Holiday Inn Express London Swiss Cottage

The breakfast selection could be a little wider, though the overall impression is still very good. Clean, modern rooms, a kettle for making tea or coffee, and excellent service keep me coming back. The staff are cordial and kind, and their professional attitude, along with fair room prices, is why I choose this hotel over other options in the capital.

My only real gripe was the lack of a dresser for unpacking and putting away clothes. The room was small, but its space was used well, and the staff were kind and helpful. Breakfast was delicious. The street stayed fairly quiet at night, with a mall across the road and a tube station just a block away. It's a wonderful base for travelling around London, and I'd definitely stay again.

The rooms felt dated and due for improvement. My bed was springy and creaky, the TV was small and awkward to connect to other devices, bathroom water pressure was poor, and sound insulation wasn't great. Wifi also ran a bit slowly and frustrated me at times. The staff were friendly and helpful, and being in zone 2 on the Jubilee line near Finchley Road station was convenient for work, despite the 'Swiss Cottage' hotel name. It was OK for my work stay this week. I haven't ruled out staying again, but it won't be my first choice.

Breakfast was the best part, with fresh ingredients and nice coffee. Nobody rushed us, and they even let us take a second coffee upstairs. The staff and breakfast get five stars from me, but the room and bed only get two, so about 3.5 stars on average. The first room had a collapsed mattress that would've left my sore back worse. They moved us to another room with a slightly better mattress. The carpet was badly aged throughout, and I wouldn't walk on it barefoot. This wasn't up to the standard of other Holiday Inn Express hotels I've visited.