Grange Buckingham

The room service was very good. While we were out, they made the bed and left us water and biscuits for free. My family of four had a room that was big enough, and breakfast was very good, with lots of classic British food. I did miss having some beans. There wasn't much space at breakfast, so we had to sit in the hall, but it was still a very good stay.

Most of the staff were incredibly friendly and helpful, and the facilities were nice. I had a very good stay in many ways, but the repeated problems getting a safe breakfast for my lactose allergy really spoiled several mornings. I told the hotel about my food allergies months ahead, then reminded reception when I arrived. At breakfast the first morning, two female staff members said I could only have fruit. After I asked again, they mentioned cereal, but there was no lactose-free milk or bread. Reception assured me they'd provide plant-based milk and lactose-free bread. The next morning, the same two women said I had to have a full English, even though I'd booked continental, and then told me I could only eat the potatoes. They panicked when I explained what reception had arranged and seemed unsure what to do. After a lot of back and forth, they brought a small amount of almond milk so I could at least have cereal. A different staff member was working the following day, and he was lovely. He brought lactose-free bread and milk straight away, so I finally had a proper breakfast and thought it was sorted. But on my last day, the same two women were back and still seemed unaware of what I could eat. I asked for the same bread as the day before, but they brought another kind. When I asked if it had lactose, we went around in circles for 20 minutes. They kept saying, “It’s gluten-free,” and I kept explaining, “I’m not allergic to gluten — I’m allergic to lactose.” They didn't understand. I even pointed out the bread I'd eaten the day before at another table, but they still couldn't work it out. It's a real shame because the rest of the staff were fantastic, and I appreciated their kindness. Those repeated breakfast issues meant I couldn't have a proper meal on several days.

Abhishek at the service desk was excellent when I needed help with transport and information about visiting attractions and finding the best way to get around. The hotel was also beautifully located by parks, with the British Museum just around the corner. The West End was close by, which was handy for the several times I went to the theatre during my stay. My room was serviced well every day.

The only real plus was the location: it was a block from the British Museum, in a good neighbourhood and close to restaurants, the subway, and museums. The staff also deserve high marks. They knew how miserable the heat was and brought us an extra fan and an extension cord so we could try to sleep. But I wouldn't stay here, especially in summer. There's NO AC in the rooms. The lobby has it, but the bedroom was stifling as soon as we went in. I opened the large window and used the fan from the closet, and it was still miserable. The window had no screen to keep anything from coming in. There was water damage along the walls and carpet, which made us worry about mould. A bathroom light fixture was dangling from the ceiling, and the lamp by the bed was coming off the wall. There's no bathroom vent, and the “kitchenette” was shut away in a closet. The fridge gave off heat because there wasn't air circulating in the room.