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London Hotel Recommendations (newer consolidated thread)

Old Apr 28, 2018, 10:52 am
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London Hotel Recommendations (newer consolidated thread)

Old Oct 20, 2019, 12:59 pm
  #286  
 
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What about the Firmdale hotels? They all have guest areas where you can have a drink at night. It's not free like at a club, but they're really nice spaces. The Covent Garden Hotel and Ham Yard are both in great locations for tourists.
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Old Oct 20, 2019, 1:18 pm
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Originally Posted by Buster
What about the Firmdale hotels? They all have guest areas where you can have a drink at night. It's not free like at a club, but they're really nice spaces. The Covent Garden Hotel and Ham Yard are both in great locations for tourists.
It's a combination of two things - we find it incredibly easy with toddlers (and two elderly) to be able to just go to a lounge for breakfast/lunch/snacks/whatever, and just grab what you need instead of meals turning into a production with sitting, ordering, waiting, paying, etc. Clubs are amazing during the day for light eaters. And then my wife wants the flexibility of just being able to go in for a late drink after the kids are asleep and leaving one of the grandparents in the room with them. Of course the backup plan is a hotel bar, but after the first time staying with toddlers club level she is hooked, it was literally her only request (she would give up larger rooms, rooms with larger bathrooms, you name it), and I get it. It's just weird that most of these clubs stop serving so early.
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Old Oct 20, 2019, 2:16 pm
  #288  
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Originally Posted by miadeals
Besides the fact literally everyone on flyertalk is on a budget (why aren't you just staying at your staffed london penthouse?) the problem with the IC PL is a reported 7:30pm closing time. Otherwise it was my top choice so far.
Of course everyone is on some budget, didn't question it. Was related to the concrete budget and some suggestions. Is the 600 GBP per room per night?
This said I was misguided by homepage which says 11pm but it seems after 7:30 there are no offerings. Can't remember that but my last stay is a while
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Old Oct 20, 2019, 3:09 pm
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Originally Posted by offerendum
Of course everyone is on some budget, didn't question it. Was related to the concrete budget and some suggestions. Is the 600 GBP per room per night?
This said I was misguided by homepage which says 11pm but it seems after 7:30 there are no offerings. Can't remember that but my last stay is a while
It is not concrete, I just noticed that IC Park Lane and JW Grosvenor House price out to this level per room per night (so, 4x2 = 8 nights total). Looking over all the prices over my mid august week i have grouped it into 3 tiers of base room pricing in my mind - around 200GBP/$250 (low/mid level types), around 550GBP/$700 (ic park lane, jw grosvenor house), and around 800+GBP/$1000+ (four seasons, others). Obviously I would like to stay around the 550/$700 level and not have to move up to the 800+/$1000+ level, but this is my desire not my spouses. So there is no concrete budget but I believe we will be more than happy at an IC park lane type property *if* I can find my spouse the club level access she desires.

Again my knowledge of London is very limited to the last few days of internet research, we have never been, so I am looking for advice.

We could also go a whole different direction - Airbnb, a hotel with an amazing hard product to wow my wife even if no lounge, etc. I just don't know! I am trying to find what she wants first though - a hotel with a club level open late.
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Old Oct 20, 2019, 4:41 pm
  #290  
 
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Would Hotel 41 fit the bill?
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Old Oct 20, 2019, 4:45 pm
  #291  
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Originally Posted by miadeals
She would kill for a lounge serving til 11 or 12.
This hotel has a something like an executive lounge. It appears that snacks and alcoholic drinks are complimentary. It doesn't say when they close in the evening. Also, not sure if the complimentary food will be kid friendly, though I'm sure you can just pay separately and order from the in-room dining menu and have it served in the lounge:
https://www.athenaeumhotel.com/the-view/

This hotel sounds like a glutton's dream (including myself). However, the only drinks that are complimentary is the welcome glass of champagne at check-in and water throughout your stay. Also, the evening food timings may not be ideal for your kids unless they usually eat very late:
https://www.41hotel.com/food-and-dri...mentary-treats

This hotel has a proper executive lounge. It appears that alcohol and food is complimentary all day long. However, they don't say on their web site when they close in the evening:
Luxury 5-star Hotel Club Lounge in London | The Langham, London
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Old Oct 23, 2019, 6:43 am
  #292  
 
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Mr Amazon delivered my new 2020 Michelin Guide to the UK this morning. I thought, 'My word, this package seems thin.' On opening I find that the 2020 guide has 100 pages less than the 2019 guide. The main reason seems to be this - over 1000 hotels were listed in 2019. Only 340 listed for 2020. That's a total massacre. Is it because Michelin has raised their standards. Is it because hotels have lowered theirs? Is it because Michelin are saving money and inspecting even less nowadays - and it's generally reckoned to be every five to seven years for a non-critical establishment.
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Last edited by Pausanias; Oct 23, 2019 at 7:03 am
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Old Oct 23, 2019, 7:06 am
  #293  
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Originally Posted by Pausanias
Mr Amazon delivered my new 2020 Michelin Guide to the UK this morning. I thought, 'My word, this package seems thin.' On opening I find that the 2020 guide has 100 pages less than the 2019 guide. The main reason seems to be this - over 1000 hotels were listed in 2019. Only 340 listed for 2020. That's a total massacre. Is it because Michelin has raised their standards. Is it because hotels have lowered theirs? Is it because Michelin are saving money and inspecting even less nowadays - and it's generally reckoned to be every five to seven years for a non-critical establishment.
To be honest I find Michelin regarding hotels quite unhelpful. Often 4 stars are much better than 5 stars.
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Old Oct 23, 2019, 7:16 am
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Originally Posted by offerendum
To be honest I find Michelin regarding hotels quite unhelpful. Often 4 stars are much better than 5 stars.
At FS Trinity Madame Pic holds now 2 stars. To be honest I found it solid 1 star level at best.
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Old Dec 3, 2019, 5:29 pm
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Any opinions on The Berkeley Hotel?
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Old Dec 4, 2019, 9:10 am
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Originally Posted by Moyerclan
Any opinions on The Berkeley Hotel?
How long have you got? Loathe this hotel, apart from the gorgeous suites designed by John Heah, which are superb. The rest of the hotel is disjointed and mismatched, mainly because they have used too many different designers for every area. All-day-dining is dire and service borders on the amateur. Pity, as I love the location.
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Old Dec 12, 2019, 6:19 pm
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Originally Posted by vuittonsofstyle
How long have you got? Loathe this hotel, apart from the gorgeous suites designed by John Heah, which are superb. The rest of the hotel is disjointed and mismatched, mainly because they have used too many different designers for every area. All-day-dining is dire and service borders on the amateur. Pity, as I love the location.
Thanks for the review. I changed our reservation to Number Sixteen instead. Any thoughts on this...?
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Old Dec 19, 2019, 6:59 am
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Originally Posted by Moyerclan
Thanks for the review. I changed our reservation to Number Sixteen instead. Any thoughts on this...?
Not my favourite Firmdale Hotel - I prefer Covent Garden, Charlotte Street and Soho, but this is not a bad choice.
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Old Dec 19, 2019, 11:14 pm
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I'm done with Firmdale Hotels. Decors are always great and homelike, but if you know where it's sourced you know it's cheap. But aside from that, the service has been terrible and in no way comparable to a 5 star hotel (or at least a hotel that charges 5 star prices).

Such a shame as I've loved the chain for many, many years.
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Old Dec 20, 2019, 9:26 am
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Originally Posted by sophialite
I'm done with Firmdale Hotels. Decors are always great and homelike, but if you know where it's sourced you know it's cheap. But aside from that, the service has been terrible and in no way comparable to a 5 star hotel (or at least a hotel that charges 5 star prices).

Such a shame as I've loved the chain for many, many years.
I agree it is sad about Firmdale in London - not what it was. Interestingly, their 2 hotels in NYC are much better. Maybe their focus is on them these days.
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