The _Banking_Scot

Hi

Sorry SkiAdcock,

I have not stayed there but I have a reasonable knowledge of the London underground and google maps showed it next to the DLR line. I have been tempted by the price a few times so maybe next year.

Regards

TBS

Nottingham Nick

To post a bit more about this property. It has become our 'go to' property in London, and I can't praise it highly enough.

We have stayed at the weekend half a dozen times or more times a year for the past two or three years. The staff are great - okay it is a bit of a trek from the centre of London, but the Canary Wharf area now has loads of shops, restaurants and bars, so it is no longer the weekend ghost town that is used to be.

Also, it is now only a short DLR ride to the Olympic Park and the massive Stratford shopping / eating megaplex. ^

We have got to know the staff now, and our favourite room is attached to our profile so they do their best to make sure we get that room, or one very close to it each time we stay.

As has been mentioned, the lounge staff are lovely - they provide quite substantial nibbles in the evening, plus beer and wine - they also go out of their way to chat to residents and try to make each person's stay more enjoyable.

The lounge breakfast is also one of the best I have had including salmon and some lovely breads. They don't serve breakfast in the lounge on Saturday or Sunday but they comp full buffet in the dining room instead, which is a great bonus.

The Manhattan Grill steak restaurant downstairs is very nice, if a little pricy.

There is a Brown's Bistro next door and several other very nice places to eat within walking distance.

We are there again in a couple of weeks for the tennis at the O2 and are really looking forward to it.

If anyone has any specific questions about the hotel or the WIQ area, I will do my best to help.

Nick

SkiAdcock

Nick, thanks so much for the detailed update! Much appreciated.

Cheers.

CO-PLAT

I've stayed here 7 times and, as a Plat, I've been upgraded 3. Twice its been to a room with a walk through closet! Property is in a financial district so the rates are considerably lower on the weekends vs. weekdays.

I went to Browns Bistro once and didn't care for it at all.

hartleypig

st stayed at this property and they have applied a sudden heavy handed policy which states that NO FOOD can be taken out of the lounge. And it appears guests are being watched as extra staff are loitering to check on the policy. What annoys me is that on Saturday (4th April) the lounge was so busy that guests were taking food out on tray as no where to sit (read large families taking up seats etc). You can't even take a cake or biscuit without being told it can't be removed. I would say they should look at a no children after 5.30 policy, a no mobile phone conversations policy and a smart clothing policy before telling people they can't take a few morsels out of the lounge. Witness today a smart business man standing up eating nuts, while a child took up a coffee table to play with a toy train, a pushchair and two toddlers took up room while said toddlers screamed heads off and another child crawled across the floor. Are they " executives"? Management want to look at what a five star lounge should resemble (which I was reminded it was when I discussed with a manager). Mr HP has finally given up on using the lounge, it is getting worse. I spoke to the Director of Operations 3 years ago and he said that he had been in the lounge and wondered why anyone would want to use it as it was so awful.

SkiAdcock

Sorry to hear that. Did you speak to the GM or Dir of Ops re: your recent stay & your input?

Cheers.

hartleypig

That is what I plan to do. As long as the Director/GM are not behind the policy! I personally think that it would be fair to to allow children till 5.30 (when the wine and beer comes out), to tighten up on the 1 guest per Plat/Gold and two guests per room and have some rules to do with behaviour and dress. I will report back when I have been in touch with the top people!

BrightlyBob

For the hotels serving alcohol this is really simple to deal with in a way should'nt lead to confrontation. Adults only during alcohol hours.

For those hotels that don't mind arguments, adults only in the lounge.

And for those hotels wishing to identify their DYKWIA Elites, enforce the "member plus one guest only" rule at the door!

Seriously, I have kids and bring them with me to Marriotts for weekends away, and bring them in the lounge, but I'm always surprised when I'm allowed to bring them in during alcohol hours and see those hotels that ban kids (even my angelic foursome - "Guest plus one DYKWIA????") during those hours as eminently sensible.

nequine

What's the difference then between kids being in the lounge during the 2 hours the alcohol is out and sitting in the bar/restaurant with their parents?

That note is up in all executive lounges I've been to in the UK and most folk do tend to observe it.

When we were in Edinburgh last November the lounge was very busy during the 2 hour food/alcohol slot that for some late in (talking after 7.30) it was standing room only as the lounge there is quite small (capacity about 40).

hartleypig

What I am trying to point out is the hotel told me they were trying to provide a 5 star experience in the lounge. How does that level with 8pm children have taken over whole swathes of the room and adults are standing around eating nuts. The hotel can't have it both ways, i.e. filling it to that point and then not even allowing snacks in a container to be taken out. And yes there is a big difference between children in a bar where the alcohol is behind a bar and a fridge with easy access for everyone.

Many lounges in the London area do have a rule of no under 16s either blanket or after 5.30. Out of London I know of Glasgow who state no children in the lounge. Strangely you can always get a seat in the Glasgow lounge!

Many hotels have the sign about not taking food out, it is partly food hygiene (though how that applies to a few biscuits, a piece of bread or some crisps) and partly because the hotels find that crockery and cutlery goes astray.

I have been staying at West India Quay for nearly 10 years and stay about 40 nights a year. None of this is on business expenses and yet I am now Lifetime Plat. I have seen the lounge go from a pleasant experience to what I have stated. What has riled me is the way they have heavily applied the policy without looking at why people want to take food away. See what I said about the Director who said he wouldn't want to use it himself and who admitted that he believed many people must be bringing in multiple guests to cause such chaos. It is time they looked at how they can deliver this magical 5 star experience, not pee off long standing customers by forcing them to endure a frankly horrid environment.

jbarm

Stayed at the Marriott West India Quay last week.

Lovely time at this hotel. Gave me a nice upgrade as a Gold.

Very good service. Hotel in great condition. Easy access to both DLR and Canary Wharf Underground which make connecting to the center of London easy.

Executive Lounge was great. Staff were very willing to meet special requests. Food was certainly a step above the food offered in a US lounge.

While I did see children in the lounge, they were well behaved and no problem for me at all.

Kudos to the hotel. I will return.

Nottingham Nick

I have just completed another fabulous stay at this hotel, and am pleased to report there there is NO draconian policy change at the hotel at all.

The lounge staff are as wonderful and helpful as ever, and I didn't see a single staff member loitering anywhere!

There is the notice still there as always, saying that food cannot be removed from the lounge but, as others have posted - this is for food hygiene reasons. It also doesn't apply to someone taking the odd cookie or piece of fruit.

The hotel was quite busy during our stay, but we never had an issue getting a seat / table in the lounge.

As I have stated before, this hotel is our 'go to' hotel in London and I see no reason to change. We have more stays already booked and are looking forward to each one.

Nick

SkiAdcock

Just noticed this in the exec lounge sticky. Since it doesn't apply to the exec lounge, thought I'd post it here so others will know. Thanks to bennos for the information.

"Note this hotel defaults to charging you in USD (at least for US cards) at a ~3% premium if you opt for express check out and fail to tick the box at registration. (Unfortunate, as otherwise it's an excellent hotel.)"

Cheers.

carrotjuice

It's the dreadful direct currency conversion (DCC) and how hotels try to make more money from guests at the suggestion of their card clearing bank. Good to know.

bennos

Ah, I'd forgotten about this thread, thanks for the re-post.