Hi All!

I need some help deciding on which London hotel to book (ASAP) -- all on rewards.

I tend to enjoy classic British accomodations, but am intrigued by some of the new contemporary designs I am seeing.

Here's my list (so far, in no particular order) -- any comments on these properties?

1) Ritz London
2) One Aldwych London
3) The Milestone
4) Renaissance Chancery Court
5) London Marriott Hotel Kensington

From what I can gather, these are all centrally within the city.

We are looking for four nights of WOW! What do you think?

Thank you.

What a peculiar list, it's like comparing a three Michelin star restaurant to McDonald's.

The Marriott is distinctly average, One Aldwych has awful service and the bar is lousy, in fact it's just pretentious. The Milestone is pleasant enough, but doesn't have the heritage. The Ritz is a little small, but is a good property, just too stuffy for my liking.

Also, you should look at the areas, not just the properties. I'd advise Claridge's, it has the style, the heritage, and the service.

What an interesting response!

That's unfortunate about One Aldwych -- I thought it looked rather unique.

I would like to stay away from the Marriott, but would also like to unload some points (however, we could save it for the US).

How about the Intercontinental?

Oh, just checked, it's closed for rennovations.

If you have the budget for it, Claridges will definitely offer you "four nights of WOW".Sometimes they run specials in late summer (end of July/August), so you might want to check that out.

If you really need to use points go for the Ritz - very traditional - but a great location - esp when it's free.

The trouble with The Ritz is that it is lacking in public areas. Originally, the ballroom (what is now the casino i.e. The Ritz Club) was converted in the thirties into a grill room, and bar. By the late seventies these were looking extremely worn and shabby, so the whole hotel was refurbished, bedrooms were cut down in size, and this basement area turned into the said casino. It used to have a charming bar "Laurie's Bar" (he is long retired, and gone) where ghosts of the Edwardian era would sit, and drink and reminisce. Now the Rivoli bar is perfectly adequate, but rather small.

What annoys me most about The Ritz is this often enforced "jacket and tie" rule. They've moved with the times in the worst possible way - charging tomorrow's prices whilst expecting yesterday's attire. A jacket is perfectly acceptable, a tie is not necessary in this day and age, not when you are a paying guest. Besides, I would doubt that The Ritz's clientele would walk around in beachwear if this code were not in place.

So once again I'd recommend Claridge's. It has no fewer than three places where one may enjoy a cocktail, as well as two excellent restaurants. However, I would advise you book as good a category room as possible to gain maximum enjoyment from your stay.

Claridges, as adviced by MK. Or how about the newly refurbished Browns?

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That's unfortunate about One Aldwych
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get some different opinions before you rule it out. i have never stayed there but it has a good reputation. one person's opinion of the hotel's bar should not sway your opinion too much.

Brown's lacks a lot. The bar there has prices higher than Claridge's, in fact higher than any other hotel bar The Ritz. The public areas are once again small, the decor is terribly generic, you really could be anywhere - I refer to the bedrooms most of all. The service isn't quite there either, and the rates aren't exactly cheap either.

As for One Aldwych, I wouldn't stay there on location alone, it's out of the way of things, unless you have some preoccupation with Covent Garden. The service is appalling, the drinks were mixed by an amateur at best (a warm champagne cocktail with more cognac than champagne) and a daquiri that you could use as a petrol bomb.

If you really want modern - and I don't think this is something you should look for in London hotels as it's not what they're best at doing - then try the Halkin or Metropolitan (some might say it's worth staying there to gain entry to the bar alone). The Mandarin Oriental is a good compromise as it's a grand hotel with some modern features, and excellent service too. Or if you'd rather have art deco and don't fancy Claridge's, then The Berkeley is an excellent alternative.

Thank you for the feedback.

m_kingdom2, you are quite familiar with hotel bars, aren't you?! I think you would have a fine time with my BIL, lol. We, on the other hand, are not so interested and therefore would not base our hotel decision solely on the quality of drinks. If this were a business trip, perhaps we would think differently.

I do think it is ridiculous for the Ritz to require men to wear a tie -- a sports coat I can understand, but not the tie! However, I do like the location of the Ritz and while the common spaces are not the best that the Ritz has to offer, we would be getting $2400+ worth of accommodations for free.

I will concede that the Claridge is a beautiful property though.

It's surprising that someone whose main criteria for a hotel seems to be its drinks and bars, that these two quotes regarding One Aldwych go unnoticed:

"This is probably the most beautiful hotel lobby bar in London..." the London Evening Standard.

"Named one of the top five hotel bars in the world by the Sunday Telegraph."

It is also interesting that the vast majority of trip Advisor reviews for One Aldwych are raves. The first negative one I found even disagreed with a poster's statement above by saying "The obvious strength is the location."
So clearly I wouldn't eliminate it unless your sole purpose in London is hanging out and shopping in the elite Mayfair shops. If you interests are more for museums, concerts, theatre, and other things, there is NOTHING wrong with the One Aldwych location. In fact the same poster who puts it down recently recommended the Savoy which is hardly a block away! Can you say "sour grapes"?

Yes, One Aldwych does get very nice reviews on Tripadvisor. It has a very "cool" look about it -- it's different and that appeals to me. I have emailed the hotel requesting availability.

I have also blocked out a room at the Ritz, just in case.

I think I might ask my BIL to drop in and check it out for us.

Before you base a decision on one fodorites recommendation - I'd suggest you peek at some of his previous posts.

Certain folks on here like to send people up - unfortunately that can mislead.

BTW One Aldwych is is an absolutely terrific property, as is the Ritz

I recommend the Savoy as an alternative to hotels in that area. It is a very well serviced property, if rather staid. But I find that charming rather than old fashioned.

I have no idea why One Aldwych gets such rave reviews, it's got tiny public areas, the staff are indifferent at best, and thick at worst. On one evening when the bar was busy (I was in the area, and wanted to try it again to see if it had improved - unlike those published reviews which have been published looking at photographs, and one drink especially made for the critic if at all - hardly a real "restaurant" review) yet the doorman still wanted to take my coat. The do not think! So the American Bar at The Savoy is far superior.

I'd choose The Ritz over One Aldwych anyway, but seeing as The Ritz is free, you cannot fail to go wrong by booking it.

Or, stay at One Aldwych and risk disappointment. It was "cool" when it first arrived, but now it's for people who like to think they're cool.

LOL. <<It was "cool" when it first arrived, but now it's for people who like to think they're cool.>>

I don't <i>think</i> I'm cool, I <i>know</i> I'm cool!

Listen AmEx is charging more reward points to stay at One Aldwych than the Ritz -- that must say a little something about both places, no?

Maybe I'll just toss a coin.

Not at all, The Ritz is in a class well above One Aldwych. One Aldwych is dreadful, the bar is lousy, the food distinctly average, the decor boring, and so over...

I don't know anything about Amex rewards, but pricewise The Ritz is certainly more..besides, that means nothing!

Make sure the coin lands Ritz side up!