Okay, I did a really stupid thing, and I should know better, but I booked a hotel on-line that required a one-night non-refundable deposit.<BR><BR>I thought I was booking the &quot;Thistle Bloomsbury,&quot; but I later found out that I actually booked the &quot;Thistle Bloomsbury Park.&quot; <BR><BR>They are obviously quite different hotels, and now I am just mad at myself, as it looks like the Bloomsbury Park hotel has crappy rooms. I am going with my mom and I wanted her to have something nice.<BR><BR>Please, can anyone tell me anything about the Thistle Bloomsbury Park Hotel on Southampton Row?? I know I am stuck with it but it would help to prepare myself and my mom for what we are going to be getting into.<BR><BR>Thanks!

What a shame, but easy to do with such similar names. <BR><BR>Could you try calling directly to the hotel and asking them to switch your reservation since they are in the same group?<BR><BR>Or you could just kiss the deposit good-bye and rebook where you now you'll be satisfied.

Have you tried contacting the company you made a booking through?<BR><BR>I think it is worth a try, just explain your mistake and ask if there is anything they can do to help. Goodwill gestures are not unheard of after all.<BR><BR>Good luck.

I'm with the others - I think it's fairly likely (and certainly fair) that the website or the hotel should make the change for you with no penalty. It would be a different story if you were trying to book at a completely different hotel chain, but since you just picked the wrong one (and with such similar names!), they'd really have to be meanies to not allow you to change. I'd say, if they didn't, it would even be a case for the Conde Nast Travel Ombudsman!<BR><BR>Good luck - hopefully common sense will prevail!

Are you certain they are different hotels? The Thistle Bloomsbury Park (aka Thistle Bloomsbury formerly known as the Kingsley or somthing like that) is on Southhampton Row about a stone's throw from the British Museum.<BR><BR>I met a couple of friends for drinks there about a month ago. I saw both of their rooms and they seemed quite fine to me. One had a standard room (larger than average for London) and the other had an executive (downright spacious for London).<BR><BR>I'd rate this place a solid 3 star hotel. Not top drawer but nothing remotely crappy about it. Fantastic location for touring. Close to two tube stations, Euston Station, Covent Garden. You could do a lot worse.<BR><BR>What is the address of the other Thistle Bloomsbury?<BR><BR>

They are 2 different hotels. The Bloomsbury is on Bloomsbury Way and was formerly the Kingsley--a 95 room hotel. The Bloomsbury Park is on Southampton Row--138 rooms.

Thistle Bloomsbury is on Bloomsbury way WC1A<BR><BR>Bloomsbury Park is on Southhampton Row WC1B<BR><BR>definitely 2 differnt hotels

thanks all for the clarification<BR>

Thanks everyone, I am definitely contacting the company. I had already planned to do that.... tell them my sob story. LOL! Sigh... grrrr, I am so mad at myself.<BR><BR>On the (perhaps) positive side, I did find some photos last night of the rooms that make it *seem* like they did a renovation, but you know how photos can be... who knows if they are even of that hotel.<BR><BR>I will post with an update once I plead my case with the company. It is Just-Hotel.com. I made a Paris booking with them too, so perhaps they will be more lenient with me.

What kind of rate did you get? The Thistle Bloomsbury is more expensive than the Bloomsbury Park. Also, if you check Thistle's website - www.thistlehotels.com, you'll see that they themselves offer low internet rates and specials. Right now, the Bloomsbury Park is going for 39 pounds per night, per person, and the Thistle Bloomsbury is going for 55 pounds per night, per person. I believe the code that you have to type in to get this rate is VAL, but it is posted on the web site. Both rates include breakfast.<BR><BR>I have stayed at the Thistle Bloomsbury, and its a very nice hotel.

OBXGIRL - You said you did meet some friends and saw their rooms, and it was the hotel on Southampton Row?? That is the Bloomsbury Park then. Oh, I hope that is the one you meant.<BR><BR>Sojourn - Unfortunately, until I can see if I can get out of the current res. I have, it does me no good to look at rates for the Bloomsbury, since it will just make me cry. LOL! Thanks though, that IS the hotel I really want.

littletraveler: How long do you plan to stay in London? If it is more than 2-3 days, you could use the &quot;mistake&quot; hotel for the one pre-paid night and move to better digs for the ramainder. It woudl be inconvenient, but if the preferred place is that imoprtant to you it might be worth the hassle.