wizla

treppenlaeufer

A quick one night stay at the TB Hilton.
I am a Diamond.

The good:
1) pre-stay email received, to which I replied when I had seen that I had been assigned a family room - saying that I'd much prefer a room that wasn't full with beds. Received a response that the room had been altered (I received an Exec room). Having noted that I may arrive before check-in time, I was proactively texted at 1130 that my room was ready for my arrival - good service!
- recently refurbished like all rooms, it was a good room.
- they still have proper newspapers, which combined with a tea from the exec lounge make for a couple of enjoyable hours on their roof terrace - this really being the reason why I like coming back here

The not so good:
- Shower leaking as often in this hotel though, and cold water from the tab was more of a trickle
- no (!) room service after 11pm I was informed, and the food at the bar coming from Jamie Oliver's (before 11pm) was really average and uninspiring. Not enjoyable.
- Gin Tonic served in a huge fish ball glass drowned in ice, making it a very watery affair.
- the self-service coffee machines for breakfast in Jamie Oliver's need replacing, they look dirty, scratched, and have clearly been used more often than what they had been designed for
- I find the public areas, whether bar, exec lounge or restaurant all a couple if degrees too chilly
- there was forgotten food in the minibar. When housekeeping knocked during the day and asked if everything was fine with my room, I mentioned this, and she simply said she cannot do minibars and disappeared. No follow-up action initiated - the food remained.

Winniesbestfriend

sarahluv

this is why i get deliveroo rather than hotel room service!

treppenlaeufer

I already hate that housekeeping is often outsourced at effectively below minimum wage - but I have strong views on not supporting companies that work with "self-employed" workers and deny having any responsibility for them. Plus delivery drivers (cyclists) tend to break most traffic rules (starting with having no lights in the pitch black) where I live, which is another reason I cannot supprt that model ;p

Enough OT - for the Hilton TB my vote is strongly for Jamie Oliver's being replaced by an in-house solution that works.

TomMM

chrism20

I think it's being rolled out to all properties. I've noticed it in three or four different properties in the last month or so.

sarahluv

the workers still need to eat though and haven't called for a boycott. give them a big tip and donate to their union fund.

diamond club freeloader

I can see there's a bit of lukewarm emotion to Hilton TB - well maybe more cool than lukewarm, actually...
... but I continue to like this place a lot.

Back here over this weekend and very pleased with:
usual upgrade to an exec room
online checkin allowed me to snaffle a room on floor 9 - near the lounge
Usual good sweet afternoon tea with cream scones and two cakes (no sandwiches anymore)
Great evening canapés - tonight had 'fishfinger' and roast potato, veg pasta, samosas and the usual crudités, bread, cheeses, and a few topped crostini-type things...
Good selection of drinks
Very pleasant and helpful staff.

I sensed a bit of Jamie's-hating in recent posts too - but I'm not ashamed to say that I'm looking forward to breakfast there in the morning. Damn fine omelettes. I am less bothered by the state of the coffee machines and more bothered by the queue to get at them - they make very good coffee there, though ... unusually, this is one hotel that does better coffee in the restaurant than in the lounge!

wizla

Glad you are enjoying your stay, I like it there too although I prefer Bankside...... Jamie's is great for breakfast, last ime I stayed the granola was very similar to Bankside and the breakfast itself was one of the best I've ever had at a Hilton .....if only it had a spa it would be perfect.

diamond club freeloader

Yes - had great breakfast at Jamie's this morning. The granola this morning was actually very different from Bankside, perhaps it has changed since you were last here, wizla - decent quality but not the honey-nutty joy of Bankside!

Perhaps I think of this place so fondly because I only ever stay at weekends, when rates are very reasonable. It is easier to become dissatisfied when paying >£300. But overall I really like the property and the area - and the lounge is a particularly good one too.

wizla

Thinking back, it's actually been about three years since I actually stayed here, I've popped in for a coffee a few times recently ( ish ) , your post has stirred something inside me to give it another go if that makes sense......it reminds me of Hilton Canary Wharf somewhat but without the rowdy lounge......gotta find an excuse to stay ....... I have a provisional gig to do in Brixton on the 5th October , might be worth a look.

furballs

wizla

I've changed a booking from Bankside to here for early November, does anyone remember they have jack Daniels whisky during happy hour in the lounge....many thanks.

diamond club freeloader

I can't give you a definitive answer here wizla since I don't pay attention to this, as a non-drinker. I dug out a shot of the drinks selection that I took a few years ago - based on which the answer is 'no' ... but this may not reflect the current situation. Hopefully somebody will be able to give you a more up-to-date answer.

I think the bankside switch is not a bad one if it suits in terms of price/location. I definitely like bankside, but the evening food in the lounge and breakfast in Jamie's are strengths in TB. Plus (very) early check-in is often easily obtained at TB which can also be handy.