London
Hilton London Metropole – London, UK
Location
Hilton London Metropole is conveniently located on Edgware Road, just 10 minutes walk from the West End and Oxford Street and a 10 minute tube ride from Westfield Shopping Centre. There are also two Tube stations within a few minutes walking distance. Madame Tussauds is a 15 minute walk away and Hyde Park is ½ mile away. The walk is a good way of seeing all the shops and restaurants on Edgware Road.
Parking is available in the hotel underground carpark which has lift access to reception. The carpark is operated by Q-Park which can be pre booked on their website. Parking costs around £15 per night. You can enter/exit as often as you like during your stay. The parking spaces are tight so you’ll have to be good at manoeuvring in tight spaces!
Amenities
The hotel offers many types of rooms including Executive for those who don’t mind splashing the cash! Each room has its own en-suite and tea making facilities and are a generally a good size for London. The rooms were clean and tidy and serviced well. Guests who book an Executive Room also have access to the Executive lounge which offers complimentary snacks and drinks.
The hotel itself has a good feel to it. It does feel like a good 4* hotel. Reception was manned well with at least 5 people serving guests. check in / check out were pretty quick with no issues.
During our stay, refurbishment was underway on a section of the hotel but this did not interfere with our stay whatsoever. No noises or disturbances made their way to guest rooms which was pretty surprising! We are reliably informed this work is now complete.
You will find all the usual amenities you expect from a good 4* hotel:
- Conference facilities
- Free Internet
- Bar / lounge
- Restaurant
- 24 hour reception
- Housekeeping / room service
- TV
- Tea/Coffee making facilities in the room
- Non-Smoking hotel
- Executive Lounge
- Gym / Fitness Centre
- Non-Smoking hotel
Value For Money
We paid £224 for a 2 night stay in the 2 QUEEN BEDS SUPERIOR ROOM. This gave us 2 x Queen size beds. There are cheaper hotels and room rates available nearby but we believe this hotel offers a fairly good value for money stay. We have taken some images of the room so you get an idea of what they are like.
For the location, the £112 per night is fairly good value for money we think. You can sometimes pick up rooms for around £85-90 if you shop around. If you are a member of Hilton Honours, you can also grab some points for your account!
Service / Staff
The service from reception staff at check in was good. They gave us all the information we needed to have a good stay. They advised us on the on-going refurbishment work (Which we think should be advertised on their website when booking)
We asked a number of questions to see how knowledgeable the Reception staff were about the surrounding area and they seemed to be able to answer each query with no issues and were polite.
Lastly – Would we go back
YES.
We believe this hotel offers fairly good value for money, a good location and a good overall service. All in all, it was a good stay and we would recommend anyone visiting London to give this hotel a try.
London
Park Grand Heathrow, London
Location
Address: 449 Great West Rd, Hounslow TW5 0BU
City/Region: Manchester, United Kingdom.
Proximity to Attractions:
- Heathrow Airport: Approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) away. Ideal for those with early or late flights.
- Southall Broadway: Approximately 3 miles (5 km) away. Ideal for Indian clothes and gift shopping.
- Hounslow Urban Farm: About 2 miles (3.2 km) away. A local farm offering a chance to interact with animals and enjoy a family-friendly day out.
- Kew Gardens: Approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) away. A large botanical garden known for its extensive plant collections and beautiful landscapes.
- Twickenham Stadium: Around 4.5 miles (7.2 km) away. The home of English rugby and a venue for major sports events and concerts.
- Richmond Park: About 5 miles (8 km) away. A large park offering scenic walks and wildlife, including deer.
Location Overview:
Park Grand Heathrow is located near London Heathrow Airport, making it a convenient choice for travellers needing proximity to the airport. The hotel’s location is particularly beneficial for those needing quick access to Heathrow Airport, while also being a short drive away from Southall (good for Indian wedding shopping etc)
First Impressions
Arrival Experience:
The hotel’s entrance and reception area were clean with no issues identified. The Check-in Desk was easy to locate and the process was simple and easy enough. The staff were friendly and checked us in with no problems.
Ambience:
The atmosphere and interior design of the hotel’s common areas were good overall. Nothing fancy.
Accommodation
Room Type: Quad Room
View: View from the room was towards the street.
Size and Layout:
The size was approximately 23-25 square metres and felt decent. There was no feeling of claustrophobia. The beds were spaced out well with easy access to all the room amenities. All in all, it is exactly what is expected.
Comfort:
The quality of the bed was good. linens were clean and tidy upon arrival, and the overall comfort level was good.
Noise levels in the room were absolutely fine. No untoward noises were noticed during the stay. The lighting and climate control were adequate and no issues were found here.
Cleanliness:
The cleanliness of the room, bathroom, and common areas were all good. The hotel is not a new build but has been kept well and in good overall condition.
Housekeeping was good. The beds were clean and made up ready for our arrival.
Amenities:
The range and quality of the in-room amenities such as Wi-Fi, television, kettle etc. were good. Everything you generally need was available. There were sufficient plug sockets and the light switches were placed conveniently.
Facilities
On-Site Dining:
Restaurant: The hotel features an on-site restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a selection of international and local dishes.
Bar/Lounge: A casual area where guests can unwind and enjoy a variety of beverages.
We chose not to use the hotel dining options during our stay as the cost was outweighed by the vast cheaper options available just a short drive away in Southall.
General Hotel Facilities:
- Free Wi-Fi: Available throughout the hotel for guest convenience.
- Fitness Centre: Equipped with modern exercise equipment.
- Business Centre: Includes meeting rooms and workspaces for business travellers.
- Restaurant: The hotel’s restaurant offers a variety of international and local dishes.
- Bar: A space for guests to relax and enjoy drinks.
- 24-Hour Reception: For assistance and guest services.
- Airport Shuttle: Available upon request, often at an additional charge.
- Laundry Service: Available for guests needing laundry facilities.
Staff:
The Reception staff were friendly. We spoke at length when we planned to go to Southall in the evening. They helped with parking advice etc. Our experiences with the front desk, concierge, and other hotel services were good.
Value for Money
Pricing:
We paid approximately £120 per night and found it to be fair value.
- Overall Value:
There are other hotels nearby with similar pricing but in our opinion, this hotel offers good value for money.
Final Thoughts
We liked Park Grand Heathrow. The location was good and close to Southall and Heathrow Airport. It’s a good hotel if you plan to go to Southall for wedding shopping etc and need an overnight stay.
Would We Go Back?
Yes, we would. The value for money was good and it is a decent hotel overall.
London
Sunborn London Yacht Hotel – London, UK
Location
Sunborn London is located at the western end of the Royal Victoria Dock overlooking the Docklands, Canary Wharf O2 Arena, London City Airport, and the London ExCel.
Parking is readily available nearby. You can use the ExCel car park which costs around £10 per day or the nearby Crown Plaza car park usually has spaces available for around £12 per 24 hours.
The hotel is 7 minutes’ drive from London City Airport and a 6-minute drive from the iconic Canary Wharf.
The Yacht Hotel is basically permanently docked on the river. There are an array of restaurants nearby within walking distance and other usual amenities. The Emirates Cable Cars are also nearby which you can go on to see the London skyline from above.
Amenities
The hotel offers many types of rooms which are all what you would expect on a sizable luxury Yacht. Each room has its own en-suite facilities and there are rooms with balconies available at an extra charge. (We paid an extra £40 for a balcony room)
The hotel itself has a feel of luxury to it. As you enter into the main lobby, you are greeted with a lush spiral staircase which leads into the mail lounge/restaurant area. Reception was manned well with at least 5 people serving customers. Check in was pretty quick with a quick form to fill in and that’s it.
So moving on to other amenities, you will find all the usual amenities you expect from a good 4* hotel.
- Around 5 disabled parking spaces right outside the hotel
- Free Internet
- Bar / lounge
- 24 hour reception / security
- Housekeeping / room service
- TV
Value For Money
We paid £110 for a 1 night stay in the Classic King room with Dockview. We upgraded on the day to a balcony room which was an extra £40. The room was nice and inviting. There are cheaper hotels and room rates available nearby but we believe this hotel offers a good value for money stay. We have taken some images of the suite so you get an idea of the rooms.
The en-suite was small but served its purpose. There was nothing amazing to mention. Pretty much what you would expect from a yachts en-suite. The Shower had adequate power and the bathroom itself was cleaned sufficiently.
Service / Staff
The service is exactly what you would expect from a good 4* hotel. The 24 hour concierge is always available for questions and help where needed.
We asked a number of questions to see how knowledgeable the Reception staff are. They seemed to be able to answer each query with no issues and were professional and polite.
The service at Breakfast was outstanding. We only paid for 2 adults with our booking but we arrived with a child (13 years old). We were advised his breakfast would also be included in our stay so he also was able to have an individual English breakfast. There were plenty of food choices and the service was brilliant.
Lastly – Would we go back YES. We believe this hotel offers good value for money, a good location and very good service. All in all, it was a good stay and we would recommend anyone visiting London Docklands to try out this hotel. It has a novelty factor which is good for special occasions like anniversaries, valentines and birthdays etc.