a&o London Docklands Riverside

The only downside was the parking, at £25 for one night. We left the car on the street outside because parking is free on Saturdays and Sundays. The room was spacious and clean, with lovely decor, a huge bed, and a nice river view. Staff were friendly and helpful, check-in was quick, and breakfast had a good selection. I’d initially hesitated because it was called a hostel, but it felt more like a hotel. A lovely stay, and we’ll be back.

The location is incredible, which makes how disappointing this place has become even harder to take. I’ve been staying here for nearly a month on business, and under the A&O group the service and staff attitude have changed completely. When I asked for room cleaning, I was handed sheets to change myself more than once, after a 10 hour workday. The once nice restaurant is closed, the bar is extremely expensive, and there are no longer fridges in the rooms, which makes a long stay difficult. It feels like they may eventually remove every amenity. When I raised this at the front desk, I got groans and complaints that staff aren’t paid enough to care. I can’t recommend staying here unless you just need a cheap room for a night or two.

I was unsure about booking after reading some of the reviews, but the place looked clean, the price was low, and it was near where I needed to be. The hotel and room were very clean, and the staff were polite and friendly. We even got free rides on the uber boat while staying there. The only small hassle was having to fill something in online after we arrived. I would have preferred doing that beforehand, but it wasn’t a big deal. Honestly, I can’t think of anything bad to say. Five stars from me 😄⭐️

The clean room and bathroom were the only good parts. The bed was so uncomfortable I had to stuff the mattress with extra pillows and duvets. I got about an hour of sleep each night during the two night stay, and I was furious by the end. When I asked reception for more pillows, the manager ignored us and made the other person at the desk deal with it. He didn’t speak to us, just grunted something to his assistant. The other staff looked terrified, and the atmosphere was awful. We left the key in a box and nobody even acknowledged us. We skipped breakfast after reading the reviews. We’d stayed here several times when it was a Hilton, and were extremely disappointed to see how A&O Hostels now runs the place. Nobody answers the phone, and email communication didn’t help us. The booking website was complicated, especially for extras, and parts were in German with no option to switch those sections to English. We had to do everything ourselves. Even with the room prepaid, and all our contact details including phone number entered, they still required a driving licence or passport from us as UK citizens staying in a UK hotel. It feels like the new owners have stripped away the comforts and brought in staff who don’t care to save money. I simply can’t recommend it. Stay at a Premier Inn near Tower Bridge or Waterloo and use the Jubilee tube or 381/C10 bus. We don’t often leave bad reviews, but after two nights without sleep, we were furious. It may cost less than a Premier Inn, but I’d rather sleep.