Jassy-50

My reservation (for next week) also indicates "smoking", so I took the advice of those above and sent an e-mail yesterday to Mr. Shepherd. A very courteous, very pleasant message back from Ms. Rossodivita was already waiting in my mailbox first thing this morning.

She confirmed that we have been assigned a non-smoking room and that our record now shows an early (a VERY early ) arrival. She also stated that we have received an upgrade to a King Executive room, totally unrequested and unexpected by me! ^

Bravo to Mr. Shepherd and Ms. Rossodivita for their commitment to HHonors members.

Abidjan

Agree with the others, use your ATM card while your there. It costs me $1.50 each time to withdraw the max amount (200 pounds per withdrawl) allowed by my Bank (and no charge from Barclays or Leicester). Stay away from the currency converter outfits. Love the UK. ^

bearkatt

be sure and go to a play. if you want to see THE LION KING, you can get advance tickets through ticketmaster uk. they will mail them to you. that show seems to always sell out in advance. for many of the other shows, you can get discounted tickets there.

Jack

Looking for current information (most of the postings from search are years old) regarding London hotels. I am a Diamond and will be traveling on rewards stay with a teenager in Aug. What's important? Location and Executive lounge (free food for the teenager). What hotel would be best for us?

UpgradeMe

I suggest you search again.

JDiver

Try a Search for London on the Hilton HHonors forum.

You will come up with a page result that looks like this:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/searc...earchid=978074

A number of reports, questions and answers that IMO do not need to be discounted or ignored.

wth

What an absolutely friendly and helpful post! NOT! At least JDiver offered constructive input and a lead. While I may sometimes share your frustrations, I try to avoid caustic, sarcastic responses. And anybody that knows me can tell you I am exercising considerable restraint as it is my nature to be sarcastic and cynical.

flyinbob

With a teenager, I'd suggest the Park Lane if you can get it. Right across the street from Hyde Park, lots of stuff, especially for young people, going on there in summer. Concerts sometimes, boating on the Serpentine, and there's always going to look at the weirdos at Speakers Corner on Sundays! Close to tourist sites. Walk to lots of places, and a very safe area to let a teen go exploring on his own.

Next maybe Metropole or Paddington, though not really close to anything, but easy access to the tube.

You might also try Trafalgar. Right at Trafalgar Square, close to lots of stuff, always lots of activity in summer. Also good tube access.

Geordie Colin

Have visited them all in London, with kids on pleasure and without on business.

Flyinbob has a point about the Park Lane Hilton with its location opposite Hyde Park. It has some great bars one of which in Polynesian style which should impresse a teenager - you even get a celebrity or two visiting it!

You could try the newly opened Waldorf which is convenient for Covent garden and theatre land. It is a very modern interior and perhaps would be great experience for you.

My kids favourite is the Metropole, (largest hotel by room allocation in Europe), ok it maybe isn't great located at the top of Edgeware Road,(some great Lebanese restaraunts within breathing distance), but this place has a buzz to it, even through into the night. The executive lounge is informal but well run, with a wide variety of eats and drinks throughout the day,certainly as good as Park Lane. Try and get one of the newly refurbished rooms in the East Wing. Oh! and one last thing, the Met has a pool, not huge but acceptable for a stretch and also Sauna, Steam facilities.
Enjoy London.

Jack

Thank you to all who replied with information and WTH. I sometimes dread asking questions on this site because you always see some mean spirited reply. I am sure that most questions have been asked and answered at some point, but sometimes you just want a quick answer, from someone who has recently been at that location. No one says you have to waste your time answering if you don't want to, so if the question bothers you just let it go.

squeakr

While you may have received a curt response, the LONDON Hiltons probably have the most posts of any threads - with the exception of the Hawaii properties. All your questions have been asked and answered by many posters, and while I agree that people should leave posts alone if it bothers them, it is a consisent frustration when posters don't use search properly or wisely.

We appreciate that you at least listed some qualities that were important to you which many posters don't, but it is also important to learn to use search functions.

I'm glad you have received some responses and know that FT'ers continue to give good informaiton.

squeakr
MOD Hilton

flyinbob

Don't fret it Jack. You asked a very specific question that really isn't answered too well in prior posts I searched. That is what this forum is for. There will always be someone around to complain about everything.

By the way, you didn't mention if your teen was 13 or 18. Big difference in a city like London. Like touristy stuff of just want to "hang around"? Anyway, any of the ones that are mentioned in this thread would do you well. Good luck!

JDiver

Please don't personalize it overly, Jack - I was curt, and even rude in failing to welcome you, but was in a hurry - didn't want to run the search myself, and did know there is lots of info on the lounges, etc.

Hilton Paddington is a good place for teens - easy to get to and from (LHR Express, several tube lines, good walking, rail to a number of destinations, interesting Art Nouveau decoration, a kind of idiosyncratic lounge in the basement that seems to have regular changes of food items, to begin with. And if they get hungry - the station has a variety of places one can get reasonable - for the UK - food of all kinds.)

Geordie Colin

JDiver is right to mention Hilton Paddington - it is a great hotel and extremely usefull for Airport - be aware, however, that outside theb hotel it is renowned as an attraction for prostitutes!

omegadeal

Maybe there should be a sticky for "What hotel should I choose" for London and Hawaii. Probably one for the Cavaleri also