Wellington Hotel by Blue Orchid

The mattress felt like actual wood, and housekeeping turned simple requests into a daily fight. We booked for two guests, but even after calling down to ask for two towels and two face cloths, they’d bring just one towel and usually no face cloths. Sometimes what we asked for still hadn’t arrived six hours later. They also didn’t refill the toilet paper, and we ran out. The front desk staff were nice, but seemed completely lost. The service was too inadequate for the price and rating. Find somewhere else. Calling this place four stars is laughable, and there are better options all over London.

We found our way around the hotel a bit like a maze, but the staff were always gracious and helpful. Our room was clean and comfortable, and I loved the shower, even though getting out of the tub meant a big step down. We had fresh, tasty pizza and sandwiches in the lounge. It’s an easy enough walk to Victoria coach station for tours, or to the subway to get elsewhere. Victoria station has shops and restaurants, and there are pubs and more places to eat nearby too.

I’d be happy to book a central London stay here. I recently came for a dear friend’s wake, and we had a lovely private dining room, very good service, and a chance to share happy memories. I used to work in nearby offices but had barely noticed the Wellington before. I haven’t seen the rooms, so I can only give four stars, though I strongly suspect they’d earn that fourth star and match the quality of the staff.

The location is hard to fault, and the staff in the hotel were lovely and always polite. Still, the stay was a mix of good and bad. We had a difficult time booking by phone because they didn’t want to honor our discount. Reception was often full, so getting help took a while, and the cramped queue area didn’t help. Access to the gym also involved a daily wait, since you need a special card refreshed each day at reception. One nice concierge eventually walked down with me and let me in. The room was small, with old, tired furniture, but the mattress was comfortable and the bathroom products were nice. The USB ports didn’t work, though I’ve yet to find a hotel where they do. Breakfast was the real low point. The room and buffet area were both small and crowded, with no clear system for replenishing food. Every morning, at least three things had run out, such as bread, pastries, hash browns, eggs, or orange juice. On two mornings there weren’t any plates or bowls.