sbc94523

Taking the family of four to vist London for week and trying to makeup my mind on where to stay. We plan on doing all the standard tourist stuff. So, I'm down to the Hilton Metropole vs Res Chancery Court.

Metropole:
2 rooms for 420K HH pts(Possible to get upgrade to a single room for four as a HH Diamond)
Diamond benefits(breakfast/internet...)
More Metro options
Dining options
Near Paddington Station - easier travel from Heathrow

RCC:
1 room for 180K Marriot pts(Seems higher level then Metropole)
Nicer room
Low status (silver)
Seems more tourist stuff within walking distance

Comments?

MAN Pax

My last stay at the Metropole was a year ago and it wasn't great. The whole place seemed tired and worn - my room certainly needed a new bed. It is a big hotel, which makes it lose the personal touch.

It's the kind of place I would stay for a secret meeting, where I didn't want to be noticed. Normally, I wouldn't rush back there.

Edgware Road is great if you want Arabic/Middle Eastern food, but not much else without getting on the tube.

YMMV may vary as a Diamond (I was Gold at the time), and you could do better with room upgrades, etc.

Renaissance Chancery Court has a much better reputation, though I've never been through the doors.

Raffles

Never been in the rooms at Chancery Court but have been for conferences, and from the public areas it seems that the reputation is well deserved - it seems lovely.

stut

I used to cycle through the Ren Chancery Court every morning!

(Yes, through... The taxi exit was a handy cut-through to a quiet back street on my way to work - which was a couple of hundred yards from the hotel.)

The area's definitely a business/legal area, and so quiet at nights and weekends, but there's plenty of interest a very short walk away, and some decent pubs and places to eat nearby (I recommend the Ship, on Gate Street, and Sushi Hiroba on Kingsway). The resident chef, Jun Tanaka, has an excellent reputation, too.

The British Museum and Tate Modern are within 15 minutes' walk, and 20 will take you to Trafalgar Square. It's a great place to get buses all over town, too - you'll see much more this way.

For evening entertainments, Clerkenwell (the area near Farringdon and Clerkenwell Green) has some good options, as, of course, does the much busier Covent Garden. Fitzrovia isn't far away either, and has some great restaurants these days.

rfrost

I haven't stayed at the Metropole, but I did spend a happy week at the Chancery Court. Nice-sized rooms (particularly for London), although the bathrooms are often on the small side. Great location, and I'd note that a number of very good restaurants (in addition to the tourist traps) have opened in the Covent Garden area in the last year or so.

sbc94523

Seems like the RCC is the one to select.

ScottieFlyer

I recommend you opt for Chancery, my last experience of Metropole was characterised by long lines for check-in and breakfast. Breakfast had wide selection but many items were undercooked and cold despite the restaurant being very busy. Rooms were just ok.

toothy

Yes it is always like this. Unless you are HH Diamond then you get really poor rooms. If you look on the Marriott forum there are lots of good reviews of RCC. Another alternative maybe Marriott County Hall. I *think* it is the same number of points as RCC and is right next to the London Eye / Westminster Palace / The Thames etc.

startpacking

I've stayed at the Hilton Metropole, once was enough and I've permanently put the hotel on "do not return to" list. Can't comment on the RCC.

While the hotel maybe near Paddington stn the closest tube stn to the hotel is Edgware Rd, which is across the street. Paddington stn is not walking distance from the hotel. So if your plan was to take the HEX you'll be disappointed.

My advise, avoid the Metropole.

SanDiego1K

Chancery Court is a lovely property, and I would certainly stay there instead of the Metropole. However, you'll want to check the dates of your trip for availability, as Chancery Court is leaving the Marriott family.

sbc94523

I found about the change and waiting to hear back from. While waiting, making alternative reservations

britenbsas

It's an easy 5-minute walk down Praed Street. With a lot of luggage it make take a bit longer but to say it's not walking distance is nonsense

rfrost

Is the hotel joining another chain?

sbc94523

Here a response: Not much info


Dear Mr SBC94523

The information you have read about the Marriott leaving the RCC is correct however we have not been given any further information at this stage in regards to how the Marriott Reward point stays will be affected. Should I get more updates over the course before the change I will be happy to update you.

Kindest Regards

XXXX