iluv2fly

Churchill Hotel concierge/lobby.

zip10001

We used the Collinson test center @ St Pancras train station (50gbp for antigen).
10 min walk + 3 stops on the Tube.

https://www.collinsongroup.com/en/covid-19-testing

SeeTheLights

Testing no longer required to comeback to US as of 6/12.

Centurion

Yea!!!!! No more tests!

MSPeconomist

I'm here now and this looks a lot like my Recency (JUNIOR) Suite, except mine has no flowers, no round artwork (?) under the TV, and no bench at the foot of the bed. OTOH my coffee maker is in the entryway across from the small walk-in closet and dressing area (?), and my sitting area has an oval ottoman.

I used a TSU on a points booking (rates were about GBP750 per night for a base level room), arrived at 3:45 pm and my suite wasn't ready until 5:20 pm. Check in time is stated as 3:00 pm. NO APOLOGY (not just no customer service gesture or any sort of welcome amenity, not even the word "sorry") and the three "deer in the headlight" front desk staff with whom I interacted made a point of telling me that I had an award stay and had used an upgrade certificate, insinuating that therefore preparing my room was lowest priority. The front desk told me that the previous occupants had already checked out before I arrived and that it should take (ONLY) about forty-five minutes to clean the room. I was sent to the lounge to wait, but surprisingly no one offered a glass of champagne or even to bring a coffee to my seat. Kids (multiple families) in the lounge were running around and listening to videos without headphones.

So far, I'm very disappointed.

ADDED: AVOID if you have a choice. Tonight both lounges are open, but neither is considered a "business" lounge by the staff. Initially it was peaceful, but then a family with four kids under 6-8 yo arrived; the kids were yelling, jumping, dancing, and generally running around the room, and at one point an adult and a kid were simultaneously talking on two different phone calls on speakerphone. Now there's blogger/vlogger family with three teens who either count loudly in unison or chant "one, one, one".....while daddy it talking/ranting loudly on and on about entitled celerities. I guess if the hotel either thinks you'll give it publicity or that you'll pay a lot, no rules apply, Two other couples left the "business"/adult lounge after rolling their eyes, and both seemed to be regulars here. AVOID AVOID AVOID.

59Impala

staff did not enforce the business „no kids“ side of the lounge? That is indeed very disappointing.

PortlySpartacus

Why don't/didn't you call down to the front desk and ask them to enforce the no kids policy and explain the situation? I'm sure they would bring up an enforcer to make it right, unless the family is that sort of 'special' guest that gets away with everything because, you know, money.

MSPeconomist

I did walk over to the other side to complain but the lounge hostess told me that it wasn't a business lounge. The implication was that the two lounges were considered equivalent, with the former business side open after 5:30 pm to anyone who knew about it and used a key card to enter and perhaps others who were directed there by the lounge hostess. The only difference was that the former business or former adults-only lounge doesn't have sweets.

Aventine

Sounds like 2 combined lounges from hell. Email Arnaud (the GM) and complain about it. Surely there's a need for a business, adults only lounge in business traveler heavy London.

MSPeconomist

OK, but what's his email address? I know Hyatt employees are generally [email protected], but the de and hyphen make it ambiguous.

The latest: No one, starting with the guy who I assume is the head concierge, seems to know where the business center it. Signs on the elevators say ground floor, the concierge sent me to the 8th floor, and no one here ("I'm new") seems to know.

59Impala

mind it is hyatt.com not gmail.com

MSPeconomist

You're right. Either I'm jetlagged or I'm eager to get out of the hotel, in 90 F weather, to escape from the fire alarm tests that should start in less than fifteen minutes.

redbirdsj

Is breakfast in the restaurant? I'm deciding between this hotel as a globalist with a TSU and the Holmes Hotel a few blocks north also with a suite upgrade and two kids in tow. The globalist bennies are hard to give up here but if breakfast was in a crowded club I'd definitely lean toward the Holmes since it offers restaurant or room service breakfast and I really have little other use for a large stash of Radisson points.

MSPeconomist

Breakfast is a buffet in a very busy "all day dining" restaurant. This morning there was a line about six parties deep to get a table, and despite social distancing signs, the tables are packed close together with spillover people sitting in a hallway. Breakfast ended at 10:30 am, but it was almost 11 until the last people in line were seated. (It starts at 7, as does room service, so there's no possibility of breakfast here before an early flight.)

ceebee100

Does Radisson do confirmed suite upgrades for Platinum now?