The Rockwell Hotel

The friendly staff were very nice, and the hotel is good value with a convenient spot near Earls Court. My room was comfortable, with unusually high ceilings, complimentary water, and a paid minibar with beer, spirits, and snacks. The bathroom looked nice, but the toilet wouldn’t flush fully even after several tries. Because they were changing the locks, I had to hand in my key card at the desk every time I left, which was inconvenient. I also didn’t see a ramp at the entrance, so it doesn’t seem very wheelchair friendly, and I had to carry heavy luggage up the steps. Breakfast is available for a fee, but I didn’t have any. I’d probably choose another nearby hotel next time.

The Rockwell is now our first choice for London. We stayed two nights in January 2026 and had a fabulous visit. It’s about a five minute walk to Gloucester Road tube station, and handy for the museums and Royal Albert Hall. Our lower ground floor deluxe room was spacious and lovely, with quality fixtures and a comfortable bed. The room and public areas were spotless. Staff were all very friendly and helpful, and breakfast on both mornings was plentiful and superb quality.

We were worried about street noise because I’m a light sleeper, but nothing came through. Our room was immaculate, spacious, and well equipped, and the complimentary upgrade from a standard double to a mezzanine suite was a nice bonus. We stayed 11th-13th February 2026 and got a warm, friendly welcome. We made other plans for meals, but had drinks in the bar both nights. On the second night the bar staff remembered what we’d ordered the evening before. I can’t fault the hotel and we’ll absolutely stay again next time we’re in London.

I stayed at The Rockwell from 15 to 22 February 2026, first in Room 301 on 15 February, then in Room 103 from 16 February through 22 February. I’m skeptical of the many five star reviews. To me, this is an old, declining, poorly maintained hotel that doesn’t even meet a proper four star standard. The key card policy was bizarre and unreasonable: whenever guests leave, even without checking out, they have to hand their card to reception and collect it again on return. In all my years staying in hotels, I’ve never encountered this. I asked whether my belongings were safe if staff had access to the room, and was told, “We will not enter your room”. That didn’t reassure me, since someone with bad intentions wouldn’t openly admit to stealing. On 15 February, at around 9 PM, a male receptionist struggled to communicate in English during check in. Room 301 also didn’t meet the special requests I had emailed in advance. It was dirty and dusty, and the kettle had a visible hole and was broken. The shower took 1-2 minutes to warm up, uncomfortable in winter, then suddenly went cold without me changing the setting. Water pressure kept swinging between strong and weak. I reported the problems straight away. I was told maintenance wasn’t available around the clock and only worked during business hours, unlike other four star hotels. When I asked for a manager, staff first said there wasn’t one, then admitted there was a manager but only available in the daytime. I asked repeatedly over my seven night stay, but the manager never met me, saying he had a “very busy schedule.” Only after Trip.com intervened was I moved free of charge to Room 103 on 16 February. That room also had issues: the bedside lamps didn’t work, the fridge was broken, and the shower handle was faulty. I contacted Trip.com again, and they intervened again. The duty manager, Csaba Sarkadi, shockingly told them the Room 103 issues were from Room 301, and claimed I had said the new room had no issues. I then had a live call with Trip.com and showed evidence that Room 103 had several defects too. Repairs were done while I was out, without proper communication. I have photos of the dirty sofa and the complimentary glass bottled water in the new room, which looked very unclean and unsafe to drink. I didn’t drink it, or I might get a waterborne illness such as cholera. On my last night, 21 February, one lamp became faulty again. Housekeeping was inconsistent as well. Some days shampoo and other toiletries were replenished, other days they weren’t. The shampoo came in tiny bottles that were difficult to squeeze, making it inconvenient to use. The hotel’s condition and service were extremely disappointing throughout. Trip.com even gave me goodwill cash compensation from its own funds in recognition of the poor experience. This hotel is highly unprofessional and falls short of the standards it advertises. I strongly advise travelers not to book here.