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

Staying in London - City Inn

Advantages: proximity to centre, excellent rooms
Disadvantages: Bar tab in the morning

...When booking a hotel in London for the first time, it's hard to know where to book. We booked this one knowing it was close to the Tate and also to Westminster (the clue was in the name). We arrived on a Friday evening and were pleasantly surprised that the street outside looked very safe and that parking was free. Also no congestion charge! On arrival, our bags were taken and after check in the porter showed us our room. It was a fair size and had a nice bathroom. There was a dvd player, LCD TV, desk with a leather chair and a very large double bed. The bathrooms consisted of both bath and shower and the toiletries were made by the White Company - a decent brand! The hotel room was air conditions with a control ont eh wall to change the setting. Also there was a mini-bar, although a little bit on the pricy side! After...

sianalrida 18.11.2007 · Read review
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Review of City Inn Westminster, London

LONDON'S CALLING

Advantages: Pleasent stay, good food, central location
Disadvantages: Views from room

...eateries/drinking places and chose 372, which offers carvery selection. I was surprise how hot and fresh the food was. Not only that it was tasty too! We opted for lamb with roast potatoes, new potatoes and three vegetables. However, my only complaint about the meal was the vegetables; they were a tad on the raw side for my liking. That said I ALWAYS OVER cook my veggies. Dessert was for me home made apple pie and cream, while the other half opted for home made cheesecake ? both were consumed without any complaints and very much enjoyed. Our meal for two with drinks cost £29) Hotel: the hotel it situated in the Strand which is in central London and easy to walk to theatres such as the Aldwych, Lyceum, and many more. Come out the front of the hotel and turn right, and you?ll be heading towards Trafalgar square with Nelson, bear left and you...

dabmim 28.03.2003 · Read review
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Review of The Strand Palace Hotel, London

I believe I can fly ...... TO LONDON !!!

Advantages: Location, Variety of Shops & Restaurants, Public Transport Links
Disadvantages: Expensive Bars, Limited Flights,

...Before I get too carried away with this review let me warn you that this does go on for quite a while. However, I feel it only fair that you are all made fully aware of the facilities on offer at London City Airport I had cause to travel to London last week with business from Manchester to attend a seminar within the financial district. Upon being told this by my manager with about 2 weeks notice, I was faced with the dilemma of arranging my travel itinery. Effectively, I was faced with 3 options: 1. Drive, which didn't exactly fill me with excitement at the thought of a 600 mile round trip to attend a 4 hour seminar. 2. Get the train, which once again was a two and a half hour journey in both directions, plus associated tube journeys. Another downside to this alternative was the astronomical fares which were charged...

supercityfan 09.03.2007 · Read review
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Review of City Airport, London

Westfield London - Come Worship at the Temple of Retail

Advantages: Almost everything under one roof, excellent public transport links
Disadvantages: The crowds - try to avoid peak periods.

...I lived in London for 14 years. Specifically, I lived in west London - an area which is full of contradictions - the Notting Hill of the movie and remnants of the Shepherds Bush of Steptoe & Son. In the 14 years I lived there I saw a lot of changes and a lot of proposed changes, one of which was a shopping centre in Shepherds Bush. We lived in an area which was only a short stroll from the land mooted for this centre and were going to be affected by this development so as a result I was aware of its existence almost from conception. Over the years progress was slow - I saw the Vanderbilt Club demolished (a place made famous because Princess Diana played tennis there) and a local hostelry vanish. By the time I moved from London in 2004 it seemed to me that only some foundations and a new road for the builders had been completed and I...

rosebud2001 13.07.2009 · Read review
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Review of Westfield London Shopping Centre, London

London Mercure - just what the doctor ordered!

Advantages: Very close to Tate Modern, and Southwark tube station
Disadvantages: Located on the other side of the river from the likes of Oxford Street

...I stayed at the London Mercure London City last weekend as part of a birthday treat from my boyfriend (I believe he booked it as part of a deal with rail tickets/show tickets/hotel, so am unable to tell you how much the hotel costs separately!). We stayed there for one night (a Saturday) after spending the day shopping in Oxford Street and the evening watching Phantom of the Opera at the London Palladium. We were able to check-in from 2 o'clock onwards, and we arrived at approximately 5pm. We were greeted at reception by a member of staff and a trainee, and were offered a smoking or non-smoking room. We opted for a non-smoking room and were given room 502 on the 5th floor. Room 502 is just a few steps away from the lift, and is forwards facing so you can see straight out into Southwark Street. It is a two-person room with a decent...

Luvlylana 04.06.2008 · Read review
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Review of Mercure London City Bankside, London

A Central Location, Ideal For Exploring London

Advantages: Reasonable deals on rooms, good facilities, nice spacious rooms, central location
Disadvantages: Prices of the extra items such as breakfast

...When it came to Pip's birthday this year I decided to make it special as it was her first while we've been together. So as a surprise I arranged a weekend in London, a decent hotel, show and a trip on the London Eye. Having consulted a number of websites and talked to a few people about the best places to stay I opted to try the Novotel as they seemed to have some very reasonable deals on. Once I'd decided that it was then choosing one to stay at and it made sense to get one near the London Eye and near to the Tube stations, so I opted for the Novotel in Southwark. I booked the whole thing using the Novotel's website and because of this there are some better rates than you might otherwise get. The standard price for a double room with a sofa is £195 and on top of that you need to add a further £13.50 for breakfast. In contrast I...

Andy.mack 31.01.2007 · Read review
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Review of Novotel London City South, London

Secrets of the Hidden City - The London Encyclopedia

Advantages: The closest you can get to time travel
Disadvantages: A daunting 1060 pages

...It is one of the ironies of life that most of us live in cities, sometimes even houses, that were named, planned and designed by the long-dead. Those of us who live in or near London know the meaning of ?creaking Victorian infrastructure? better than most, as we use a tube network, roads and water systems designed for a completely different world. The London Encyclopedia is a mammoth reference work of 1060 pages and shows us that there is a deep history behind virtually all of the places, streets and buildings in London. Most of the bloody revolutions, scandals and turmoil in England?s eventful history made their way through the capital. Even the most innocuous locations can yield dark secrets. It is also a fascinating guide to the lost city of London, the places that have simply been demolished, destroyed or vanished. From...

Westocean 14.03.2009 · Read review
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Review of The London Encyclopedia - Christopher Hibbert & Ben Weinreb & John Keay & Julia Keay

City needs more than food to survive

Advantages: Only place I know in London to have a food court like this.
Disadvantages: The whole place needs a bit of buzz

...of the whole place. I expected something more bustling, more happening, but the entire building had a dated feel about it. It reminded me of a 70s shopping centre in South East Asia where haggling is still the norm and at any moment, I expected Canto pop from 1983 to blast through the PA system. I think the place would benefit from a greater variety of shops as there seems to be lots of empty space; a small cinema screening Asian films perhaps, specialist oriental bookshops and maybe more little cafes. But I'm not complaining - it would be great if London had more of these food courts around, then I wouldn't have to stuff McDonalds or Burger King all the time. Other information : Buses to get there : 32, 142, 292 or 303. 399 Edgware Road, London, NW9 0JJ Opening Hours : Daily 10.00-22.00...

starray 26.02.2006 · Read review
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Review of Oriental City, London

Stranded in London!

Advantages: Excellent central location; good bars and restaurants
Disadvantages: Rooms a bit old fashioned; a little pricey

..." - the inner courtyard of the hotel with the humming air conditioners at the bottom. I can live (or sleep) with that, but there was also an awful rattling, like pipes, coming from somewhere in the ceiling. We went back downstairs to complain, and were told there were no other rooms. After standing our ground they eventually checked us in to an alternative room on the 4th floor. A little bigger, but still not brilliant - probably "average", from past business stays down in London hotels. The reception staff weren't particularly friendly, as other reviews have mentioned. Despite being "club" rooms, all that appeared to be different was the decor. Instead of old-fashioned wall-to-wall flowerey decor and furnishings, it was plain duck-egg walls, and a "modern" bed (faux-leather headboard and plain brown and green blankets). Not worth the extra money...

tall_andy 12.11.2006 · Read review
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Review of The Strand Palace Hotel, London