I stayed a couple of nights at the Waldorf Hilton in London the other week…another Hotwire via Expedia bargain. I got the hotel for $275.83 a night all in on Expedia, booking it again as an “unnamed hotel” and not knowing what I’d get until I got it. The hotel’s list price on the day I booked was $336.61. On the day I moved in, the price had gone up to $396 a night. So using that figure, I saved 30.35%. Not bad. I’m happy with that. I also saved even more because the hotel charges for wifi. I couldn’t get it to work, so they gave me complimentary access for my entire stay. SCORE.
What I liked…
- I liked this hotel’s location…right on Aldwych, so a short walk to Holborn tube and just a generally good area in general for restaurants and walking around and public transport.
- My room had been very recently renovated, which was really nice. The bathroom was brand-spanking new and very pretty. I would like the bathroom in my house to look like this.
- The towels were great. Nice and new and long. I like a good bath sheet.
- I needed to print a few tour vouchers and rather than charging me for printouts, they printed everything for me for free.
- John the piano guy in the bar who works most afternoon seems like a lovely guy.
What I didn’t like…
- I ordered room service one night and my stir fry was pretty terrible. Super greasy.
- I asked for a bucket of ice when I first got to the hotel — my ankle injury from November is still plaguing me and I wanted to ice it down — and the front desk said they’d send it right up. They never sent it up. When I asked hours later, the guy at the front desk said something lame like “I was going to do it but then I got distracted and I forgot.” (At least he was honest, I guess.)
- I wanted a Diet Coke from the minibar one afternoon. There wasn’t a bottle opener in the room. I called the front desk and then said they would send one right up. You can guess what never arrived.
- The safe was a bit low. (The safe sat on top of the minibar.) Safes at this level make me nervous after I left my camera lens in Singapore last month.
- The room was pretty small. I’m okay with a small room, but I think I would go crazy if I stayed here more than a few days and if I was sharing this room with someone else.
Would I stay here again? Hmmm…I’m not sure there’s anything compelling me to return. But if I could get another good value like I got on Hotwire, I’d do it. It’s a nice hotel in a very good location.
