Room Improvements and Stay Report
 

Over the course of the last week and this coming week (ending mid-august) they are replacing the old small CRT TVs in the guest rooms with nice LCD widescreens (Philips). Stayed in a suite that just got upgarded (Boxes of new TVs lined the halls in the morning and new TVs at night when I came home). Not sure if they are planning to upgrade the cable system/on demand system as well.

Been staying in the PL for about a month. Inconsistent but frequent upgrades, especially since the summer brings a number of long-staying guests who pick some of the best rooms (At least according to front desk staff). Rooms ranged from great studio suite (853), to really painful regular suite (110) - there was a leak from the outside and the shower had some flooding issues- and a number in between. Generally a favorable experience with a good staff.

Would someone post a relatively easy and economical way to get from LHR to Park Lane in Picadilly? Thanks.

Cheapest would be to take the picadilly line tube (Subway) from LHR to the green park station and walk about 4-5 blocks down picadilly (Towards hyde park corner) to the hotel. The most convenient (in my mind) is the heathrow express train (10-15 GBP - 15 minutes) to paddington station and then cab to the hotel (another 10-15 GBP assuming light traffic).

I will second that Woodsmit. Quick and easy. Just remind the cab driver to drop you off at the Brick Street entrance; not the Piccadilly entrance.

We have stayed here many times and as a Plat have always been upgraded to very decent rooms (suites).

Anyone have any recent experiences at this hotel?? I'm heading there soon for 5 nights and was wondering how the hotel has been lately? Got a really really good rate and just wondering what to expect from this property?

Just back from 3 nights at the Park Lane (Oct 2-4). I'm Platinum, and paid for it via a pay 2 nights get one night free promo. I too have had varied experiences at check-in over the years. During a stay in May, they thought I was only a Gold member, and when I corrected them they quickly gave me a suite.

On this stay, I told them that I had my sister with me and wanted a room with 2 beds. This threw them for a loop and they looked and looked and finally gave me the same room they had originally assigned me and told me that Housekeeping would come up and separate the bed.

Unfortunately I've had this room before (849 I believe), and it is opposite the elevator. The entire room vibrates with the elevator.....why they would ever assign this to a Platinum member is beyond me. Granted it is fairly big and has a large bathroom, but the noise is unbearable.

On another occasion my suite on the 8th floor was directly below the flagpole, and the noise in the middle of the night from the wind whipping through the wires holding the flagpole up was unbearable.

All that aside, the location of the PL is great and one of the reasons I come back time after time. Just be warned that the room types vary tremendously and are not all that up to date. My room this visit did have a nice new flat screen TV, however.

Closed by fire for much of Saturday 11th October
 

Arriving to check in at the Park Lane on Saturday afternoon, the building was without power due to "a small fire" and no-one was allowed in any further than the foyer on the Green Park side of the building.

Staff were doing their best directing and re-booking guests at other Starwoods. We said we'd walk up to the Le Meridien and see if they had a room there.

It turns out that the computer used for checking in at the Le Meridien is housed at the Park Lane, so check in was a manual process and took 50 minutes. I heard some guests being told they could have complimentary drinks in the bar and come back later to check-in, but we didn't get that offer, nor did we have the time to hang around as we had a match at Wembley to get to.

The stay was disappointing since my reservation already showed a Platinum upgrade to a suite at the Park Lane yet we ended up at Le Meridien in the tiniest room I've ever come across in a five-star hotel. Apparently it was an executive room, two up from a standard. How it earned that category was a mystery.

The Le Meridien staff were confused as to if/when the Park Lane had re-opened. One said it was still closed; another said it re-opened at 20:30 on Saturday evening.

Not impressed...
 

After weighing up between the Park Lane and the Belgravia I eventually went for the PL, simply because the location was a bit better...

Arrive today at 3:30pm, to be told that my room wouldn't be ready until 5pm. There was some talk of trying to find an alternative room, but I was told the room I had been given was a good one, and I said I was happy to wait as I was planning to head out immediately anyway.

Came back at 6pm, and the room still wasn't marked as being ready. Turns out they were waiting for maintenance to re-hang a photo frame on the wall so they let me have the room anyway, and said maintenance would be right up to fix the painting (It's now 7:30 and they still haven't arrived).

The room itself, room 821, is large and relatively spacious, and probably the noisiest hotel room I've ever had. In addition to old elevators on 2 sides of the room (one right next to the bed, one a few metres from the wall) there is what I could best describe as a "whistle" noise coming from the air conditioner vent - even with the A/C off.

Went back down to the front desk at 6:15pm and was told they would try and find me a new room and would get back to me. An hour later they finally called and said they had found another room - but it wouldn't be ready for another hour...

So if I'm lucky, 5 hours after I arrive I might have an acceptable room, although I'm not holding my breath. If the new room isn't any better then I'll be moving to either Belgravia or a non Starwood tomorrow - even if this is the first night of a 3rd night free deal.

Update: Came back after dinner to find they had moved me to a new room on the 3rd floor, which is much better. It's still an "executive" room, but it's bigger, has a bigger bathroom, and most importantly, is very quiet!

So I think this just goes to what most of the other comments here have said - get a good room and you'll be happy. Get a bad room, and ...

Good location. Very tired looking hotel.
 

This hotel is in very good location - close to a tube station (Green Park), double decker tour buses and shopping.

The first weird thing I noticed was that the hotel reception was not on the main street but on the one behind. When you enter the hotel from Park Lane, you walk through a restaurant/bar to get to the reception.

As a Plat, got upgraded to corner suite...but it was on 1st floor (1st floor above ground floor) and I could hear the outside noise. Very old tired looking room. Squeaky. Everything wooden. At least the TV was a flat screen.

The staff was quite helpful although very slow in everything from printing invoices to answering simple questions. Ah well....

Overall, good location and that's why I went there ^

Good for price...
 

Hi everyone.
We wound up staying at the Park Lane after making a couple of bids on Priceline for 4* hotels in the Bloomsbury - Marylebone - Soho, and then Westminster areas. Got somewhat surprised, since I wasn't expecting them to be on the Priceline list for the $170 per night we bid, especially since the rooms regularly go for upwards of $300/$400 when we last checked.

Since we had no idea where the hotel was (sorry - haven't been to this neighborhood often), we entered "Sheraton Park Lane Hotel London" into Google maps, which showed the location as being right on top of the Piccadilly Circus tube station, instead of further down Piccadilly near Park Lane.

The pluses: got up on one of the upper floors despite having a priceline reservation. Beds wide and quite comfy - had to spend some downtime in the room after suffering jet lag from coming in from down under. Flat screen TV in room with the usual UK channels + good selection of global news channels. Bathrooms large with period (early 1900's) fixtures. Room service provided a coffeemaker on request. Good location in between Knightbridge and Piccadilly Circus. Staff very personable.

So/so: Fitness center, which appears to have been remodelled over the past few years. Good selection of the latest cardio equipment, OK selection of dumbells, small selection of weight machines which are new. No free weights besides dumbells which weren't very heavy. Overall adequate for a hotel fitness center, but for those of us who are serious lifters, it's time to hit the road and find another gym nearby.

Minuses: they seem to charge an arm and a leg for internet service. Since we were going to be there for a few days, we bought a 7-day pass for 38 pounds. I really can't figure out why all of these 4- and 5-stars insist on charging for wifi when a lot of the other places with less stars just give it away. Found the smell of smoke in the lower guest floors and wondered if it was from the fire mentioned a few messages above. Thin walls - woke up at 2AM and heard the couple next door going at it.

Overall - thumbs up for the price, but definitely wouldn't have gone full price for it.

--jofegan

I went there on my honeymoon, TERRIBLE hotel, horrible customer service. I almost checked out and moved to the Le Meridian a block away, but I paid in advance. Out of the 100s of starwood properties, this is my vote for the worst overall.

I'm sorry to hear you had a bad experience. :(

There are others on this thread who agree with you. As for me, I've always been well treated at the PL, so my experiences differ.

As for being the "overall worst" property in the SPG system - I think it's pretty easy (irrespective of individual experiences) to chalk that up to hyperbole and nonsense and move along.

Better luck on your next honeymoon. ;)

Dave

amazing experience
 

Just got back from my stay at the Park Lane and had an amazing time. Let me preface with that I am an employee at a *wood property..and as such got an amazing rate there (89/us a night)

From the days prior that I had called to confirm the details to checkin and throughout my stay they could not have had been nicer. Checked in on a Sunday and even though was staying on the starhot rate, they extended the welcome amenity for all sunday arivals to me which was a choice of a free drink in the bar, a free day of internet, and there were a couple other options. I chose the free drink- this was extended to each person in my group, so all 4 of us received our own offer and choice.. very nice!

I had alot of contact with Claudia at the front desk there who was VERY helpfull, as well was Lisa.^^^

The rooms which we received were on the 6th floor (one of their SPG floors) and each were rather large both facing towards other buildings next to the parklane, which I think was better as they were very quiet..both were well away from the elevators.

The concierge staff were very helpfull..especially Darren the head concierge. He always had great sugestions and it was thanks to him we ended up at one of the best pubs I have ever been to in London.

We could definately still smell the after affects of the fire that they had earlier in the week prior to our arival, but only in one of the elevators.

We ended up eating regularly at Bracewells, the breakfast restaurant in the hotel, as with the food &bev discount made the deal too tempting to pass (full english breakfast + the breakfast buffet featuring fresh oj, plenty of fruit and pastries to choose from and more)

I definately intend to return to this property.

Indeed, breakfast at the PL is outstanding. Even if they did try to charge me twice for it lol!

My favorite hotel in London.

Cheers,

August 2009
 

I have a 5-night stay reservd on points for August 2009

After reading this thread - I upgraded to an 'Executive Room' for 6,000 more pts........I will try to be 'Upgraded' from there to a 'Jr. Suite' although I am only GOLD....it seems 'hit or miss' ???

Can anyone tell me if/how it would be possible to get Breakfast included? I asked about adding on Breakfast w/points but was told they can't do that??
Even with the Pound (exchange to US) going down - it would still be too expensive for us to purchase outright.

l've read through the SPG site but can't find any information on this?? (I seem to remember that you could upgrade at check-in for a nominal amount of points, if suites were available - or am I confusing this w/aother Hotel Chain??

If I am lucky enough to be upgraded to a Jr. Suite - or on a 'concierge floor' (using points) would Breakfast be included??

I am really getting 'nervous' about my choice of the Park Lane - there are so many negative comments if not upgraded to a decent room.

Thanks - this will be our first stay in a London hotel.