We arrived at just after 2p.m. to be told we had been upgraded to a deluxe twin room (an instant admission of guilt) usually this would be appreciated but when you’ve specifically booked a double room because you have your wife with you it’s not good at all!

The attitude of the staff was one of rehearsed rhetoric hidden behind false smiles and a pretence of offering help and understanding whilst doing absolutely nothing except repeat over and over their room deficiency that night and almost suggest that we had done something wrong by booking through Laterooms!

The bottom line was we weren’t going to get a double room no matter what so the only other option was to take a refund of which I eventually received three days later.

We then spent the next one and a half hours searching for a hotel that could accommodate us on a very busy Valentine’s Saturday, we ended up twenty five minutes walk away from our original well placed first choice of the Queens Hotel, this time should have been spent having a leisurely shop and light meal before getting ready for the evening function that we were there to attend.

Because we were now well out of the city centre we had no option but to bring taxi’s into the equation… and we all know how they can spoil your night out!

We might have booked through Laterooms but it was booked five days prior and it wasn’t exactly at bargain price!

Why couldn’t somebody from Laterooms or the Queens attempt to contact us if there was a problem with the booking? At least we could have booked somewhere else at that point, it’s absolutely disgusting and belittling to expect us to turn up and just simply be pacified by the offer of a superior quality twin room that we had at no point requested!

The whole episode is unforgivable and certainly kicked our weekend off to the worst start imaginable… it’s disgraceful!

So far I’ve received no apology from the Queens although Laterooms did email me to lay the blame firmly with the Queens and not themselves as per all their small print blah bla blah blah!

Hotels should be held be responsible and fined heavily for this sort of thing, it’s not the first time and won’t be the last time it happens because nobody does anything about it!
Regards

Dave J
Yorkshire

A real taxi

We want to warn you about the dangers of taking an unlicenced taxi cab in London.

A licensed taxi is a car which has been designed for the purpose of carrying paying passengers. Services are usually regulated by the local government. A taxi can be found at a taxi rank or can be called while on the road by raising your hand towards the driver. In London a licensed taxi is known as a black cab (it is not always painted black). These taxis should be safe, and the drivers know London roads well.

We have spoken to someone who has experienced the danger of taking an unlicenced minicab and want to warn you.

Brian, a 30 year old City worker, was out on a rainy Saturday night in the West End and on leaving the bar decided to get a cab home. It was just after midnight and due to the rain, all the taxis passing were unavailable.
A car pulled up and the smiling driver told Brian he was a mini cab driver and he would take his fare. As this is a fairly common thing in London, Brian got in, told him where to drive and relaxed.
Next thing, the car took him to a quiet street, dragged Brian out of the cab, threatened him and pushed him towards a cash machine. Now Brian is a fitness enthusiast and can normally handle himself but the driver was a 6 foot plus heavily built black guy who looked very dangerous.

Brian was forcibly made to withdraw over 500 pounds fom two credit cards. The driver then hit him in the face and drove off.

The moral of this story is DO NOT USE UNLICENCED TAXIS IN LONDON.

A minicab driver is not allowed to pick up customers directly from the road: if you do travel in a minicab that has not been booked you will not be covered by the vehicles insurance, and you may be putting yourself at personal risk.

In my opinion it should be closed down as I would hate for anyone to have to stay in such a hovel!!!”
From Tina H

I do not want to mention many other details such as the absence of mini bar in a four star hotel etc. But.. the air conditioning was not operating, and the vertical sliding window was stucking in half way!

So, I called reception and informed them. Few minutes later, a manager (probably the front ofice manager) came. After listening to me he said; why I wanted to use air conditioning while the weather was that nice! And why I was not happy with that much gap in the window!

There was not enough time and energy to change the hotel and I stayed there five days. I wanted to inform related people about this attitude. ”

Author: Zafer I

Kings Cross and St Pancras Stations and area

St Pancras station has brought easy transport connections to Europe to the heart of London. The £800 million regeneration has made King’s Cross, a great place for cheap London hotels, a great choice for your stay in London.

Getting a cheap hotel in London near St Pancras makes great sense – but the new home of Eurostar makes King’s Cross a good choice for many more reasons.
With the move to St Pancras, the Eurostar really does put central London within easy reach of more than 100 destinations on the continent. Much more convenient from central London than either ferry or plane, the Eurostar travels at 186mph while still offering carbon-neutral travel (ten times less carbon emissions than low-cost airlines on equivalent journeys).
St Pancras International is the result of an £800 million restoration and extension of one of London’s landmark train stations. From the 90-metre champagne bar (Europe’s longest) to fine dining at the St Pancras Grand (designed by Martin Brudnizki of Scott’s and The Ivy fame), this is more than just a place to get on and off trains.
Fifty million people a year pass through the station, making it London’s busiest transport hub. Not only has it recently been voted the number one train station in the UK by the National Passenger Survey, it’s also London’s safest, having received the not-so-catchy ‘Europe’s Destination Station Recognised with Secure Station Award’.
The original station, built in 1868, was an impressive example of Victorian engineering and was the world’s largest enclosed space for many years. The new extension adds to this with a stunning glass roof consisting of 14,080 panels – enough to cover 38 tennis courts. The beautiful architecture has provided the backdrop to TV series and scenes in movies such as Harry Potter and Batman Begins.
The redevelopment is also rejuvenating the whole King’s Cross area, which is good news for an area where you can still find cheap hotels in London. This redevelopment has brought unrivalled travel links across the city, nationally, and of course to Europe, making King’s Cross a great base to explore London.
Local attractions also include the British Library, Shaw Theatre, Scala Cinema, Charles Dickens’ House, Foundling Museum, Renoir Cinema and Cockpit Arts which are all within walking distance of St Pancras.
For an ideal base in London try the Elmwood Hotel located in the relative peace of leafy Argyle Square. Just minutes from St Pancras and also Kings Cross Station and in the heart of the King’s Cross District, this cheap London Hotel offers comfort and convenience that’s hard to match.
More information: Elmwood Hotel London

Best for Martinis…
…And James Bond fans. The Dukes Bar’s martinis have acquired worldwide fame. Ian Fleming was a regular, and it is likely that his equally famous, fictional secret agent discovered his taste for martinis here. Their simple classic (stirred though, not shaken) is hard to beat - with its perfect mix of Beefeater Gin, extra dry vermouth and lemon oil. Or make a companion of one of Bond’s leading ladies and choose from a Miss Moneypenny with a sharp kick of lime and passion fruit, or a sumptuous Ruby Windsor, all warmth and luxury with creme de cacao and cherry marnier. As you’re served at your table, and sink back into a blue velvet chair, wondering just what drink those in the portraits around you might have chosen, it’s sure to summon up in you the connoisseur of the finer things in life.

Best for a polynesian paradise
Mahiki’s two floored bar is festooned in faux-Hawaiiana, which extends to the grass-skirted bar staff. It crams in all things Tiki - including on to it’s drinks menu, where it’s tropical cocktails steal the show. Rum is their spirit of choice - and the bar takes it so seriously that they make their own - on Barbados - the oldest rum producing caribbean island. The music played is mostly tunes from the seventies and eighties and it’s crowd is as mixed as its cocktails, although if you happen to be caught in the grip of celebrity worship, you’ll find a steady supply to gawp at here - as regular and much-publicised patronage by junior members of the Royal Family testifies to.

Best for 1940s supper club style (and dancing)
The quietish pink neon of the Pigalle Club sign is a beacon in the no man’s land for decent bars that is Piccadilly Circus. As you sweep down the staircase inside you’ll step back in time to when clubs were beautiful, glamour was key, and night club singers were all smoky eyes and frothed-up silk. If you’re feeling flush make a night of it with supper, or just sit and sup cocktails as cabaret crooners, comedians and musicians do their jazz-fuelled thing. Atmosphere is everything here - classy yet sexy, stylish but not aloof, and huge fun. Tables are spread across two levels, but bag one near to the stage area if you can. Prices are steep - but they do factor in the live entertainment and once you’re there you’ll realise it’s a steal.

Best for pretending your drinking is all in the name of historical research
The Lonsdale’s exquisite cocktail menu traces the history of the London cocktail - spanning centuries and locations. The aim is simple - to showcase the best drinks that have originated in the UK and, in particular, London. As a thriving world city, London has seen numerous cultures settle within it - and with different cultures come different drinking styles. So, alongside your Cosmopolitans you’ll find drinks that have come to the city from all corners of the world, from authentic 16th century punches (Drake’s Mojito - 1586), to 18th century ‘Flips’, 1920s ‘Bucks’ - and back to the present day.

Best for Regency indulgence (and cigars)
Not as old as it might first appear, the sumptuous Library Bar at the Lanesborough is designed in the style of a Regency library. The bookcases are lined with leather bound books, and the crackling fire, subdued lighting, and deep leather wing chairs, enable you to sample their outstanding collection of ‘liquid history’ vintage cognacs and bespoke cocktails in as relaxed an environment as you’ll find outside your own home. This gentleness is perpetuated by discrete waiters and a tinkling pianist.

For all these London hotels book with confidence at www.london-hotels.co.uk

two person jacuzzi in your bedroom

For all you romantic guys…. you can now treat your beloved to a great night in London in a bedroom with a double jacuzzi.

Located just a short walk from the Vauxhall Tube Station, this hotel is just three tube stops from Oxford Circus or one from Victoria.

For a small extra payment we also include champagne, oil, candles and chocolates!

Chilled Champagne - Candle Lights - Belgian Chocolates - Lavender Oil - WOW!

Whether its for St Valentines night or indeed any other night then you will not want to leave your room all night !

Be warned saturday nights for the double jacuzzi rooms tend to be booked up months in advance.

Book our Executive room two person jacuzzi package