jascp

VickiSoCal

Where?

aaupgrade

Vicki, you must have images suppressed as the embedded image above his post indicated Grosvenor House.

toothy

I'd also add stick to St. Ermins. It is close to St. James Park tube, which goes direct to Wimbledon.

nobbyclark

County Hall is very close to Waterloo station and you can get a train direct to Wimbledon from Waterloo, which is probably quicker than the tube ride.

philwupdx

Thanks for the review! I'm thinking about County Hall because of its proximity to the National Theater. The two look like they're just blocks apart. Also, fitness/recreation facilities are very important to me. Did you have any experience with the facilities at County Hall, which look fabulous on the website?

SkiAdcock

The last time I stayed there I got the same room (or one above/below it). While it was a river view I kept my blinds closed because the London Eye pods were so close people could see into the room - which of course negates the views of the river etc if you have to basically keep the blinds closed.

I think the property is fine for first time tourists, but once you've done the stuff around there I like other properties better.

Cheers.

twa777

Yes, the National Theater is an easy walk from County Hall -- the only difficult part is getting through the crowds of tourists by the London Eye. A tip if you do stay there: the shortcut to get down to the walk along the Thames is to cut through the bar at the entrance to the restaurant. There's an exterior entrance there that will take you out to a terrace with stairs down to the walk.

But no, I didn't get to check out the fitness facilities there. When I'm in London on vacation, between lots of walking during the day and often going to dance clubs in the evening, I find I get a decent workout (at least for me) without that.

waterbug111

Looking through the updated pictures for the JW Grosvenor House, appears that the renovation of the lobby, lounge and larger suites (exec suite and up) is now complete. Any word on if/when management plans to renovate the remaining guest rooms (deluxe, superior, exec)? While I have always enjoyed the rooms, I think they are in need of renovation, so hoping they are next on the list. Or better yet - it's already underway. Thanks!

airswim

Hi,

I am planning a trip in late August on points and am a Platinum member. Narrowed choices down to Park Lane, Grosvenor House, or Pancras Renaissance. As I will most likely be in an entry level room, quality of club lounge is very important.

Does my platinum access to Chambers Club tip the choice to Pancras or are the others still good options?

Last, where did you see that platinums get access to Chambers Club or was it just confirmed from the hotel directly?

Thanks

ohmark

Yes, IMO, access to the Club is a choice tipper, as long as the neighborhood is your cup of tea (it certainly is mine). As to platinum lounge access, here it is straight from the horse's mouth (so to speak). https://www.tripadvisor.com/FAQ_Answ...ld_status.html

aaupgrade

I agree, and stay here often. I also like the neighborhood and while I walk a lot (10+ miles/day) there are also great transportation options here including a day trip to Paris if you like, as Eurostar is right at your doorstep.

The added plus is rates are usually lower than the other high end MR properties, with the exception of St. Ermin's which is usually around the same price point as SPR. I have a Ł228/night refundable rate booked for later this year. I can't justify burning 45K pts/night at that rate. Rooms are basic, beds are comfy, which works out well since the time I spend in the room I'm usually asleep. And lounge is well worth it IMO.

whimsey21

Just got back from a 3 night stay at the JW Grosvenor House, which I picked based on location (my colleagues were staying near the marble arch tube station) and the descriptions in this thread. I'm a new Marriott gold, and have to say I was very pleased with my stay. On check-in I was told I had been upgraded- I don't know what the room type was (I had booked the most basic room class), but whatever I got was quite spacious, comfortable, and quiet. The amenities and furnishings were good - not quite up to Conrad St. James standards, but better than the Marriott properties at which I've stayed in Paris. The best part for me was the lounge. The breakfast there was probably the best lounge breakfast I've had anywhere, with a really nice selection of quite high quality items (the fresh-squeezed orange juice and coffee were both excellent). Also, at the time I had breakfast (around 6:30am) the lounge was relatively empty, so I had my pick of seats. I stopped in for cocktails twice in the evening; the second night the place was like a zoo, with all chairs occupied, and large, loud gatherings in various corners of the room. Both nights, however, the selection of food and snacks was pretty good. I was a bit disappointed that there was no hard liquor, only wine and beer, as I crave a bit of scotch in the evening, but I guess this is a Marriott thing? I noticed the same at a few other Marriott properties in Europe where I had lounge access, but those hotels also had much sparser food offerings, so I thought they were just being cheap. With that as my only real downside, the JW is going to be my top choice the next time I'm in London.

catocony

I don't think I've seen a concierge lounge where hard liquor was free. Nowhere in the Americas or in Europe that I've seen. Maybe in Asia you get the good stuff gratis.

In the US it's an honor bar, if available at all (not all hotels do). At least the wine and beer are free in Europe and most other spots outside the US.

stc

Not at Marriott, but it is free in a lot of the Hilton Hotels in Europe.