[ARCHIVE to 2014] Hilton London Paddington {GBR}
 

Does any one have any experience at the London Paddington. I believe it may be a new addition to the Hilton chain. I did a search but it did not turn up. I may be staying there on an award stay as it was one of the few available for the dates I wanted.

Lurch --

Pleeeeese go to Hilton.com. There you will see all the info on the hotel. BTW, you will also find out that the HOTEL HAS NOT OPENED YET!!!

But DO tell us how it was!!

Thanx!

And, welcome to the Board!!

DOC 2 BE -- If you look carefully, you'll see that Lurch has been on this Board for a year before you joined... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I stayed frequently at the Stakis Metropole in Paddington during the summer of 1999. At the time, the Stakis chain had just been acquired by Hilton so I would assume this conversion must certainly be complete by now. The rooms are smallish and the air conditioner was fairly useless in the summer but rooms in the newer wing were clean and comfortable. Given the amount of time that has elapsed, perhaps they have had a chance to renovate the older rooms by now.

I believe you are mixing apples and oranges, for although the former Stakis Metropole is but a brief 10 min. walk from Paddington Station, that hotel has been renamed for quite some time as the London Hilton Metropole. On the other hand, there is presently being built atop Paddington Station, a new hotel which is slated to open in April 2001, and which is to be called the London Hilton Paddington.

Thanks all for the information.

Hilton London Paddington
 

I know that this property is not yet open, but I'm curious. Is this a remodel of another hotel - what was it?

I'll be in London for a couple of days in October for a business meeting and will be flying out of Heathrow after the second night. The idea of being at a hotel attached to Paddington and therefore easy to access the Heathrow Express seems awfully inviting. Any comments - including negatives?
Larry

I don't have any experience with the Paddington Hilton, but in my opinion the Heathrow Express (from Paddington) is outrageously overpriced, especially considering that it actually costs MORE than the Gatwick Express even though Gatwick is roughly twice as far away. I always just take the tube to and from Heathrow.

I agree that the Heathrow Express is priced a little high, but I'll be spending the previous ten days in Scotland and will have more luggage than I like to take the tube.

I took the Heathrow Express last year and then a Taxi from the train station. The driver said that it would have been cheaper to take a taxi directly to our hotel from the airport. Unfortunately, we had bought a round trip ticket on the HE, otherwise we would have cabbed it back.

I took the Heathrow Express last year and then a taxi from the train station. The driver said that it would have been cheaper to take a taxi directly to our hotel from the airport. Unfortunately, we had bought a round trip ticket on the HE, otherwise we would have cabbed it back.

What is nice about the Heathrow Express is the "express," i.e., it is fast. I was in London during Thanksgiving week last November and the ride into Paddington was free for all Americans for the week in honor of Thanksgiving - just had to show the U.S. Passport. Now THAT was nice.

It is a remodel of the old station hotel. The Heathrow Express is expensive - but is making money and as a BAA shareholder I'm glad!

Well, at the risk of answering your question, may I say that the new Hilton is a total re-build of the former Great Western Hotel.

When there were independent railway companies in Victorian Britain a hundred or more years ago, they all developed their own individual London termini (just like JFK!).

Also, they built their own prestigious hotels adjacent. These premises gradually fell into disrepair under the auspices of our nationalised rail network (British Rail), and eventually were sold off.

The Great Central Hotel (Great Central Railway) is now the 5* Landmark, likewise the Great Eastern Hotel, and all the others who I can't immediately recall, that have not been demolished.

Having seen the building site, I am sure the new Hilton will be top-hole.

Milonaire2, I'm familiar with the history of British Rail Station hotels. I've stayed at the Central in Glasgow, the Station Hotel in Inverness, and have seen others throughout the UK. I thought that this Hilton might be a refurbishment of such a hotel. Thanks for your information.
Larry