sophialite

I've stayed at the Crosby Street Hotel at least once a year for 10 years now. Hard product was always great, service gradually got worse and worse. I am a free agent this this week. Let's see what the Greenwich Hotel has to offer. I'll then try the FS Downtown and maybe 11Howard.

vuittonsofstyle

I really like The Greenwich, as long as you get one of their corner suites. Crosby St is no longer as good as Whitby Hotel. Maybe they are concentrating on the new to the detriment of the old? FS Downtown is not very good, sadly - nice staff but poor hard product.

sophialite

So I am staying in the corner suite and will get upgraded if there's anything available (odds looking good right now). But it's also not cheap (I think $1600 per night before taxes). The deluxe rooms at the CSH were always pretty decent, and bathrooms remarkably nice despite the hotel being over 10 years old, so easier to get something decent without spending more than $1k per night.

We'll see. The problem is that even if the Whitby or Aman or whatever are nice, I really have no business in upper Manhattan. Workwise, most of my stuff is near Soho. Pleasurewise, the upper- and mid-Manhattan vibe isn't quite my scene.

sophialite

The problem with Firmdale is great hard product and atrocious soft product. I visited the CSH a few days ago for tea in the afternoon, and was told I couldn't share a pot with my partner. We had to get one each if we both wanted tea. Restaurant policy. What?

In January when I stayed at the 1 Denman Place apartments, with "rent" costing about 30k for the month, I was told the only way I could get extra water bottles beyond what's provided in turndown service was to pay for them. What?

It's just a complete failure to understand how to build client relationships. If a hotel wants to make this relationship as transactional as possible, I'll spend $$$ elsewhere. I'm not asking to be comped bottles of Moet. I'm pretty sure they could afford to stock my suite with some bottles of water.

vuittonsofstyle

Firmdale started off really well, with just a handful of very well run hotels in London, but I think that they needed to hire more experienced hoteliers to cope with their expansion, as service has definitely declined over the years.

BobbySteel

please share stories!

sophialite

My lips are sealed, suffice to say that the parties at the Standard don't really measure up ;-)

BESVISOR

I'm normally a Connaught fan but lately, been extremely happy with The Beaumont team!

SojournsOf

I second all of this. Love the Connaught, but the team at The Beaumont are great to work with and really go above and beyond.

THR

Hello all!

Would really appreciate some advice. We have four nights in London in mid June, and I am entirely conflicted on locations.

Intending to book via Virtuoso - and there are quite a few promotional offers during our stay (e.g. pay 2, get 3; pay 3 get 4).

My partner is quite keen on Lanesborough - but no such promotional offer, so it ends up quite expensive.

Other options for our dates include Browns and Baglioni.

Any thoughts on Browns vs Baglioni; or whether it is perhaps just better to stump up and pay Lanesborough and not use promotional benefits?

Appreciate any guidance as it’s a big decision for us.

MacMyDay

Both Brown's and Baglioni have as much in common with The Lanesborough as Donald Trump shares compassion with Mother Teresa. The Lanesborough is a fine hotel, Browns and Baglioni are many things, but great hotels they are not.

THR

Thanks for your input. Albeit, it’s a little cryptic.

You mean they’re not good hotels/worth staying at, or just quite different?

As someone who is unfamiliar with London (travelling from Australia), and as it is over my partners birthday, I don’t want to make an expensive mistake.

I have extensively read reviews on the various hotels and it is so hard to decide ☹️

Pierre&Cédric

It all depends upon what you value as each London hotel is very different (pool / decor / location / service / size).
My favorite was FS Park Lane for a long time, then Bvlagri because I love the location and the pool, and for different reasons I liked the Connaught (contemporary wing) and the Lanesborough.

MacMyDay

Luckily for you, I have stayed in almost all of them, some over a hundred times. The top hotels in London are one of: Beaumont, Connaught, Lanesborough, Bulgari. Beneath that you will have hotels like 45 Park Lane, The Goring, Claridges, The Berkeley, Corinthia, Four Seasons (both properties), Mandarin Oriental and Rosewood. Further beneath them will be Dorchester, Shangri-La and Cafe Royal. Then deep, deep down the list, somewhere near the sewers, you will find Brown's, Baglioni, Taj and The Ritz.

Goodmorning2U

I really like the Lanesborough but the service just is not as good as the Four Seasons Park Lane. Over many stays, we have arrived only to be put in small rooms in the rafters without real windows, and placed above conference rooms with parties going till midnight. They fix the problem the next day or right then if possible but its happened too many times, and they won’t allow you to prebook a certain room or floor so getting one of these rooms is always possible.

The Four Seasons Park Lane consistently provides exceptional service and we have never had problems like we have had at the Lanesborough. I am one of those who thinks the decor of the Lanesborough is fantastic for a London getaway but I won’t stay there again because of the real chance of getting assigned to a bad or unacceptable room situation.

I am tempted by the Connaught but I went to tour the rooms and spa recently and still prefer the Four Seasons.