Atacama40

Also Perrier in the lounge as well Petrus, just had a week there and had way too much .... as you say a good change for the better. I was left a super little Park Lane IC note pad in my suite last stop. Really nice little item. Good for me as I prefer pencil and paper on the plane rather than struggling with laptops etc :-)

Getting busy and expensive there right now.

MikeFromTokyo

Atacama40

:-) .... suspect the room rate may go up by at least £6k per night if they did! Or embarrassingly more like £12k per night at my consumption rate

...... we can dream :-)

MikeFromTokyo

Atacama40

Yeah P&J is good enough for me as well Mike ..... I'd settle for a top draw Malbec, suspect the Petrus would be a little wasted on me anyway

rknight20772

Booked a paid junior suite here in October as an Ambassador for 1 night, with a mastercard free night cert for a second night. I received the below from the hotel this morning:

The rate for the junior suite is £535. £480 for an upgrade when I can get the same room for only £55 seems a little steep!

Atacama40

The 1 B/R suites on 7 with balcony and view are a step up form Studio Suite ... from memory the pricing sounds right ... is a lot of cash.

MikeFromTokyo

Petrus

There are suites with Balcony's here? Never had one...

Atacama40

Yes and have to say they are nice layout and view. If you turn right out of the lounge and follow down the sign says 'London Suite' they are along the run on the first right. Have to say they are hard to spot from the outside but give a nice view across Hyde Park. Rooms big as well, lounge, bedroom, large bathroom and separate loo on the left walking in.

Had one as an upgrade couple weeks back. Have to say I didn't know that either and have been putting more than a few nights in there the last couple of years.

I spent a good while watching a lady feeding the pigeons from her tent off the small roundabout and then was more than a little shocked when I saw these strange looking pigeons running and taking food. After the ninth one I realised they were rats! I know you're never supposed to be more than x feet away from one etc but to see so many from on high was an eye brow raiser :-)

thunderlounge

Balconies, huh? I also was unaware. Tempted to move a reservation from the O2 over, but I’m on quite a good rate for a city suite. A balcony would be quite nice though.

Atacama40

Don't misunderstand, it's not like the ones in the villas at Danang Sun Peninsular or Estoril sea facing ones with tables and chairs but in the Summer at least it's nice to get the gentle hum and light of the nicer side of the city when the patio doors are opened. It's certainly big and long enough for four or five folks to stand and look out with ease and comfort. Room itself is normal PL decor but with a full size settee, chair, table and work area.

I think the list rate is eye watering but if it comes your way grab it for sure. I forget the precise number of the room, more familiar hands on FT will know it I'm sure....71x I from memory. Don't know if others in that line have the same. I will definitely take again if comes my way.

Value curve at O2 for those nice Canary Wharf end suites (especially with RA upgrades) will be a lot better assuming U2 or whatshername Cyrus are not playing!!! :-) .... but the lounge service is significantly better at IC PL .... that said the O2 lounge folks seem to have zero objections to us grabbing bottles of fizz for the table from the fridge all night long even if they slow refilling glasses so should not complain.

thunderlounge

I originally booked Park Lane, but when I noticed the deal at O2 I couldn't resist. Thankfully it's flex, so I can cancel if I so decide.

I don't mind the O2 at all, but the focus for this particular trip would lend itself better to the Park Lane location.

I agree the O2 lounge staff can be hit or miss. Had a very nice guy that checked me in recently, and then an older guy over the weekend that was quite a snotty snob. Thanked the younger guy when he came back on the Monday, and mentioned the older guy. He said, "yeah, that's my boss." Ha! I also enjoy the Sky Bar as well. Anthony is really great, or has been for me.

Still going to have to think this one over, though I'm not sure it's worth double the rate.

Atacama40

O2 is great value and rooms are still fresh and nicely designed. And if you don't mind the rough edges service wise it's a great hotel .... FOM (especially Sonia) staff are great, and F&B is pretty good in fact. And agree your point, if you don't get too bent out of shape on the polish of the service (mainly lounge), you can get good advantage out of that.

My wife sums it up pretty good ... she says it's ok for us being lucky enough work wise to live in this mad insular spoilt world of Intercontinental excess and get spoiled something rotten maybe 80-90 nights a year but if you where those folks going for an anniversary or trip of a lifetime etc, you would not find the service making you feel special. And that's a bit of shame. It could be so so good there. Anyway I still enjoy the O2 and definitely PL but for differing reasons

But for location it's hard find anything to whack IC PL over the head with .... I'd go as far to say it's the optimum location wise for going out in town ... at any price point. Better hotels? Sure ... better location .... I don't see one .... not for my purposes anyway. You will enjoy either but you will notice the difference.

thunderlounge

That pretty much nails it. Focus on that trip will be Christmas markets. So easy access to Hyde Park would be nice. Either short tube or across the street. Tube from the O2 isn’t bad. One connection and you’re most places. It’s a tick longer riding in, but not enough to make it a bad spot.