Baglioni Hotel London - London, United Kingdom     

Baglioni is a small boutique hotel. Here is a summary of pro and cons: Location: if you like the park (and are lucky with London weather) then its great. Otherwise the next cafe or Boots (pharmacy) is a bit of walk. Subways are relatively far too. Room: hip but pleasant deco with black and gold. Size not bad. New and clean. No view... Service: a good 4 star hotel service but not yet 5 star hotel service. Example they bring restaurant menu to your room for room service if you ask. But housekeeper left an open bottle in the room from previous guest.. Restaurant: one good Italian restaurant/bar. Small but nice. For breakfast they don't start early. I wanted a coffee at 6:45 am before hitting the road and got a bad look from the waitress who was setting up the tables... To sum up my stay was pleasant but unlikely I will choose this hotel again as the location is not that convenient and the service didn't really impress me that much to overcome the cons.

I selected the Hotel Baglioni on the recommendation of AX Travel as it was my first trip to London. Safety was a priority as I went solo. I was very pleased with the hotel and the staff. Positives: I was given a room when I arrived at 8:45 a.m. After a sleepless night flight, I was extremely grateful. The hotel is close to two tube stations which makes travel from the airport and around town a breeze, provided you can walk 6-8 minutes easily. The room was lovely. It had a seperate bedroom, bath and living area. A small refrigerator was provided that contained beverages for purchase but left enough room for me to chill a special bottle of wine I picked up down the street. Prices for the snacks and beverages were clearly set forth on a price list. My room rate included breakfast which was served promptly via room service at the requested time. The OJ was unbelievable. Unlimited internet & blockbuster movies were also included in the room rate. The staff was attentive and caring, from the doormen to the front desk, bellman and room service. Complimentary umbrellas were offered when I departed.The concierge staff were personable and happy to provide directions and suggestions. The room was quiet. The neighborhood is extremely safe. Several restaurants are nearby. However, I often just grabbed quick bites at the Whole Foods restaurant down the street. The prices were reasonable and I was too busy touring to sit still for a lengthy meal. Maid service was invisible. They never disrupted my enjoyment of the room. They always cleaned while I was out. Nightly turndown service was cheerfully offered. Upon my departure, I was given a complimentary lift to the tube station in the hotel's brand spanking new Maserati. The staff is multicultral - I met British, Italian and French employees. All treated me with kindness and respect even though I don't have a Rockerfeller budget. Negatives (minor but annoying): The maid removed glassware present in the room but did not replace it. There was a slow leak from a towel warmer in the bathroom that the maid must have seen but was never repaired. The shower enclosure didn't completely shut which permitted some moisture to fall on the floor during a shower. All of these could be easily repaired with proper reporting by the chambermaid. However, I want to emphasize that the chambermaids did a fabulous job of cleaning the rooms and tidying up. Many thanks to the hotel and its fabulous staff for making my first visit to London unforgettable.