The Shakespeare - London

A great option for families on a budget, in an excellent spot near Paddington train and subway station. The staff were kind and helpful, and the buffet breakfast was very nice, served from 07:30 to 09:30 am. Highly recommended.

The beds were comfortable, the pillows soft, and the rooms clean, which made a four-star rating feel fair. Service was decent and the location excellent. Just know that checkout is at 11:00 AM, with a £35 late departure fee under the hotel’s policy. Breakfast costs £7 per person and runs from 7:30 to 9:15 AM. We skipped it because it ended too early for us, though we might have gone if it ran until 10:00 or 10:30. Underground trains rumble below the hotel, and how much you notice depends on where your room is. There’s no elevator, either. Getting to the rooms in the 400 range meant climbing more than 70 steps with luggage, which was tiring. It could also be difficult for wheelchair users or anyone with a stroller, especially as there are steps just to reach the lobby.

The trains are the big problem here. They rumble and shake the building from 6am until around midnight, and you can hear them. If you don’t mind losing sleep, it’s a cute, charming hotel with comfortable beds and pillows, a great location, clean rooms, and friendly staff. The bathroom had a strange smell, though. There’s no lift, and maintenance started outside our door at 8 am without any warning. I’m mentioning these things so other people know, even though I understand some things are out of the hotel’s control.

Lots of souvenir shops, food places and cafes are nearby, including fast food chains like mcdonalds and KFC. The hotel is about two blocks from Paddington station, which is handy if you’re travelling to Heathrow Airport. There’s no lift, so taking narrow stairs up to the third floor with around 70 pounds of luggage was rough.