Canary Riverside Plaza Hotel

I spent two weeks at the plaza and would happily return. The beds were incredibly comfortable and made for a great night's sleep. The hotel shows a few signs of age, but the decor still feels modern and stylish, and the comfort made the stay enjoyable.

The Thames-side location is lovely, and this quiet hotel could be a great place to stay. But service felt slow and untrained, and guests weren't given discretion. I was in a hurry when I arrived and was followed in a way that felt rushed and stressful. Each time I came back, someone questioned me, which got tiresome, and one person even followed me to my room. When things were quiet, management seemed to give staff bizarre tasks. This kind of intrusive questioning doesn't feel right for a five-star hotel.

Room 413 was pleasant, with a comfortable bed, though the furniture was dated. The windows were filthy, covered in bird droppings, and by nightfall it was hard to see through them. Our stay started with an embarrassing check-in. We arrived on 28/12/2025 with a booking from booking.com, as I've done many times before. Staff said it had come through a third-party company and seemed surprised, then told us to book directly with the hotel because they don't usually get bookings that way. Two men at reception said they needed to speak to a manager and asked us to sit and wait. I wanted to leave and not come back. About ten minutes later, they said they would check us in this time, but warned that there could be a problem if another person with my name tried to check in. I couldn't believe it. They asked what I'd paid, so I showed them the booking email, which listed almost £300 for one night, along with the booking reference, my ID and bank card. It was humiliating. We were treated as if we'd stolen someone else's booking, even though I had the reference, ID and card. I've never had this sort of problem at any other hotel. Based on the service, I wouldn't recommend it or stay again.

A big thank you to Sindy for arranging an earlier room entry the other week. I asked because my best men and I need to get ready there before I go to get married in the afternoon. Having one less thing to worry about amid the usual stress before our special day means a lot. Roll on May 23rd!