The Grosvenor - London, United Kingdom 

The Rubens Sets The Standard For Excellence
Posted: Thu, Sep 25 2008
From the moment you walk into The Rubens, you feel that it is different. The staff members are very friendly and helpful. The hotel itself is lovely. The room was wonderful. We felt special in the elegant surroundings. We paid less to stay there in the lovely room, than at other hotels which did not offer half the amenities.

OK for a short business stay
Posted: Thu, Jul 24 2008
An imposing entrance to this centrally located hotel, close to Victoria railway, tube and bus stations. I have no complaints about my (twin) room which was located in the wing on the 5th floor. It wasn't the largest in the world but for the price and location quite reasonable. The sound proofing, while not perfect, did limit a lot of the noise from the busy roads outside and the local loud speaker announcements don't seem to start until 7am. Breakfast was rather a basic affair and expensive, but that's London for you. I thought the staff completely on the ball and pleasant with it.

Mutton dressed as lamb
Posted: Thu, Jul 24 2008
Stayed here on business and this has to be the worst hotel I have stayed in London at this price. Reception and downstairs public areas are rather grand but other than that standards are well below what you would expect for the price. Had to swap rooms because there was no handle on bahrooom windon which swung back and forth in the wind. Second room was better but barely adequate in terms of space, cleanliness and condition. The reception said it had been refurbished but that must have been in the 1970's! Ordered rorm service pizza as restaurant was full and received cheapest pre-packed pizza imaginable. They had run out of caeser salad which suggests that nothing is made fresh! Breakfast was busy but the quality of the food poor with clearly cheapest ingredients used. The hotel was full of foreign tourists, many American, who were getting ripped off and I heard a number complaining at the poor standards. I am pretty sure no-one pays the rack rate of ?260-?280 and frankly I would'nt stay there again at any price. Overall, a barely adequate 2 star masquerading at 5 star prices.

This place is an embarrassment
Posted: Tue, Jul 22 2008
I spent six dreadful nights at the Grosvenor Hotel recently. At first glance the hotel appears quite nice. The lobby is bright and clean. There's a grand piano in the center beneath a giant chandelier, a wide marble staircase, and a doorman outfitted in top hat and tails. Luxurious, right? Sadly, no. This is mere window dressing. Get beyond the ground floor and you realize that the Grosvenor is a tired, old, broken-down hotel that’s in dire need of cleaning and restoration. Considering what they charge per night, the room was an embarrassment. Dirty, dusty, hasn’t seen a coat of paint in decades, and so small that the door barely cleared the edge of the bed when opened. Not a big deal, you say. You can live with a small room. What about cleanliness? If you look close enough in any hotel I’m sure you can find all manner of unpleasantries--bugs, hairs, fingernails, stains, etc. It didn’t take close inspection or a magnifying glass to find them here--they were blatant. I’m talking long hairs on the pillows and multiple stains on the underside of the bedspread. The bathroom wasn’t much better--dank, moldy and dimly lit. The room and the apathetic staff (yes, they’re as listless as the drab hallways and guest rooms) aside, I will say that the location is convenient. It’s adjacent to Victoria Station and actually has a side entrance that takes you directly into the station. Also, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, even Trafalgar Square are an easy walk from the hotel. So if location is your priority..and you don’t mind being overcharged for a cramped, contaminated room..then go for it. Otherwise, I say take a pass on this place. There have got to be better values elsewhere in the city.