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January 14, 2024
The Londoner Hotel: Conceptionally Brilliant, & Now Ready for Prime Time
By Mrs. SSO
We first stayed at The Londoner at Christmas time 2022. My first Londoner review concluded that:
The Londoner, the World’s First Super Boutique Hotel is conceptionally brilliant, but the execution is far from what I would expect given its cost and 5 star rating. It requires more training of the staff is has and more staff; this would improve the service level dramatically taking the execution to its conceptional brilliance; dressers in the rooms would take it over the top!
The Londoner’s great Location, cool vibe, and some very unique aspects for a hotel, especially The Residence’s three exclusive spaces within the Hotel: the Y Bar, the Drawing Bar and the Whisky Bar combine to create an exceptional ‘super boutique’ hotel in London . London isn’t short of remarkable hotels, but the Londoner truly is an experience, setting it apart. Artfully designed at every turn, the property is inspiring to say the least, and is one of the trendiest locations to see and be seen at in the city today. We will return.
We did return, this time on first week of October 2023. I can honestly say, it is now ready for prime time! The Londoner General Manager did call me regarding my initial review; horrified to say the least. He had already spoken with the heads of Front Desk, Housekeeping, and HR regarding the items highlighted in the blog. He wanted to learn more – kudos to him. He appreciated the frank discussion and clearly took it to heart.
The Reservation Manager responed to our requests immediately and offered us to enjoy the Spa or the Residence uypon our early arrival as the hotel was complely full. Front Desk staff could not have been more pleasant and professional. Housekeeping had been contacted to priorize cleaning our room so we could check in as soon as possible after the prior guests had checked out. Throughout our stay (over a week), Housekeeping did an imeccable job both at cleaning the room each morning and turndown service. The Londoner had hired more dining staff and clearly trained them as they were attentive, helped each other and prompt.
I get the feeling that the Londoner caters to one night stays – Fashion Events, Business Meetings… hence why there are no dressers and limited storage space for clothes. So if we were going to be staying over a week, we needed to stay in a larger room. And so we did. Problem solved, the Suite had a full 6 foot long closet (but only a few hangers). Housekeeping responding immediately bringing 20 more hangers. There was a shelf above for T-shirts and the sorts and wire baskets below for underwear, socks… There were plenty of hooks on the wall for coats and jackets.
There were a couple of signs of wear and tear which is surprising for a hotel so new (opened September 2021). Perhaps it was the choice of fabric on the sofas in the room, but there were a couple of noticable stains (an easy fix to reuphoster with stain resistant fabric). There was some wood chipped on the closet door, it may have been from the previous guest and they just had not the time to repair.
There were a few things that I really appreciate about the Londoner rooms:
- The Shower:
The shower is not your standard shower in tub (There was a separate bathtub if you prefer). The shower is a separate walk in, beautifully tiled and glass doored. The water pressure is fabulous and there is plenty of hot water even when the hotel is full. The body wash, shampoo and conditioner were top notch. I took the longest showers ever.
To enhance the shower experience, the towels were plush and absorbant and plentiful.
The Dyson hair dryer was brilliant: hot and powerful.
- The WC (ie Toilet):
Bonus points for it being a separate room (by biggest pet pieve if it is not!) – and large so you did not feel claustrophobic. The seat automatically lifts upon entering the WC – no touch! The seat is warm – heavenly. There were all kinds of gadgets that sprayed water every which direction which I opted out of.
- The Bed and Bedding:
The king bed itself was incredibly comfortable. The pillows were perfect and plentiful. The sheets were divine, very fine and soft cotton. The duvet was great (albeit a little too warm for me but then again – almost all are!)
The one thing that I appreciate the most about the Londoner Hotel is:
- The Residence:
I pointed out in the December blog how special it is but had some executional details t sort out:
A Unique & Brilliant Extension to the Rooms: The Residence
Probably the clincher for us to book the Londoner is that its Guests have access to three exclusive Residence spaces within the Hotel. There is the Y Bar, the Drawing Bar and the Whisky Bar. As The Stage Bar in the Lobby is normally very busy, these private escapes for residents of the hotel are treasured. Complimentary antipasti, soft drinks, tea and coffee are served throughout the day and evening, as well as a complimentary breakfast selection of freshly baked patisseries, yoghurts, fresh fruit and artisan cheese between 9am and 12pm. Full bar service and a dining menu are also available which is great when Whitcombs is packed at Breakfast or you just prefer a little privacy and peace and quiet. There is also a library of handcrafted Assouline books, classic boardgames and the latest newspapers and fashion magazines to enjoy.
Conceptionally brilliant. But to execute well, The Residence requires more staff. The complimentary antipasti table offering was thin and was not regularly restocked. Service was exceptionally slow to the point we just left. Again, not difficult fixes.
These executional details were also addressed making our use of the Residence a truly treasured one. It is a perfect spot to relax, have a bite to eat and read the paper, enjoy a drink with a friend or just to enjoy some quiet time.
The only request would be to offer cheese alternative antipastos. I loved them but I love cheese. My husband does not eat cheese so this request is for him and others who would prefer more options.
In Summary
I am grateful we had the opportunity to revisit The Londoner. It truly is the World’s First Super Boutique Hotel …not only conceptionally brilliant but I can honestly say, it is definelty ready for prime time. The Londoner’s great Location, cool vibe, and some very unique aspects for a hotel, especially The Residence combine to create an exceptional hotel in London. We will return.
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October 2023
