Holiday Inn London Bloomsbury, Acorn Suite

I stayed in this hotel on two consecutive weeks for a business conference. We used the Academy services as well as the restaurant and rooms. The rooms were clean and up to standard for a London hotel. I was surprised, however, that while reception offered free toiletries, the hotel did not offer a free bottle of water, which I consider to be a basic standard for all hotels and particularly hotels of this cost and calibre. The room servicing staff were very helpful and polite Academy staff were very accommodating and Academy was well set up for the multiple rooms that we needed for the conference. The common areas had mostly all that we needed, however, I was surprised at the lack of decaffeinated coffee or tea, which we had to ask for every day and at every session. I was a little disappointed also that we spent four days in a windowless room. The restaurant on my first day I made toast in the restaurant during which time I was loudly“told off” by a member of the serving staff for having put the wrong bread in the toaster. Whilst there are numerous instructions for what not to do, there are absolutely no instructions on what we can do with the plethora of non-standard bread. This telling off culture prevailed throughout the visit, with staff herding our conference candidates around the restaurant when they happen to sit in the wrong place. Having chosen my food on one particular day, I sat down in three different places only to be moved to where. “My area” was. (No signs or staff directing, just waiting staff telling us that we had sat in the wrong place!) Finally, following a very nice lunch, (the food at breakfast lunch and dinner was a good standard) I went to get myself a coffee at one of the numerous machines around the dining area, only to be told prime member of staff that the machines would not dispense coffee at lunch but then I had to go back up to the Academy and have coffee there. Having trained and qualified as a member of the Hotel Caterers and institutional management association, I can honestly say that the standard of food and beverage service left the great deal to be desired, particularly for a London hotel. I did speak with the restaurant manager about my observations but he spent most of our conversation justifying himself.

I stayed there for 9 nights, it was not as good as expected, I requested 2 single beds but they could not arrange for me even I booked the hotel 2 weeks in advance. The air con. was not working, only hot air blown out, I needed to ask for a fan for my whole stay. Bathroom is old and dirty and smelly. Staff not greeting guests, breakfast is fine and also hot in the dinning area. Overall experience was not good, I won't recommend others to choose this hotel. It was only one good thing which was closed to tube.