The Darlington Hyde Park

The staff made us feel unsafe, and I would never stay here again. I suspect someone took a pouch from my suitcase to bully me. When I returned, my backpack was on the floor being used as a doorstop, my suitcase had clearly been opened, and my toiletry bag was missing. The front desk brushed me off, wouldn’t review the security cameras or even leave a message for the manager, and I ended up filing a police report. There had been a warning sign at check-in. Several pairs who arrived after me were given rooms right away with smiles, while I waited two hours. Whenever staff had to speak with us, their expressions soured. At breakfast, the buffet was just passable English breakfast food, and I had the eggs. Staff visibly pointed at us and gossiped. The room was old and run down, with a small room and bathroom. At least the uncarpeted floor didn’t hold bad smells. The location also wasn’t as convenient as I expected: it’s about a 10-minute walk to the Paddington station entrance, and longer if you count the walk through the sprawling station to the right underground platform. There are restaurants nearby, but they’re expensive and only passable.

It’s a friendly place, with basic but clean rooms. There’s a lift to every floor, and the room had a fan, fridge, tea kettle, and safe. Paddington station is only a few blocks away. There are bus stops on Praed near Paddington and St Marys hospital.

My wife, her mother, and her sister had been enjoying the excellent service and perfect location at this lovely hotel. On their last night, Sunday, her mother suddenly became very unwell and needed urgent medical help. The night staff were incredibly supportive. She was admitted to hospital, and while checkout had been set for 11 a.m. Monday, my wife remained in London until today, Saturday. The hotel found her a new, comfortable room and let her extend her stay one day at a time. My wife had never encountered staff so caring and genuinely kind. They were a huge source of help and comfort during a very difficult time. She returned to Denmark today, and her sister has now taken over her room. Our family owes the hotel a heartfelt thank you. She’ll definitely stay there again the next time she visits London. Without the team’s help, she wouldn’t have managed everything as well.

The staff were friendly and I had no problems with them. Still, I won’t book again. The location is excellent and the price was low for the area, so I knew to keep my expectations in check. But the bed and continental breakfast were both poor, and those are two of the main things people judge a stay on. There was also an irritating buzz in my room, from a source I couldn’t identify. I had to play a YouTube video to fall asleep, and didn’t get a good night’s rest. It also felt like the hotel was trying to collect small extra fees instead of improving the guest experience. Early check-in was offered for £20 once the room was ready, and bag storage after checkout cost £5 if you needed more than 2 hours. They may see that as a good way to increase revenue, but guests notice these things, and it affects reviews and whether they book again. I hope they take the feedback on board.