siri
Member
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2006
- Posts
- 207
------I am a Diamond HH member, and have been spending about 50 nights a year in London for the past few years. I like walking in London, falling back to the tube when necessary - that has some influence on my hotel choice. I'm also looking for an exec lounge and quiet rooms with a good desk / internet. My favourite (since it opened a few years back) its the Hilton Bankside - behind the Tate Modern and near Southwark, Waterloo and London Bridge stations. Excellent rooms, regular upgrades, first class lounge, great breakfast restaurant, very good gym / pool, and plenty of quirky features (the foxes, bee hives, roof gardens) - and the staff are great. If the price is right, and for a change, I'll stay at the Conrad St James - I understand managed by the same team as the Bankside, and with equally high standards (although typically smaller rooms, less frequent upgrades, and generally more expensive). If the prices are too high at these two, I'll then look at the Hilton London Tower Bridge (decent lounge with deck, reasonably modern hotel, quiet location), Waldorf Hilton (great location, a little tired, but great buzz at times) and London Hilton on Park Lane (smaller rooms, average lounge, but great being near the parks). If pricing is very high, I tend to look at the Doubletree Westminster (always seems to be good value), Doubletree Tower of London (great rooftop bar), or the Hilton Paddington (the GWR 'hotel within a hotel' is quite good). I haven't had great experiences at the Hilton Metropole (very big, tired), Hilton Islington (noisy - may have been my bad luck) and Hilton Kensington (noisy, tired). Hilton Gatwick was a good option a couple of times (basic gym, lounge), and I'd like to try Syon park if I get the chance - also, Wembley will be added to my list after the comments above.
I use hilton a lot too but my favourite is Hyatt since their points are life time and unlike Hilton never expired.. Also Hyatt rooms availability using points globally is much better than Hilton.
Hyatt also got boutique hotels that has different flavour to big hotel experience and in London near Marble Arch you can pick Hyatt Regency at Portman Sq, wonderful spot since all nice shopping and restaurants around that got a old fashion lounge and also Andaz (Hyatt) in the city if you want business area..
I have a home in Avenue Street, St Johns Wood, which is walking distance to the London Zoo and if you prefer quite place then I suggest St Johns Wood, or Swiss Cottage area since these are premium london areas and very quite.