return (anything above .5 scores as a win for me in my reckoning). We'll see how I fare as a credit card "fake" Diamond for upgrades. I plan on enjoying London Cocktail Week while I am there and I will be activating my wristband at the Bankside's bar.

eponymous_coward

As promised. I haven’t eaten here in the EL
since London is full of good food (and in Borough Market’s case, even modestly priced good food). Breakfast spread is solid, just a deluxe room for me. I don’t regret splashing out a lot of points for six nights.

Winniesbestfriend

Much appreciated, a bit changed since I was last there. Is that a baked potato in the left bowl?