Blue Square Hotel- Apparently near, yet so far.

Advantages: Lovely bedrooms, large shower, bar staff friendly, luggage room to leave bags.
Disadvantages: Too far from city centre, transport costs to hotel very dear, area undesirable.

...My partner and I recently visited Amsterdam (in late May for 4 nights) and as I was so busy with work, left it up to him to book the hotel and take care of the details. We have been to Amsterdam before and the hotels we usually stay at had no vacancies, so he booked us into the Blue Square Hotel, and proudly showed me the documents he had printed off and the website. "Looks lovely, oh it says it's close to the town centre- within walking distance- can't wait!" was my reaction. Out of the airport we trundled a few weeks later with our cases and got into a waiting taxi. He drove us to the hotel. It took a LONG time. As he was unloading our cases with us he said "This is not a good area for you." I asked him what he meant by that. "Is not a good area and is too far to walk to town, you will have to use trams. Don't pay all the time...

Lofnorsk 16.07.2009 · Read review
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Review of Blue Square Hotel, Amsterdam

Victoria Park Plaza Hotel, London It's More Than A Hotel!

Advantages: Pleasant Staff, Good Customer Service, Nice Breakfast
Disadvantages: Expensive

...The Victoria Park Plaza in London is an amazing hotel that has very comfortable, quality rooms and staff who are friendly and professional. The best thing about The Victoria Park Plaza is that it is in a prime position just two minutes from Victoria Station and an easy walk to some of London's main attractions. I found it perfect for shopping and buying souvenirs. There were also quite a number of restaurants close by and my mum who cannot walk far didn't complain once. Although we ate at the hotel we also sampled London's China Town. It is a four star hotel and lives up to the standard. It is situated close to Buckingham Palace, Harrods, Westminster Abbey and Houses of Parliament. The hotel does not allow smoking anywhere near the building which my mum and I really appreciated because we are both none smokers. The smoking ban made...

Mickie26 20.03.2009 · Read review
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Review of Victoria Park Plaza Hotel, London

Superb London Budget Hotel

Advantages: Beautiful setting in a buzzing part of London
Disadvantages: Not suitable for disabled people - no lift

...The Ashley Hotel is a superb, well-priced B&B hotel in a gorgeous location in central London. It is situated in Norfolk Square, Paddington, and is just 2 minutes walk from Paddington station. Paddington itself is a buzzing district of London adjacent to the West End, and is packed full of shops, restaurants, bars etc. Norfolk Square is an oasis of tranquility amongst this. It is a square (obviously) of tall, elegant Victorian mansions, all of which have been turned into budget hotels. The hotels are painted white and cream, and have tall windows and beautiful old railings outside. In the centre of them all is a railed garden. Obviously, it was once a place of residence for people of means in the Upstairs-Downstairs tradition. The Ashley Hotel comprises 3 mansions made into one, and has 50 (I think) rooms. The reception is...

sandrabarber 19.05.2001 · Read review
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Review of Ashley Hotel, London

Not really smart being a sauna inside!

Advantages: Cheap, provides privacy curtains on the bunkbeds
Disadvantages: Very warm inside like a sauna! Poor customer services! Expensive storage

...Smart Russell Square This place is around the corner from Russell Square, barely 100 yards walk. When approaching it, it isn't obvious that this is a hostel as it has NHS signs everywhere which made us panic in case we were walking into the wrong house and end up embarrassing ourselves! Luckily, it was the right place and finding the reception was simple. The check-in was very easy; we showed them our E-tickets with 2 reserved beds and paid £10 each for the night for 24-mixed dormitory which we thought was an utter bargain! They handed us our linens for the duvet and pillow. I enquired about towels; they had towels for hire for £5. I was feeling a bit cheap and offered to use the dirty towels they had in the laundry basket! Luckily, the lady offered to sneak in an extra bed linen that I could use to dry myself! We had to pay £10 each...

Annallon 14.08.2009 · Read review
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Review of Smart Russell Square, London

Apex City of London Hotel - outstanding

Advantages: Lovely staff, beautiful rooms, modern hotel
Disadvantages: Slightly out of the way of the West End

...We wanted to stay somewhere in central London that was value for money, and found this brilliant hotel for only £69 per night. We booked directly with the hotel itself, and while the system can be a little frustrating the transaction went through smoothly. This was in December 2008, so we didn't expect any decent hotels so close to Christmas to be so cheap. While this hotel is a little out of the way of main attractions it is close to the Tower of London, and to Tower Bridge and easily accessible by bus and tube. On arriving by tube, we found the hotel was alittle bit tricky to find, and were saved only by the fact that by boyfriend's phone has sat-nav! On arriving we were greeted by friendly and efficeint staff. The entrance to the hotel was modern and swish, befitting a four star hotel with marble and stainless tell everywhere...

laukez88 26.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Apex City of London Hotel, London

President Russell Square - oficially the worst I've ever had

Advantages: Location - but I'd rather be in a better hotel further out
Disadvantages: Pretty much everything else!

...This hotel is way below the standard of any I have ever stayed in. Having arrived in Russell Square by tube we found the hotel without too many problems, although it feels a little as though it is up a back street. First impressions were not good - the whole place looked as though it were in a time warp. We went to reception to check in and were given a room key and sent up to the room, only to get there and find it was still being prepared then rudely told to go back downstairs. The lifts have carpet on the walls - inexplicable! We went to sit in the reception area where our impression of the hotel only got worse. The reception staff were Ok, nice but seemingly clueless in allocating rooms which are not ready. The common areas were awful, very tatty with dirty sofas which may have been new once in the 1960s. By this point I...

laukez88 27.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of President Hotel, London

Olde Fashioned Hospitality?

Advantages: Location, good special deal room rate, large rooms, high standard accommodation, guest services
Disadvantages: F&B may be a little expensive

...The Hotel Russell, situated along one side of Russell Square in the Bloomsbury area of the city was to be my home for my recent short break in the capital. Being in the hotel industry myself, I don't like to pay a fortune for hotels and I booked the hotel about two months prior to our arrival and managed to secure two double/twin rooms at the rate of £85 per room per night, through a contact. However this special rate was also available on the website, and so is achievable. Given that this rate included breakfast, seemed to be a luxurious four star hotel but at a price not dissimilar to some of the budget accommodation in London, was in walking distance of the theatre district which was the main reason for our trip and because Covent Garden/Leicester Square were also a stone's throw away, we decided to book and indulge. The hotel is...

helencbradshaw 24.03.2008 · Read review
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Review of Russell Hotel, London

LE AVERAGE

Advantages: Good location
Disadvantages: Cack hotel

...When we recently had a team meeting in London, a friend of mine was given the task of arranging somewhere to eat and I was tasked with finding somewhere to sleep. This was good news because I got to choose a hotel that was convenient for me. Selfish, aren?t I? Oh well. WHY I CHOSE LE MERIDIEN RUSSELL Although I do occasionally venture out further, I tend to book hotels that are close to Euston or King?s Cross railway stations because this is where most of my team arrive by train and because all our company buildings are that side of town. The last time I was in town, I stayed in the Holiday Inn in Bloomsbury, which certainly isn?t bad after its refit, but I was unable to get seven rooms for the date I had in mind. Over on www.laterooms.com I spotted a discount in Le Meridien, Russell Square from £220 per night to £89. This...

LostWitness 30.06.2003 · Read review
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Review of Le Meridien Russell Square Hotel, London

Great place for some bedroom Olympics

Advantages: Large room, exfoliating shower, work area
Disadvantages: Exorbitant internet costs, no gym

...The Russell Hotel is a large, imposing, renaissance style hotel located, yup you guessed it, just opposite Russell Square in London (imaginative these hoteliers eh!). I stayed here on business a couple of weeks ago so I can't say I had much say in the choice, although having been told where I was staying and had a good browse around the website, I must say I was quite pleased with the choice, the only question was would the hotel live up to expectations (and price!) First impressions were definitely good. The hotel is absolutely huge, and looks very impressive on the way in. You go up several steps, past the doorman into a fabulous foyer/lobby/entrance hall (please let me know what these things are supposed to be called, I'm so confused!). There is lots of marble, lots of plants, lots of gold (or gold paint...) and most...

paule23 17.09.2007 · Read review
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Review of Russell Hotel, London

IT TAKES MORE THAN A TROUSER PRESS TO IMPRESS

Advantages: Central, discounted rate
Disadvantages: Dingy dump of a room, poor service

...time scouring the internet for cheap online hotel discounts. Imagine my delight when I managed to secure a room in the 4 star Le Meridien Russell Square. This is in the Bloomsbury district, and I had read this was a nice area. From all appearances, the hotel was central, classy looking and within yards from a tube station. For a mere £63, a double room with en suite could be all ours, surrounded by 4 star luxury. I was elated when I discovered the normal rate was usually around £100 a night on the weekend. I have never stayed in any of the other Le Meridien hotels, but I gathered they are a chain. Still, this place looked as though it had style and character, or at least so the website indicated- certainly more charm than a Travelodge or similar. I was looking forward to views of Russell Square, comfortable lounges and cozy bars...

tartantribe 12.12.2002 · Read review
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Review of Le Meridien Russell Square Hotel, London