W Leicester Square, London, United Kingdom [Master Thread]
Sep 5, 2020, 4:40 am
#256
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: All over
Programs: AA-LTP, HH-DIA, Marriott-LT+AMB, Hyatt-Globalist, Hertz-PC, UA-GS
Posts: 6,828
Sep 5, 2020, 4:41 am
#257
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: All over
Programs: AA-LTP, HH-DIA, Marriott-LT+AMB, Hyatt-Globalist, Hertz-PC, UA-GS
Posts: 6,828
i cant be bothered to look up government guide on re-opening, but gyms also do not provide towels anymore...only for showers. otherwise, good to hear a positive review, and agree about the bathroom window light! always annoyed me...well, back in the day when i'd travel so much to be bothered by my hotel bathroom with natural light haha.
Sep 5, 2020, 7:32 am
#259
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: All over
Programs: AA-LTP, HH-DIA, Marriott-LT+AMB, Hyatt-Globalist, Hertz-PC, UA-GS
Posts: 6,828
Oct 20, 2020, 7:36 am
#260
Join Date: Feb 2020
Programs: British Airways Executive Club Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Amb
Posts: 1,771
Recent stay
I wanted to leave a formal hotel review in the appropriate section of the Flyertalk website but I don’t seem to be able to do so. So I will write a review here for the benefit of anyone considering a stay.
My girlfriend and I just completed a four night stay at W London. It was our first time visiting this property, and my first ever stay as a Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite Member. We have a reasonable amount of experience staying at luxury and five star hotels, including over the last few months, both in the UK and abroad. For the sake of comparison, we also stayed at W Amsterdam this summer as a Gold Elite Member. That is my only previous W experience. My gf and are both in our 20s (me clinging on to them for another few months 😉
.
Pre-arrival:
I booked a four night stay directly through the app, using the healthcare rate (a considerable saving I’m very grateful for as an NHS doctor).
The W reached out a few days before our stay with the usual pre-arrival email, informing us about the covid measures, breakfast times, available services etc. I replied to this email to clarify the situation regarding booking the gym etc. I also mentioned that it was my first ever stay as a Platinum Elite (which was true!) and asked about whether the hotel would honour the 4pm checkout, free breakfast for two, and a complimentary upgrade. The hotel replied promptly, congratulating me on my new status and assuring me that the benefits would be provided in full, with an upgrade available subject to availability. They clarified that the gym could not be booked in advance but would likely be available most of the time.
Overall, I would say I was very satisfied with the pre-arrival process. Shortly after this email arrived, I noticed in the app that my room had changed from a Spectacular King, Mid Floor to a Studio Suite, Corner Room. I was very excited, as this was something like a three category upgrade (as a Gold I had never been given a substantial upgrade, which was to be expected).
Arrival:
We arrived at the hotel around midnight on a Friday evening. I did message the hotel in the app earlier in the day to let them know we would be arriving late, as I felt this was polite. They responded quickly to say that they would be ready for me.
On arrival, we were greeted by the security gentleman and guided to the appropriate level. Another member of staff shortly arrived to check us in. He congratulated me on my new Platinum status and confirmed the upgrade to a Studio Suite to mark the occasion. He was very friendly and helpful.
The suite was on a corner overlooking part of China Town, on the top floor (floor 7 - there are residences on floor 8, but no guest rooms). I was pleased that we were on the quieter side of the building.
The suite was spacious and very hip. It was also spotlessly clean.
I was completely surprised to discover that the hotel had left me a large complimentary bottle of prosecco in an ice bucket, with two glasses (the ice had not melted, so some thought had gone into the timing). There was also a lovely welcome note to congratulate me on becoming a Platinum Elite Member. I was very touched by this thoughtful gesture. The prosecco was pretty good too!
The Suite:
The suite was actually a very sensible design, considering it was in a W Hotel, where some silliness is to be expected. There was the usual sumptuous signature W King Bed, a large desk and TV, and a large, slightly unusual red sofa in the corner. The entire outer wall of the room was composed of glass so that we could look out over London.
The room could be controlled by a new looking iPad. You could control the TV, air con, music, lights etc. You could also order room service and view your bill. It sounds gimmicky but it was actually intuitive and useful. There were ample charging points by the bed and desk too.
The bathroom was a good size, with a spacious rainfall shower and a toilet inside a tiny contained cupboard. Somehow they managed to make the toilet smell of gumdrop buttons for the entire stay - there was no obvious air fresher. There were Momo toiletries provided in 100ml containers. The W Amsterdam still uses Bliss toiletries, which we are big fans of. The Momo was just as good though. We also received big tubes of W face wash cream and body cream. On day two, some Bliss face wash was also provided, so the Bliss lives on!
The wardrobes and cupboards were built into the walls by the bathroom, with plenty of space for clothes unless you have a particularly expensive girlfriend.
Overall, the room was a very enjoyable space to spend time in and one hell of an upgrade. I have stayed in bigger rooms but the space was used well here and it never felt cramped. The panoramic windows helped provide a sense of openness.
Service:
I want to take the time here to focus on the soft product, which is very important to me. I am very much the opposite of a DYKWIA, and hate any form of confrontation or conflict whilst I’m on holiday. I prefer to have staff treat me like a friend rather than a visiting member of the royal family, but without being over familiar. If you have flown BA and found that you can have a bit of banter with the crew but also feel like you are in safe hands, I’m describing that sort of vibe.
The hotel exceeded my expectations during this stay. They were very responsive to messaging in the app, with responses appearing within minutes. There were a couple of minor issues with the room during our stay. The fridge didn’t seem to work properly (there’s no mini bar at the moment so I was using it for my own drinks and snacks). I messaged them about this and they fixed it within hours (I was out). My gf’s reading light wasn’t working and they sent an engineer to fix it immediately - they also followed up in the chat to confirm that they had sent the relevant person, and to check the issue was resolved.
When we asked for extra items for our room, we received them immediately. We did ask for our room to be made up daily, and it was always cleaned and tidied in a thoughtful manner. The housekeeping team even noticed that my gf was getting through the make up removal wipe thingys rather rapidly, and provided an extra supply without prompting. Bottled water was provided daily in almost excessive quantities.
The staff at breakfast and the Perception Bar in the evenings were consummate professionals and responded to our every request with alacrity and enthusiasm. They were friendly and warm without exception. Most importantly, I never felt like I needed to hunt around for attention or service - they were waiting and responsive at all times. My pet peeve at five star hotels is waiting ten minutes for my ketchup to arrive or someone to take my drinks order. It tarnishes they experience - it really is the small details that make or break a service experience.
Food and beverages:
We ate breakfast at the hotel all four mornings. Thank god for breakfast being served until noon on weekends, because I am a slovenly man.
The breakfast team enthusiastically informed us that we could have whatever we wanted, due to my platinum elite status. All food was prepared a la carte and delivered swiftly. We went ham at breakfast and ordered pretty much everything that could be prepared by the kitchen. The food was very good quality and so were the smoothies and other beverages.
The staff didn’t ever say that certain items weren’t available or would cost more - they were determined to give us whatever we wanted. If I wanted a full English breakfast with an omelette instead of scrambled eggs, they were more than happy to oblige. If we wanted iced coffee instead of filter, there was no issue. My gf ordered basically made up dishes for the entire stay and they were entirely accommodating. This was so refreshing, as many hotels use covid as an excuse to not provide certain items, or try and nickel and dime you. We always felt like we could order exactly what we wanted.
My gf asked about red velvet pancakes on the third day - apparently this is a thing at W London. The staff checked into this and assured us this could be provided the next day. When we arrived the next day, a different staff member asked if we would like the red velvet pancakes with our breakfast - very impressive attention to detail.
We had a few drinks and some food in the Perception Bar for a couple of evenings. The cocktails and G&T were very high quality. I also ordered a burger and fries on the final evening - this was very good and I’ve rarely seen so many sweet potato fries provided in a single plate. Prices were what you would expect in a central London hotel. The bar team were warm and responsive.
Location and miscellaneous:
The location is excellent if you want to spend time in Leicester Square, Soho etc.
My gf and I frequent the gym with some regularity and intensity; the hotel’s fitness facilities played a part in our decision to stay. The gym is spotlessly clean and the equipment is new and high quality. There is a cheat press machine, leg press, cable station, power rack etc. There are also kettlebells for people who enjoy being skinny and sweaty.
There is a concept 2 rower, two bikes, two treadmills, two cross trainers. The dumbbells go up to something like 30kg.
Despite fake news propagated by the hotel itself at times, the maximal gym capacity is actually eight people at once, not five. There are plentiful cleaning wipes etc, and a fridge full of water bottles.
Overall impression:
I had heard mixed reviews about this property before visiting but I am so very glad that I decided to trust the recent experience in this thread. The hotel is clearly making a huge effort to treat elite members well during this challenging time for the hotel industry, which demonstrates the right attitude and acumen. Whilst covid could have provided the hotel cover to reduce their service, they stepped up and truly impressed me. I would not hesitate to recommend this hotel for anyone who wants to spend time in central London.
I am happy to answer any questions. Apologies for any typos or incoherence - I am typing this on my phone on the train because the alternative is my gf’s MacBook which has that appalling butterfly keyboard that destroys all joy.
My girlfriend and I just completed a four night stay at W London. It was our first time visiting this property, and my first ever stay as a Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite Member. We have a reasonable amount of experience staying at luxury and five star hotels, including over the last few months, both in the UK and abroad. For the sake of comparison, we also stayed at W Amsterdam this summer as a Gold Elite Member. That is my only previous W experience. My gf and are both in our 20s (me clinging on to them for another few months 😉
. Pre-arrival:
I booked a four night stay directly through the app, using the healthcare rate (a considerable saving I’m very grateful for as an NHS doctor).
The W reached out a few days before our stay with the usual pre-arrival email, informing us about the covid measures, breakfast times, available services etc. I replied to this email to clarify the situation regarding booking the gym etc. I also mentioned that it was my first ever stay as a Platinum Elite (which was true!) and asked about whether the hotel would honour the 4pm checkout, free breakfast for two, and a complimentary upgrade. The hotel replied promptly, congratulating me on my new status and assuring me that the benefits would be provided in full, with an upgrade available subject to availability. They clarified that the gym could not be booked in advance but would likely be available most of the time.
Overall, I would say I was very satisfied with the pre-arrival process. Shortly after this email arrived, I noticed in the app that my room had changed from a Spectacular King, Mid Floor to a Studio Suite, Corner Room. I was very excited, as this was something like a three category upgrade (as a Gold I had never been given a substantial upgrade, which was to be expected).
Arrival:
We arrived at the hotel around midnight on a Friday evening. I did message the hotel in the app earlier in the day to let them know we would be arriving late, as I felt this was polite. They responded quickly to say that they would be ready for me.
On arrival, we were greeted by the security gentleman and guided to the appropriate level. Another member of staff shortly arrived to check us in. He congratulated me on my new Platinum status and confirmed the upgrade to a Studio Suite to mark the occasion. He was very friendly and helpful.
The suite was on a corner overlooking part of China Town, on the top floor (floor 7 - there are residences on floor 8, but no guest rooms). I was pleased that we were on the quieter side of the building.
The suite was spacious and very hip. It was also spotlessly clean.
I was completely surprised to discover that the hotel had left me a large complimentary bottle of prosecco in an ice bucket, with two glasses (the ice had not melted, so some thought had gone into the timing). There was also a lovely welcome note to congratulate me on becoming a Platinum Elite Member. I was very touched by this thoughtful gesture. The prosecco was pretty good too!
The Suite:
The suite was actually a very sensible design, considering it was in a W Hotel, where some silliness is to be expected. There was the usual sumptuous signature W King Bed, a large desk and TV, and a large, slightly unusual red sofa in the corner. The entire outer wall of the room was composed of glass so that we could look out over London.
The room could be controlled by a new looking iPad. You could control the TV, air con, music, lights etc. You could also order room service and view your bill. It sounds gimmicky but it was actually intuitive and useful. There were ample charging points by the bed and desk too.
The bathroom was a good size, with a spacious rainfall shower and a toilet inside a tiny contained cupboard. Somehow they managed to make the toilet smell of gumdrop buttons for the entire stay - there was no obvious air fresher. There were Momo toiletries provided in 100ml containers. The W Amsterdam still uses Bliss toiletries, which we are big fans of. The Momo was just as good though. We also received big tubes of W face wash cream and body cream. On day two, some Bliss face wash was also provided, so the Bliss lives on!
The wardrobes and cupboards were built into the walls by the bathroom, with plenty of space for clothes unless you have a particularly expensive girlfriend.
Overall, the room was a very enjoyable space to spend time in and one hell of an upgrade. I have stayed in bigger rooms but the space was used well here and it never felt cramped. The panoramic windows helped provide a sense of openness.
Service:
I want to take the time here to focus on the soft product, which is very important to me. I am very much the opposite of a DYKWIA, and hate any form of confrontation or conflict whilst I’m on holiday. I prefer to have staff treat me like a friend rather than a visiting member of the royal family, but without being over familiar. If you have flown BA and found that you can have a bit of banter with the crew but also feel like you are in safe hands, I’m describing that sort of vibe.
The hotel exceeded my expectations during this stay. They were very responsive to messaging in the app, with responses appearing within minutes. There were a couple of minor issues with the room during our stay. The fridge didn’t seem to work properly (there’s no mini bar at the moment so I was using it for my own drinks and snacks). I messaged them about this and they fixed it within hours (I was out). My gf’s reading light wasn’t working and they sent an engineer to fix it immediately - they also followed up in the chat to confirm that they had sent the relevant person, and to check the issue was resolved.
When we asked for extra items for our room, we received them immediately. We did ask for our room to be made up daily, and it was always cleaned and tidied in a thoughtful manner. The housekeeping team even noticed that my gf was getting through the make up removal wipe thingys rather rapidly, and provided an extra supply without prompting. Bottled water was provided daily in almost excessive quantities.
The staff at breakfast and the Perception Bar in the evenings were consummate professionals and responded to our every request with alacrity and enthusiasm. They were friendly and warm without exception. Most importantly, I never felt like I needed to hunt around for attention or service - they were waiting and responsive at all times. My pet peeve at five star hotels is waiting ten minutes for my ketchup to arrive or someone to take my drinks order. It tarnishes they experience - it really is the small details that make or break a service experience.
Food and beverages:
We ate breakfast at the hotel all four mornings. Thank god for breakfast being served until noon on weekends, because I am a slovenly man.
The breakfast team enthusiastically informed us that we could have whatever we wanted, due to my platinum elite status. All food was prepared a la carte and delivered swiftly. We went ham at breakfast and ordered pretty much everything that could be prepared by the kitchen. The food was very good quality and so were the smoothies and other beverages.
The staff didn’t ever say that certain items weren’t available or would cost more - they were determined to give us whatever we wanted. If I wanted a full English breakfast with an omelette instead of scrambled eggs, they were more than happy to oblige. If we wanted iced coffee instead of filter, there was no issue. My gf ordered basically made up dishes for the entire stay and they were entirely accommodating. This was so refreshing, as many hotels use covid as an excuse to not provide certain items, or try and nickel and dime you. We always felt like we could order exactly what we wanted.
My gf asked about red velvet pancakes on the third day - apparently this is a thing at W London. The staff checked into this and assured us this could be provided the next day. When we arrived the next day, a different staff member asked if we would like the red velvet pancakes with our breakfast - very impressive attention to detail.
We had a few drinks and some food in the Perception Bar for a couple of evenings. The cocktails and G&T were very high quality. I also ordered a burger and fries on the final evening - this was very good and I’ve rarely seen so many sweet potato fries provided in a single plate. Prices were what you would expect in a central London hotel. The bar team were warm and responsive.
Location and miscellaneous:
The location is excellent if you want to spend time in Leicester Square, Soho etc.
My gf and I frequent the gym with some regularity and intensity; the hotel’s fitness facilities played a part in our decision to stay. The gym is spotlessly clean and the equipment is new and high quality. There is a cheat press machine, leg press, cable station, power rack etc. There are also kettlebells for people who enjoy being skinny and sweaty.
There is a concept 2 rower, two bikes, two treadmills, two cross trainers. The dumbbells go up to something like 30kg.
Despite fake news propagated by the hotel itself at times, the maximal gym capacity is actually eight people at once, not five. There are plentiful cleaning wipes etc, and a fridge full of water bottles.
Overall impression:
I had heard mixed reviews about this property before visiting but I am so very glad that I decided to trust the recent experience in this thread. The hotel is clearly making a huge effort to treat elite members well during this challenging time for the hotel industry, which demonstrates the right attitude and acumen. Whilst covid could have provided the hotel cover to reduce their service, they stepped up and truly impressed me. I would not hesitate to recommend this hotel for anyone who wants to spend time in central London.
I am happy to answer any questions. Apologies for any typos or incoherence - I am typing this on my phone on the train because the alternative is my gf’s MacBook which has that appalling butterfly keyboard that destroys all joy.
Oct 20, 2020, 7:59 am
#261
Join Date: Feb 2020
Programs: British Airways Executive Club Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Amb
Posts: 1,771
FBI level image editing to erase my name from the TV.
Yes, I took a photo with the sexy W mood lighting because I was too excited by my upgrade to remember to turn the lights on.
I also do freelance photoshop work - DM me.
100ml bottles of fruity joy to erase the scent of hedonism.
The warm up act.
The gym, a centre of athletic excellence.
Pancakes were thiccc.
Bar food.
Packed bar in the evening.
Bar in the morning. Creepy plates abound.
Basic white ..... food because I was determined to try everything the kitchen could produce.
Dec 21, 2020, 3:58 pm
#265
Join Date: Feb 2020
Programs: British Airways Executive Club Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Amb
Posts: 1,771
Glad you enjoyed your stay. I think their elite treatment has been excellent recently.
I am looking forward to staying here again when they reopen. They kindly moved my stays to later dates and kept the rate the same for me (HJH rate so a generous gesture). In fact, they moved some of my stays twice over the last few months!
Last edited by Radiation Station; Dec 21, 2020 at 4:11 pm
Dec 21, 2020, 4:23 pm
#266
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 1,110
Does the HJH rate earn points/night stay credits on Bonvoy? Only heard about this rate today via this post and kicking myself for paying close to £300 for my stay in October 2020 when I can rates that are half the price with that code! :O
Dec 21, 2020, 4:31 pm
#267
Join Date: Feb 2020
Programs: British Airways Executive Club Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Amb
Posts: 1,771
Earns elite nights and points as usual. Properties treat you the same, although the London EDITION randomly seemed to think I wasn’t entitled to elite benefits on the rate. Every other hotel has given me a suite using that rate as Platinum, and the usual elite benefits.
Edit: London EDITION did give me a junior suite and 4pm checkout anyway, so it was weird they mentioned their misconceptions about the rate. W London, Sheraton GPL, Marriott PL and several properties abroad just treated the rate the same as any other.
Dec 21, 2020, 4:50 pm
#268
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 1,110
Oh yeah, I’ve mostly used that rate in the latter half of 2020, for the bulk of the nights that got me to Titanium (I was Gold last year). Greatest gift Marriott could have given me. Usually half or a third of the next best rate at high end Marriott Properties.
Earns elite nights and points as usual. Properties treat you the same, although the London EDITION randomly seemed to think I wasn’t entitled to elite benefits on the rate. Every other hotel has given me a suite using that rate as Platinum, and the usual elite benefits.
Edit: London EDITION did give me a junior suite and 4pm checkout anyway, so it was weird they mentioned their misconceptions about the rate. W London, Sheraton GPL, Marriott PL and several properties abroad just treated the rate the same as any other.
Earns elite nights and points as usual. Properties treat you the same, although the London EDITION randomly seemed to think I wasn’t entitled to elite benefits on the rate. Every other hotel has given me a suite using that rate as Platinum, and the usual elite benefits.
Edit: London EDITION did give me a junior suite and 4pm checkout anyway, so it was weird they mentioned their misconceptions about the rate. W London, Sheraton GPL, Marriott PL and several properties abroad just treated the rate the same as any other.
Btw, as far as I'm aware aren't EDITION and Ritz-Carlton's excluded from usual elite benefits?
From what I understand EDITION properties only get 1000 points welcome gift (for Platinum) and that's it irrespective of the rate in addition to room upgrade and late checkout benefits. However, advantage of EDITION vs Ritz-Carlton being that Platinums can be given suites unlike in Ritz-Carltons where it's only Titanium and Ambassadors. So in view of this, I believe you were treated as per Bonvoy policy which sucks I know.
That's one major bugbear I have with Bonvoy - the huge differentiation (and exceptions) of elite benefits across brands and even differences based on the region of the hotel in addition to the varying mileage based on the hotel's attitude themselves! Uniformity would've been great! Happy to be corrected though if I've interpreted the rules wrongly for EDITION properties.
Unless of course one booked a Starz/Luminous rate in which case one usually gets way better benefits than what any Marriott Bonvoy status provides with the $100 credit, free breakfast, late check-out and upgrades you get with those rate packages
Last edited by AirbusA350; Dec 21, 2020 at 6:38 pm
Dec 22, 2020, 5:35 am
#269
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: London
Posts: 342
May I ask what your status level was at the time of the stay?
Glad you enjoyed your stay. I think their elite treatment has been excellent recently.
I am looking forward to staying here again when they reopen. They kindly moved my stays to later dates and kept the rate the same for me (HJH rate so a generous gesture). In fact, they moved some of my stays twice over the last few months!
Glad you enjoyed your stay. I think their elite treatment has been excellent recently.
I am looking forward to staying here again when they reopen. They kindly moved my stays to later dates and kept the rate the same for me (HJH rate so a generous gesture). In fact, they moved some of my stays twice over the last few months!