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Anchor Hotel Golder's Green

Reason for using: I was attending a friend’s birthday in London and as I didn’t want to have to leave early to get the last train I looked for a hotel in London. Many were very expensive for the one night, apparently someone called Harry Styles (nope mystery to me too), was performing in London so the prices went up to cash in on this event. However, I did find this hotel (well it calls its self a hotel) for a reasonable price so booked it. I think the price should have told me something. The location is about a 2 min walk from Golders Green underground station so it is on the northern line and the night tube. But even the location couldn’t save it. Checking in OK well arriving at the hotel there is a sign saying to ring a number the check in rather odd for a hotel but OK. However, before seeing this I had rung the bell, door was opened and in I went. The check in desk was a small table at the end of a hallway with a rather tatty chair behind it which bore no relation to the long desk ...
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Hotel Review: St Giles Hotel, Bloomsbury London

  I used to have this review on Hubpages (user mikec1978) but as that site is closing down I have moved it here. Introduction I was staying over in London, as I do from time to time, and this hotel was in a convenient location to where I was going. It is situated within a 3 minute (if that) walk from Tottenham Court Road station, so it has good links with the Northern line and Elizabeth line. For the one night it cost £109.36 excluding breakfast. I paid slightly extra in case I had to cancel last minute and not lose any money. There are currently some renovation works going on in the hotel but none of it was in the part my room was in.   Checking in The lobby area was clean and tidy with some seating and a separate concierge desk. For the actual check in there was a bit of a queue to but with 3 desks open this did not take too long. Now I have had better experiences at a check in desk as the person who served me, whilst quick an efficient, was sort of robotic and...
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Staybridge Suites - Cardiff

  The Staybridge Suites, Cardiff This is a different type of hotel which is part of the IHG group normally under the Holiday Inn umbrella. So, what makes these different? The best way to think about these is that they are like a small flat/studio flat in a hotel. Each suite comes with a small kitchen area so it can be used for self-catering. I booked a suite with a separate bedroom with a dock side view. Cheaper options of a studio flat are available as are slightly cheaper suites with the separate bedroom without the dock side view. A 5 night stay during mid August 2023 cost me just over £800 in total so it is good value. If you are planning on visiting Cardiff be aware that the taxi drivers do not tend to accept card payments. Checking in The reception area is clean and tidy and the check in was quick and the person behind the desk was friendly and polite. As with all hotels you are asked for your card you intend to pay with as you check in, but you are not charged un...
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Ibis hotel - London Docklands, Canary Warf

In used to have this review on HubPages but as this site is shutting down I'm moving my hotel reviews on there to here.   Introduction I was staying overnight in London after attending an event with friends and did not want to worry about last trins etc. This hotel was a short trip on the DLR and was in my price range. It is about a 5-minute walk from Blackwall DLR station, so this does provide good links to London. The night’s stay cost me £109. However, I booked via a cash back site so I got 20% cash back on this so in all it was around £87 for the night. Now, despite the name, the hotel is quite a walk form Canary Warf DLR station so it is best to go to Blackwall station and walk from there. Arrival and Check in On arrival there was no dedicated check in desk that I could see but one person on a laptop to do it which was fine. Now I am not certain that the red tee-shirts as a uniform gives a professional appearance in a hotel but then again this is not the Ritz so I ...
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Zedwell - Tottenham Court Road

I used to have this review on Hub Pages (user: Mikec1978) but as that site is shutting down I am moving my hotel reviews to this blog  Introduction I had booked this hotel as I was going to a friend's flat warming party so I could stay later and not worry about trains to get home until the next morning. Well I really should have read the reviews on Trip advisor first. I had booked it as I found the idea of an underground (literally) hotel interesting. Sadly this is possibly one of the worst hotels I have used. Now I know some may think I am exaggerating here but for me hotels should have a certain standard and available amenities. This place falls well short on almost everything. Frankly I don’t know how they dare call themselves a hotel. Hotels from hell? This is a hotel IN hell. Check in A few days before my stay I received an email telling me it was mandatory to check in online, not if I would like to, but mandatory. They claimed this is easier and quicker (it real...
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Crowne Plaza hotel Harrogate

   Introduction: I was away for a short break up in Yorkshire and checking hotel prices showed that this hotel in Harrogate was around £35 cheaper than an equivalent hotel in York – which was where I had originally planned to stay. So with that price difference in mind I booked a suite room for 5 nights. The hotel is about a 10 min walk from the train station but there are plently of taxis and Harrogate does have an excellent bus service. Traveling arround the area: Now my advice is if you are walking to the station – don’t follow google maps as it sends you on a longer route. Ask it to get you to the town centre and this goes almost right past the train station in a much quicker time. If you travel from Harrogate to York or Leeds etc. my advice is that you take the buses in place of the train the service. The bus service is excellent and all the busses I took in the area had WIFI   - which unlike the local trains, actually worked. Arrival at hotel and check in:...
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