dalm

Was there for the first time with my sister-in-law last October. She loved the lobby scent, too. I believe she asked what it was and if she could purchase it somewhere. I think they gave her the information. If you're crazy about it, you might see what they'll tell you.
Can't wait to go back again!

TheMajor

Hi WalruSara,

Great timing for you stay. We are having a mini-heatwave here in the UK at the moment.

Sorry everyone else, that does not bode well for anyone visiting later in the year !!!!

London is in my view the best city in the world and its even better when the sun shines.

Phil

tonypct

The wife and I are thinking of spending 7 to 8 nights in London and I plan on using my points to stay at a Marriott. I would appreciate any suggestions, thoughts, etc. Thanks.

GlennTheBaker

First off, this has been discussed previously so a search will probably throw up some info.

Most people on here have their favourites such as Chancery Court, County Hall, Grosvenor House, etc. Something to bear in mind when staying on points is that Grosvenor House is a Cat 7 whereas the other 'premium' London properties are Cat 8.

tonypct

Thanks for the feedback. The search function didn't come up with anything current and so that's why I started a new thread on this.

jmmlaguna

I love Grosvenor House - Great rooms, nice lounge. Staff has always been great - have had two great stays there!

troydwhite

Stayed at Grosvenors over Christmas, and loved it.

Can't vouch for any of the other properties, but to me you can't go wrong at Grosvenors.

BigLar

Just a note of caution (but you're already a MR plat, so you should know this): Marriott changed their redemption rates this year. There is no longer a sliding scale of discounts on the per-night point rate.

So, if you want to spend 3 nights at a Marriott property, the point cost is 3X the cost for one night.

The only break we get is, if you book 4 nights, you get a 5th night free.

So, in your case, spending 5 nights would cost you 4 night's worth of points. There will be no discount for the 6th, 7th, or 8th night (nor the 9th night, either). If you can spring for 10 nights, it will cost you 8X the daily rate (two pay-for-4-get-5 awards).

The difference between a cat 7 property (Grosvenor House) and a cat 8 (all the others mentioned) is 5000 points/night. Might be a deal-breaker.

Back to the topic at hand - we spent 7 nights at the Chancery Court last Fall (old award rules ) and thoroughly enjoyed it. If you're more into touristy stuff, the County Hall might be a better location - right across the street from Parliament and Big Ben, and they treat plats pretty well I'm told.

We'll be doing 5 nights (new rules ) at the GH this Fall. Looking forward to it, and fully expect to enjoy the hell out of the place.

Really can't go wrong with any of the three props mentioned. As for the rest, a search will (should?) turn up a lot of useful information regarding location, treatment of elites and so on.

TrojanHorse

I'm not going to argue with anyone elses 2 cents on the properties but I will add that the best "value" for me whether paid or points is the Marriott Kensington.. I love that property and pretty much will go back every time.. my 2nd choice (distant second) is Grovesnor House

tfred

i LOVE London -just dont know if i would spend 7 or 8 nights there. Yes there is enough to do but,, you may want to spend 5 nights in London and then rent a car and tour the cotswolds (or the countryside in general). Just my 2 pence worth...........

btw - we stay at the Grosvenor Square and enjoy it. Small hotel feel, great location although the other suggested hotels are fine as well

BigLar

That's what we did last Fall.

Although the 7 nights at the CC was very nice, we spent 4 days cruising around the southwest England area (staying (mostly) at Marriotts on points) and seeing some of the stuff there is to see out there.

BTW, it seems that just about every Marriott in England (except for the London ones) is running pointsavers for most of this year. We stayed at Swindon at only 10,000 points/night, and it's quite convenient to sites like Stonehenge, Avebury, etc. No lounge, but a great breakfast and a cool bar/cafe area where we ate.

All in all, a very enjoyable time.

cyberdad

Short summary of what I've posted previously. I've either stayed at or am otherwise personally familiar with each of these.....

County Hall: Best for first time visitors. Central to tourist attractions.
Chancery Court: Physically impressive. Commercial area, but central location
Grosvenor House: Luxury Feel. Upscale location adjacent to Hyde Park
Grosvenor Square: Mayfair neighborhood. Loads of shopping/dining/pubs nearby
Kensington: Saves a little on points or cash. Not quite as central as the others

These are all excellent hotels. All except possibly GH and Kensington have the added benefit of being less than a five minute walk to local tube stations. The other London properties are less centrally located, but they all have a following....especially West India Quay.

My favorite is GS, but which of these five is the ideal location for you is a matter of personal preferences and needs. You won't go wrong with any of them. Feel free to pm me if I can help further.

Hawkeye2

I would just add that Park Lane is as good as any of the others listed.

mickeypops

County Hall - I booked a redemption night for my wife and daughter here two weeks ago. They honoured my plat status for them even though we all know that they don't have to. Mrs and Miss M were treated like royalty.

They loved it.

M

ohmark

If you choose County Hall (and I would), the single most important factor is to secure a room with what I call "the view." That is, a view of the Thames, Parliament, and Big Ben. You will never forget it. As a plat, you should have absolutely no problem getting an upgrade to one.