Holiday Inn London Bloomsbury

The best part for me was how consistently friendly everyone was. Staff at reception, the coffee shop, restaurant, concierge, and even breakfast were courteous and genuinely engaging with guests. That kind of service can be hard to get right across the board, but they did. I arrived just before noon on a business trip and was given access to my newly refurbished room straight away, with an easy check-in. The hotel is also in the middle of upgrades and has a good overall standard.

The outside looks like a 60s Communist apartment block, so don't judge it on arrival. Inside, the renovation has turned it into something that feels like a quality boutique hotel. I've stayed at plenty of IHG hotels, and this is among the best. The area feels very safe, and the hotel is right by the British Museum and a small mall with a Waitrose selling food, sweets, and alcohol. Russell Square tube is a short block away, with the Piccadilly line for Heathrow, Knightsbridge and Harrods, Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden, and King's Cross for northbound trains and Eurostar. The rooms feel premium, with robes, slippers, real glassware, a safe, fridge, and plenty of outlets including USB A and C. Staff were friendly and remembered my orders after one evening during my five nights. Room service was efficient and friendly, and the room was made up while I had breakfast each day. Breakfast has a huge range and eggs cooked to order. The restaurant and bar are reasonably priced, as was the hotel for central London.

I've stayed here for years and this time had a refurbished premium room on the top floor. The new beds and furniture are good, the decor feels more welcoming, and the walk-in rain shower was excellent. The refurbishment is a big improvement. The windows are the one issue: they look worn, with catches that could do with replacement or refurbishment. Staff were friendly and efficient as usual, and the cleaners on my floor checked in with me each day to see if the room was OK. The location works well for me, so I'll be back.

We had lunch at the Artful Critic restaurant and enjoyed fresh, tasty food from a good menu at reasonable prices. ATHIRA looked after us very well, checking on the meal and handling everything with a warm, friendly smile. She’s a credit to the hotel. On our first night, ALEENA also gave us excellent, cheerful service at the bar. Our recently refurbished King room on the fifth floor was spotless and had everything we needed. The bed was huge and comfortable, and we slept well. Everyone we met was professional and keen to help. We're looking forward to the rest of our stay and would definitely come back.