Aloft Excel, London, United Kingdom [Master Thread]
Sep 22, 2019, 3:54 am
#136
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Europe
Programs: Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, Accor, Hyatt, (Former IHG Ambassador)
Posts: 1,389
Airplanes are not allowed to land or take off after 11pm or midnight and can't restart until morning, so night time is ok. Also thousands of people live in apartments with opening windows (and even balconies) close to the airport, so they don't seem to mind.
Last edited by est-gratuite; Sep 22, 2019 at 4:13 am
Sep 22, 2019, 3:59 am
#137
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Europe
Programs: Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, Accor, Hyatt, (Former IHG Ambassador)
Posts: 1,389
This hotel has facilities for washing your laundry on the ground floor, consisting of 1 washing machine and 1 dryer. These must be paid for individually with 1 pound coins. Washing powder has to be bought seperately from a vending machine...but is quite expensive at 3 pounds GBP for 1 single wash.
If you have more than 1 load to wash, I would strongly recommend going 2 stops on the DLR (Docklands light railway) to "Royal Victoria" station. There is a tesco supermarket 1 minute walk from that station where you can buy washing powder tablets or washing liquid pods at much cheaper prices, which can be used in the hotel washing machine.
If you have more than 1 load to wash, I would strongly recommend going 2 stops on the DLR (Docklands light railway) to "Royal Victoria" station. There is a tesco supermarket 1 minute walk from that station where you can buy washing powder tablets or washing liquid pods at much cheaper prices, which can be used in the hotel washing machine.
Last edited by est-gratuite; Sep 22, 2019 at 5:17 am
Sep 25, 2019, 6:56 pm
#138
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Europe
Programs: Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, Accor, Hyatt, (Former IHG Ambassador)
Posts: 1,389
Found the breakfast at this property to be quite boring and basic considering how "modern" and "stylish" the hotel wants to appear. Eggs cooked just 1 way, not much fresh fruit, few choices overall, and the yogurt pots were located in a fridge right next to some champagne that you can also order at breafast as a very expensive extra.
Also, for warm drinks there are some machines with 2 button labelled "hot water" or "coffee" at breakfast. Anything else like an espresso or cappuccino needs to be paid extra.
Breakfast felt and tasted average/cheap overall.
Also, for warm drinks there are some machines with 2 button labelled "hot water" or "coffee" at breakfast. Anything else like an espresso or cappuccino needs to be paid extra.
Breakfast felt and tasted average/cheap overall.
Sep 29, 2019, 10:44 am
#140
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Europe
Programs: Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, Accor, Hyatt, (Former IHG Ambassador)
Posts: 1,389
Got an upgrade to a large (urban) room and late check out with no problems.
As welcome gift, you can choose free breakfast for 2 people each day you are there, or a measly 500 points.
Sep 30, 2019, 2:08 am
#141
Join Date: May 2003
Location: LCY
Programs: SQ Krisflyer, QR Privilege Club, MB LT Plt (1K+ nights thx MB)
Posts: 1,038
Found the breakfast at this property to be quite boring and basic considering how "modern" and "stylish" the hotel wants to appear. Eggs cooked just 1 way, not much fresh fruit, few choices overall, and the yogurt pots were located in a fridge right next to some champagne that you can also order at breafast as a very expensive extra.
Also, for warm drinks there are some machines with 2 button labelled "hot water" or "coffee" at breakfast. Anything else like an espresso or cappuccino needs to be paid extra.
Breakfast felt and tasted average/cheap overall.
Also, for warm drinks there are some machines with 2 button labelled "hot water" or "coffee" at breakfast. Anything else like an espresso or cappuccino needs to be paid extra.
Breakfast felt and tasted average/cheap overall.
Sep 30, 2019, 3:36 am
#142
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Europe
Programs: Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, Accor, Hyatt, (Former IHG Ambassador)
Posts: 1,389
Sep 30, 2019, 4:59 am
#143
Join Date: May 2003
Location: LCY
Programs: SQ Krisflyer, QR Privilege Club, MB LT Plt (1K+ nights thx MB)
Posts: 1,038
[QUOTE=est-gratuite;31577856]It is free, getting a proper espresso is not. However I was staying at the hotel for more than 3 Months and I got the espresso comped but in general you need to pay.
Sep 30, 2019, 5:54 am
#144
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: SPG-Plat, Hilton-Diamond, Club Carlson-Silver, Cathay-Diamond, Virgin-Gold
Posts: 2,183
Its been a while since I stayed there but I remember the coffee machine and to be honest to use the term coffee to describe comes out of it is possibly one of the most generous statements on FT lol!! Overall for a Aloft where breakfast isn't a brand standard I have to say I always found the offering to be reasonable!
Sep 30, 2019, 9:39 am
#145
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 905
Its been a while since I stayed there but I remember the coffee machine and to be honest to use the term coffee to describe comes out of it is possibly one of the most generous statements on FT lol!! Overall for a Aloft where breakfast isn't a brand standard I have to say I always found the offering to be reasonable!
Sep 30, 2019, 12:20 pm
#146
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: SPG-Plat, Hilton-Diamond, Club Carlson-Silver, Cathay-Diamond, Virgin-Gold
Posts: 2,183
Jan 15, 2020, 12:15 am
#147
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 905
Recent stay. The coffee at breakfast seems to have improved. The machines are the same but the ‘ one touch’ beverage coming out of them doesn’t have the very nasty taste of previous stays. Still not great but I don’t much fancy paying Ł3.75 x 3 for ‘barista’ service. It’s ok. Indeed the breakfast food seems a bit better.
Make a Green Choice is now a Ł5 voucher against F&B, as opposed to either that or 250 pints. I value the Ł5 higher.
The Grab’n’Go is GONE ( at least temporarily while the lobby is under renovation)
Nice hotel, particularly when it’s quiet and cheap ( ie when there’s no exhibition on)
Make a Green Choice is now a Ł5 voucher against F&B, as opposed to either that or 250 pints. I value the Ł5 higher.
The Grab’n’Go is GONE ( at least temporarily while the lobby is under renovation)
Nice hotel, particularly when it’s quiet and cheap ( ie when there’s no exhibition on)
Jan 15, 2020, 8:49 am
#148
In memoriam
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: MAN
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium, IHG Spire, UA Silver, Dennis The Menace Fan Club
Posts: 1,457
I was here last weekend, breakfast offerings are pretty good, full english, danishes, fruit, cereal and breads with a coffee/hot water machine. As a tea drinker I can’t comment on the coffee but the tea was fine. Upgraded to a Savvy suite and no problems with a 4pm checkout. I’ve stated a couple of times here and certainly prefer it to the nearby Holiday Inn express and Moxy. with whole it and really like this place and when there’s nothing at the Excel it really cuts its rates!
Jun 26, 2023, 1:44 pm
#150
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Mostly living in the basement
Programs: Newly minted free agent; MR LT(!)TE, HH SE, BA SECM, DL MM, UA PS, 2V Fanboi, CBP GE
Posts: 5,108
I recently completed a short stay after my side trip to Edinburgh was canceled and I needed a last minute room. It was one of the few affordable options available, and overall aside from the location turned out to be an excellent choice.
The hotel is easily accessible from the Prince Regent DLR station. Take the stairs or lift up from the station platform to the overpass and turn right. Walk towards the ExCeL entrance, you will see the hotel on the left. There is an entrance to the hotel on the far side past the restaurant. This will put you on 2F, reception is downstairs.
Upon arriving (approximately 30 minutes after I made the reservation while sitting on the floor of Kings Cross station) the FDC was able to get me an early check in, and proactively apologized for there being no upgrades available as those rooms were fully booked. (At this point I certainly wasn't expecting an upgrade, but it was nice that they checked.)
I was given a room on 8F (the top floor), which sort of had a view of the DLR. Some of the other rooms sort of have a view of the water or LCY, but since the rooms here are like any other aloft you've been in the windows are too narrow to be useful. There was a tea kettle in the room, along with tea and bagged coffee (that steeps like tea!).
Overall, I liked everything about this hotel except the location, which is great for ExCeL and not really anything else. It's slightly too far from most services to be convenient, requiring trips on the DLR or the nearby Elizabeth Line (though note it's on the Abbey Wood branch and so gets about half the overall service). While it's physically near LCY, it's on the "wrong" DLR branch, requiring backtracking or a car.
The Docksider Restaurant offers some decent pub food, though the daytime selection isn't particularly large. The breakfast buffet (available as a welcome gift choice for Plat+) far exceeds anything you'd normally get from an aloft, though it's not quite a luxury spread. Sorry about the coffee (which appears to be unchanged from previous reports) but as I don't drink coffee it's not a deal breaker for me
The gym is decent, with weights up to 26kg (~55lb) and a cable machine, along with the usual bike/treadmill stuff. There's also a pool, which seemed to be hosting some sort of midday event for locals with their young children.
The hotel is easily accessible from the Prince Regent DLR station. Take the stairs or lift up from the station platform to the overpass and turn right. Walk towards the ExCeL entrance, you will see the hotel on the left. There is an entrance to the hotel on the far side past the restaurant. This will put you on 2F, reception is downstairs.
Upon arriving (approximately 30 minutes after I made the reservation while sitting on the floor of Kings Cross station) the FDC was able to get me an early check in, and proactively apologized for there being no upgrades available as those rooms were fully booked. (At this point I certainly wasn't expecting an upgrade, but it was nice that they checked.)
I was given a room on 8F (the top floor), which sort of had a view of the DLR. Some of the other rooms sort of have a view of the water or LCY, but since the rooms here are like any other aloft you've been in the windows are too narrow to be useful. There was a tea kettle in the room, along with tea and bagged coffee (that steeps like tea!).
Overall, I liked everything about this hotel except the location, which is great for ExCeL and not really anything else. It's slightly too far from most services to be convenient, requiring trips on the DLR or the nearby Elizabeth Line (though note it's on the Abbey Wood branch and so gets about half the overall service). While it's physically near LCY, it's on the "wrong" DLR branch, requiring backtracking or a car.
The Docksider Restaurant offers some decent pub food, though the daytime selection isn't particularly large. The breakfast buffet (available as a welcome gift choice for Plat+) far exceeds anything you'd normally get from an aloft, though it's not quite a luxury spread. Sorry about the coffee (which appears to be unchanged from previous reports) but as I don't drink coffee it's not a deal breaker for me
The gym is decent, with weights up to 26kg (~55lb) and a cable machine, along with the usual bike/treadmill stuff. There's also a pool, which seemed to be hosting some sort of midday event for locals with their young children.
Last edited by bennos; Jun 27, 2023 at 5:32 am