The Tower Hotel, by Thistle

The hotel feels old, but that didn’t bother us since the rooms were clean. Staff were very friendly and helpful, and we had a special gift waiting in the room for my girlfriend’s birthday. Breakfast was delicious, and paying extra for a bridge view was worth it. We had a wonderful stay and I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Breakfast was a real highlight: plenty of choice, very fresh, and excellent quality. I’d stay again despite a few issues. The lifts were very slow and seemed to work randomly, and one was out of service during my stay, so the others had longer waits. The window had raindrops and marks on the outside, which couldn’t really be helped. The room I was moved to was modern enough, with a nice TV, coffee machine and a good shower with strong pressure. There seemed to be a small stain on the bedding, which was a minor downside. At first I’d been assigned a room sold as having a bridge view, but an annex blocked most of it. I raised it with reception, and they handled it quickly and professionally, moved me to another room and offered breakfast for free. To me, how they deal with an issue matters, and they dealt with this well. We arrived very early and only meant to leave our bags, but they offered access to the room early for £30. Overall, I’d rate the hotel fair to good.

The lifts were the main frustration, they seemed completely random, and check-in could’ve been quicker. Check-out, on the other hand, was lightning fast. The room was OK with three beds, though my daughter’s bed had seen better days. Breakfast was fine and the quality was decent, even if it seemed to be the same each day. It’s a good hotel in a very nice spot. Towel Hill underground was close and made it convenient to explore London. We’d come back.

We chose The Tower Hotel by Thistle for the location and the view, and the window facing Tower Bridge really delivered. It was magnificent both day and night, and waking up and going to sleep with that landmark outside felt unforgettable. The surroundings are lovely, and the view alone made the stay worthwhile. The first day didn’t go well. The woman who checked us in was rude and unwelcoming, leaving us uncomfortable; as a Latina, I found the experience especially unpleasant and it gave us a bad first impression. Fortunately, the other employees over the following days were kind, smiling and professional, and made us feel welcome. Their attitude turned things around. The hotel has an older, classic look, which feels outdated to me, and our room didn’t have a refrigerator. Apart from that, things were good. It’s a special London stay thanks to the excellent location and breathtaking view, though service was mixed and the hotel could use some updates.