[ARCHIVE to 2019] Hilton London Bankside {GBR}
Feb 17, 2018, 2:32 pm
#361
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: norwich, uk
Programs: hhonors diamond
Posts: 5,397
yeah I know.....I stayed one night at Bankside and the very next night at Conrad and was happily surprised to find the same granola a year of so back.........I like the Conrad but prefer the Waldorf and Bankside a little more.
Feb 19, 2018, 4:15 pm
#362
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Lisboa
Programs: BAEC Gold, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire, Easyjet Flight Club
Posts: 452
Stayed here again at the weekend. Was a little disappointed on Sunday I entered the lounge at 7:25pm to see all the food removed. What time does food usually end? I remember 8 / 8:30pm in previous stays.
also there was some hesitation in offering me late check out when I asked on departure morning. When I was checking in a couple in front were registering as Hilton Blue members and got late checkout despite booking with booking.com!
I find the late check out issue as a Hilton Diamond annoying. A few days ago I stayed at the Moxy Stratford and the Marriott app offered me 4pm late checkout as a Gold member !
also there was some hesitation in offering me late check out when I asked on departure morning. When I was checking in a couple in front were registering as Hilton Blue members and got late checkout despite booking with booking.com!
I find the late check out issue as a Hilton Diamond annoying. A few days ago I stayed at the Moxy Stratford and the Marriott app offered me 4pm late checkout as a Gold member !
Feb 20, 2018, 3:14 am
#363
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: KUO
Programs: HH Diam, AY/AX/KQ/IHG/VISA Plat, SK/Bonvoy/Melia/Strawberry Gold, Radisson Prem, PP Prest
Posts: 2,266
Food service ends 7:30 pm, booze away around 8 pm. Have tried late check-out only until 2 pm and never has been a problem. As well as early check in around 10 am.
Mar 1, 2018, 3:20 am
#364
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 9
After reading all the rave reviews, I've just booked a 13 night stay for April. I got Hilton to beat the Expedia price for an King Executive Room. I'm gold but I'll be there for 13 nights though so I can see any further upgrade being likely!! Fingers crossed anyway 
Hope they still have the granola!
Hope they still have the granola!
Mar 1, 2018, 7:05 am
#365
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 121
Just noticed the question, and the answer is yes JD has definitely available whenever we've stayed (most recently 5 weeks ago)
Mar 1, 2018, 8:42 am
#366
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: norwich, uk
Programs: hhonors diamond
Posts: 5,397
Mar 1, 2018, 3:44 pm
#367
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: UK - BHD
Programs: BMI Diamond Club refugee: BA-Br; HH-D
Posts: 912
How did you manage this - and did you contact the hotel directly, or what strategy did you go for? I'm intrigued since having previously failed I was told that I should just pay the higher rate at hilton.com and then claim against the BRG (but we all know how consistently that method works...)
Mar 1, 2018, 4:50 pm
#368
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 9
I just booked through Hilton and book in a BRG claim. There was a total difference of about 150 pounds. Got an email back a couple of hours later. The difference only seemed to be at the Bankside. The location of the Conrad was actually better for me but there wasn't a price difference.
Mar 7, 2018, 11:06 am
#369
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: Hilton Honors diamond
Posts: 403
Dissapointing stay
Just finished a 4 night stay at Hilton Bankside. I hadn’t been back for 6 months and oh boy have things changed!!! Reception staff were friendly enough, most of them recognised me and welcomed me back, same with concierge and doormen.
Upgraded to a deluxe room, which meant no full minibar. I requested orange juice instead of coke, but that was a cheaper brand, not nice at all. The room was freezing as well, I know it was freezing outside, but the A/C only blew cold air, so I didn’t have heating.
There was a smell of mold in the bathroom and when the towels were wet they had a funny smell, not pleasant at all. When I mentioned this at reception I got an “oh I’m sorry, nobody has ever mentioned this before”, probably because nobody can be bothered. I had many dirty towels as well so they obviously have a problem with laundry.
What really dissapointed me was the executive lounge, only one guy left from a while ago, the rest were new girls who were pretty awful. One was alright, two who couldn’t speak English yet, one who was unfriendly and none of them have learnt to smile or to say hello and goodbye. I’ve never seen such a grumpy bunch before.
Drinks have been downgraded, goodbye Brokers gin - hello Beefeater. Processo was different too.
I felt the quality of the food was less as well, and very repetitive. I saw prawn on toast twice in 4 days. There didn’t seem to be anyone in charge, no manager on the floor so the new girls were kinda left to their own devices.
Breakfast was as lovely as always, but again here lots of new staff. Pool was absolutely freezing, another way to cut costs I think.
The hotel is soooo focused on making money they even tried to sell street food at lunchtime for £5 per box. Lamb and vegetable curry with rice. Is that really the way they want to promote their restaurant or are they just desperate for some cash to come into the till? Not that it was very succesfull, I walked past a couple of times and if that freezing bloke sold 8 meals he was lucky. Not a happy member of staff in that weather I can tell you !!!
It was a mixed bag and I’m not sure if I’ll hurry back, only if the rates were really really good. There seems to be an exodus of staff who had been there for a long time, 2 guest relations managers had left recently and Hugo the lovely lounge manager moved to Australia.
Next stop Canary Wharf
Upgraded to a deluxe room, which meant no full minibar. I requested orange juice instead of coke, but that was a cheaper brand, not nice at all. The room was freezing as well, I know it was freezing outside, but the A/C only blew cold air, so I didn’t have heating.
There was a smell of mold in the bathroom and when the towels were wet they had a funny smell, not pleasant at all. When I mentioned this at reception I got an “oh I’m sorry, nobody has ever mentioned this before”, probably because nobody can be bothered. I had many dirty towels as well so they obviously have a problem with laundry.
What really dissapointed me was the executive lounge, only one guy left from a while ago, the rest were new girls who were pretty awful. One was alright, two who couldn’t speak English yet, one who was unfriendly and none of them have learnt to smile or to say hello and goodbye. I’ve never seen such a grumpy bunch before.
Drinks have been downgraded, goodbye Brokers gin - hello Beefeater. Processo was different too.
I felt the quality of the food was less as well, and very repetitive. I saw prawn on toast twice in 4 days. There didn’t seem to be anyone in charge, no manager on the floor so the new girls were kinda left to their own devices.
Breakfast was as lovely as always, but again here lots of new staff. Pool was absolutely freezing, another way to cut costs I think.
The hotel is soooo focused on making money they even tried to sell street food at lunchtime for £5 per box. Lamb and vegetable curry with rice. Is that really the way they want to promote their restaurant or are they just desperate for some cash to come into the till? Not that it was very succesfull, I walked past a couple of times and if that freezing bloke sold 8 meals he was lucky. Not a happy member of staff in that weather I can tell you !!!
It was a mixed bag and I’m not sure if I’ll hurry back, only if the rates were really really good. There seems to be an exodus of staff who had been there for a long time, 2 guest relations managers had left recently and Hugo the lovely lounge manager moved to Australia.
Next stop Canary Wharf
Mar 7, 2018, 12:29 pm
#370
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: norwich, uk
Programs: hhonors diamond
Posts: 5,397
Just finished a 4 night stay at Hilton Bankside. I hadn’t been back for 6 months and oh boy have things changed!!! Reception staff were friendly enough, most of them recognised me and welcomed me back, same with concierge and doormen.
Upgraded to a deluxe room, which meant no full minibar. I requested orange juice instead of coke, but that was a cheaper brand, not nice at all. The room was freezing as well, I know it was freezing outside, but the A/C only blew cold air, so I didn’t have heating.
There was a smell of mold in the bathroom and when the towels were wet they had a funny smell, not pleasant at all. When I mentioned this at reception I got an “oh I’m sorry, nobody has ever mentioned this before”, probably because nobody can be bothered. I had many dirty towels as well so they obviously have a problem with laundry.
What really dissapointed me was the executive lounge, only one guy left from a while ago, the rest were new girls who were pretty awful. One was alright, two who couldn’t speak English yet, one who was unfriendly and none of them have learnt to smile or to say hello and goodbye. I’ve never seen such a grumpy bunch before.
Drinks have been downgraded, goodbye Brokers gin - hello Beefeater. Processo was different too.
I felt the quality of the food was less as well, and very repetitive. I saw prawn on toast twice in 4 days. There didn’t seem to be anyone in charge, no manager on the floor so the new girls were kinda left to their own devices.
Breakfast was as lovely as always, but again here lots of new staff. Pool was absolutely freezing, another way to cut costs I think.
The hotel is soooo focused on making money they even tried to sell street food at lunchtime for £5 per box. Lamb and vegetable curry with rice. Is that really the way they want to promote their restaurant or are they just desperate for some cash to come into the till? Not that it was very succesfull, I walked past a couple of times and if that freezing bloke sold 8 meals he was lucky. Not a happy member of staff in that weather I can tell you !!!
It was a mixed bag and I’m not sure if I’ll hurry back, only if the rates were really really good. There seems to be an exodus of staff who had been there for a long time, 2 guest relations managers had left recently and Hugo the lovely lounge manager moved to Australia.
Next stop Canary Wharf
Upgraded to a deluxe room, which meant no full minibar. I requested orange juice instead of coke, but that was a cheaper brand, not nice at all. The room was freezing as well, I know it was freezing outside, but the A/C only blew cold air, so I didn’t have heating.
There was a smell of mold in the bathroom and when the towels were wet they had a funny smell, not pleasant at all. When I mentioned this at reception I got an “oh I’m sorry, nobody has ever mentioned this before”, probably because nobody can be bothered. I had many dirty towels as well so they obviously have a problem with laundry.
What really dissapointed me was the executive lounge, only one guy left from a while ago, the rest were new girls who were pretty awful. One was alright, two who couldn’t speak English yet, one who was unfriendly and none of them have learnt to smile or to say hello and goodbye. I’ve never seen such a grumpy bunch before.
Drinks have been downgraded, goodbye Brokers gin - hello Beefeater. Processo was different too.
I felt the quality of the food was less as well, and very repetitive. I saw prawn on toast twice in 4 days. There didn’t seem to be anyone in charge, no manager on the floor so the new girls were kinda left to their own devices.
Breakfast was as lovely as always, but again here lots of new staff. Pool was absolutely freezing, another way to cut costs I think.
The hotel is soooo focused on making money they even tried to sell street food at lunchtime for £5 per box. Lamb and vegetable curry with rice. Is that really the way they want to promote their restaurant or are they just desperate for some cash to come into the till? Not that it was very succesfull, I walked past a couple of times and if that freezing bloke sold 8 meals he was lucky. Not a happy member of staff in that weather I can tell you !!!
It was a mixed bag and I’m not sure if I’ll hurry back, only if the rates were really really good. There seems to be an exodus of staff who had been there for a long time, 2 guest relations managers had left recently and Hugo the lovely lounge manager moved to Australia.
Next stop Canary Wharf
oh....that's not so good...... I'm here later this month as I fancy a change from the Waldorf, but now I'm not so sure........ I still have both hotels booked on a rate I can cancel and haven't made my final decision but I was really hoping to stay here, will see......even if it's for the amazing granola......sad but true.
Mar 7, 2018, 5:34 pm
#371
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: It's hot here
Posts: 4,286
Did your happen to see my post a couple of months ago about our stay? We also had a very odd smell. We thought it was a little like old veggies and could have been described as moldy. I liked the hotel in general, but if I ever smell that again I'm running for the proverbial hills.
Mar 7, 2018, 11:44 pm
#372
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: Hilton Honors diamond
Posts: 403
Did your happen to see my post a couple of months ago about our stay? We also had a very odd smell. We thought it was a little like old veggies and could have been described as moldy. I liked the hotel in general, but if I ever smell that again I'm running for the proverbial hills.
Mar 8, 2018, 1:49 am
#373
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: norwich, uk
Programs: hhonors diamond
Posts: 5,397
I did, this smell was definitely mold and only in the bathroom, the bedroom smelled lovely. I would have left otherwise, never again will I stay in a room with unidetified smells like I did years ago at Conrad St James. I made a promise to myself that was never happening again!!
ok......... sh*t happens ( excuse the pun ) but you would have thought they would have cleared this up.
Hilton Warwick and Milton Keynes are also known for mouldy bathrooms too
Last edited by wizla; Mar 8, 2018 at 8:43 am
Mar 20, 2018, 9:54 am
#374
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: norwich, uk
Programs: hhonors diamond
Posts: 5,397
I'm here Friday......... no particular reason, just myself and a mate on a jolly.......booked twin guest room, hoping for an upgrade to executive twin room.
We will be in Executive lounge from early evening and off to the comedy store to catch the late show........anyone around is welcome to join us.
Will of course do live report with pictures.
will report back!
UPDATE - pre upgraded to twin deluxe already and it's 3 days until stay.
We will be in Executive lounge from early evening and off to the comedy store to catch the late show........anyone around is welcome to join us.
Will of course do live report with pictures.
will report back!
UPDATE - pre upgraded to twin deluxe already and it's 3 days until stay.
Last edited by wizla; Mar 20, 2018 at 8:55 pm Reason: update added.
Mar 21, 2018, 5:21 am
#375
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: Hilton Honors diamond
Posts: 403
I'm here Friday......... no particular reason, just myself and a mate on a jolly.......booked twin guest room, hoping for an upgrade to executive twin room.
We will be in Executive lounge from early evening and off to the comedy store to catch the late show........anyone around is welcome to join us.
Will of course do live report with pictures.
will report back!
UPDATE - pre upgraded to twin deluxe already and it's 3 days until stay.
We will be in Executive lounge from early evening and off to the comedy store to catch the late show........anyone around is welcome to join us.
Will of course do live report with pictures.
will report back!
UPDATE - pre upgraded to twin deluxe already and it's 3 days until stay.