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I have long wanted to stay at this property, and I’m glad we did. This is a hotel you want to stay at because it is super cool in all the common areas. Want a chic bar? Done. Want a super cool lobby to work and sip some coffee? Done. Want a large room to kick back, unpack, and a relax in? Not Done. The rooms are some of the smallest I’ve ever stayed at across London. They are so small in fact, that the toilet is on the other side of the room from the bathroom and the space around the bed is so minimal that a suitcase doesn’t even fit. I’m sure we were allocated one of the smallest, most entry level of rooms, but even the suites are under 500 sq feet. That’s saying something.
So… long review, short. Stay here because you are going to hang out in the hotel, not the room. It’s a super cool property, but you ain’t getting much space.
Details
We booked this on our flight from Dubai to London the day of arrival. The hotel was packed and we, clearly by the room size lol, didn’t get an upgrade.
- When: 2023
- Where: London
- Status: Globalist
- 4pm check out
- Comped Breakfast
- Rate: 25k per night, cat 6
Location
Could it get better? I’m not sure. You’re literally smack in the middle of everything. Covent Garden? Check. Trafalgar? Check. Thames? Check. You’re walking distance to a ton of what you’d wanna see tourist wise
Other London Hotels we have reviewed
- Marriott:
- Hotel Xenia London
- Marriott Park Lane
- London Edition
- JW Marriott Grosvenor House
- Renaissance St Pancras
- Hyatt
- Hyatt Regency Churchill
- Hyatt Regency Blackfriars
- Park Hyatt London
- Great Scotland Yard London
- IHG
- Hilton
- Waldorf Hilton
- The Biltmore London
- Conrad London
- 100 Queen’s Gate
- Trafalgar Curio Collection London
- Airport
- Hyatt Place Heathrow
- Hilton Garden Inn Terminal 2/3
- Sofitel London Heathrow, Terminal 5 ( not points )
- Boutique
First Impression
It’s hard not to be excited when you arrive at the property. You’re staying in, what was once, the headquarters for the London Metro Police. It’s a series of buildings that are now one, and it oozes serious character. Once you’re inside…it just keeps getting better. There is so much to look at with secret sliding doors, bar, memorabilia.
Lots of things to look at and admire
A hidden bar/restaurant
Another bar
The Room
Are we in a closet? No. This is the whole room. I have stayed in some very small rooms In my day. The WJ in NYC used to have sub 100 sq foot rooms, as did the Edison and the Hudson near Central Park. These aren’t quite that small, but good lord, they are teenie tiny.
The entryway
The toilet was literally across from the closet and luggage caddie.
Next to the bed was the bathroom. It was split into two sections, a single vanity, and the shower. You couldn’t have two people in there at the same time.
Dining
- Sibin Speakeasy
- 40 Elephants
- The Parlour
- Ekstedt at the Yard
This is a hotel that I would come to regardless If I’m staying here. The vibes, the decor of the restaurants and bars, and the location make this a destination unto itself.
The buffet…order from the menu as a globalist and enjoy the buffet
Gym
Small but felt like you were in a lux private studio rather than a hotel gym. I like.
Overall
Would I stay here again? Yes, but on my own or if I was planning on being out of the hotel a lot. Maybe I’d try applying a Globalist suite upgrade, but the hotel itself is super cool; however, if you’re looking for any kind of space, it’s very tight. If you came with a family, forget it…even the suites are small compared to say The Churchill which is in a great area as well, but offers much larger rooms, suites, club lounge and would be better for a family imo. The Hyatt Regency Blackfriars is also great.
Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
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Welcome Offer
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Annual Fee
$95
Points Earned
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- No foreign transaction fees
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We keep an up to date spreadsheet that lists the best ever offers: You can find that spreadsheet here.
Historically 80k is a very, very good offer and hit in both 2022 and 2023. In 2021, we saw the offer hit an all time high of 100k. Who knows if that will ever come back.
Main Cast:
Cards that earn flexible points and should be used on the bulk of your purchases.
Supporting Cast:
Cards that earn fixed points in the currency of the airline/hotel and can not be transferred at attractive rates. These cards yield benefits that make it worth keeping, but not necessarily worth putting a lot of your everyday spend on.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® is exceptional starter card and offers transferrable Ultimate Rewards, and pairs well with other Chase cards.
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Annual fee is quite low at $95 a year + you get a 10% anniversary bonus on points + $50 hotel credit in Chase travel.
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