DoubleTree by Hilton London Kingston Upon Thames

The room had good aircon and a really comfortable bed, and the bathroom light was bright enough. The bedroom itself felt dark, though, because there was no central light, just very bright wall lamps. I liked the hotel’s central location, the helpful staff, and the food. Breakfast was very nice, and my favorite meal was the sea bass. The bar and restaurant were pleasant too. I stayed over Christmas and the atmosphere was lovely. I’d happily recommend it.

My wife was really touched by the card, and we both enjoyed the wine. Thank you, Rahul, for arranging such a lovely anniversary surprise. The staff were kind and helpful, which made our stay at the Hilton memorable. Please pass on our thanks to the team. Keep up the great work, Rahul!

The location is the one real advantage: Kingston shopping, the station, riverside walks, and several big parks are all easy to reach on foot. We were warned about the building work ahead of time, and the builders were there on weekdays, making noise and blocking the accessible entrance. Our room faced scaffolding and construction materials, or otherwise a dirty wall. The hotel felt run by accountants rather than people who understand hospitality. Our room was dirty, with peeling paint, grubby carpet, grime around the sink, and broken furniture. Dirty plates sat in the corridor for over 24 hours, and the hall on our floor smelled of cigarettes because someone was smoking there. The room fridge was never stocked and there was no water left for us, so we had to buy bottles costing over £5 at the bar or go into Kingston. At least the fridge got very cold. We said yes when asked if we wanted daily room cleaning, but it never happened. There was only one large and one small towel for two adults and a child. Reception gave me one more of each, which I had to carry back myself, and no more arrived during the stay. On two of our three nights a loud, rather depressing-looking corporate Christmas party took over the bar and restaurant. We could hear it clearly on the third floor. There was even a lift sign saying earplugs were available at reception, so they knew how noisy it would be. The food was bland, cold, and tasteless. Room service brought two main courses but only one knife and fork. Breakfast tasted like it had been cooked in bulk, and buffet items often ran out without being replenished. People we spoke to often didn't even seem to know there was a hotel here. We wish we hadn't found out either. Next time we're in the area, we'll stay somewhere nicer, and probably cheaper.

The reservation arrangements were confusing and costly. The hotel wouldn't allow one monthly booking, so I had to book week by week. The rate went up each week, and benefits that had been included were removed without a clear reason. Breakfast was covered in the first week but not the following weeks, despite using the same company code and travel agency. I raised the booking, pricing, and service issues with reception more than once, but nothing was resolved or escalated effectively. I was initially given an accessible room because, I was told, it was the only one available. I had no issue with the room type, but the cleanliness fell short of what I expect from a hotel or corporate accommodation. The shower curtain had visible mold and stains along the bottom, and there was dirt and fungus behind the chair. I reported it and was told the room had been cleaned. When I checked the next day, nothing had changed. On day three the curtain was replaced, but the area behind the chair stayed dirty for the rest of my stay. The ground-floor bar and dining service was also limited by staffing. Usually one person was handling both the bar and kitchen, which meant long waits and little availability. Some staff were good: the man in the bar and dining area was really helpful, and a few people at reception were fine. Others seemed to lack empathy. At checkout I mentioned that the room was still in bad shape. The woman at the front desk, who speaks Spanish, replied “ok bye bye” in a dismissive way. It showed a lack of service skills. The stay didn't meet the standards I expected for business travel in cleanliness, service, or consistent reservations.