The Pilot

The portions were generous, and my friend got a slab of lamb with huge Yorkshire puddings. I had the nut roast, which was a bit bland, though that’s not unusual for nut roasts. We went for Sunday roast before a concert at the O2, about a 10-minute walk away. The service was friendly, if a little slow. Maybe that was because we were the last table seated before the kitchen closed.

The staff were very friendly, the bed was comfortable, breakfast was really nice, and the location worked perfectly for our concert at The O2. But for £300 for one night, with breakfast included, I expected a much better stay. The room looked nicely presented and was a good size when we arrived, but our evening meal at the restaurant was disappointing. The menu was limited, the food was just greasy pub fare, and it made me very unwell. After the concert, the room was freezing. The radiator wasn’t on, the AC wouldn’t blow warm air, and the coffee machine didn’t work when I tried to use it to warm up. Cold air came in around the window, and I barely slept on such a cold night. There were also quite a few cobwebs, which I didn’t expect at that price. I mentioned the problems at checkout and sent a complaint by email and through the booking website, but received no compensation. I wouldn’t recommend staying here for the cost.

A week before our Christmas Dinner, they discovered an error with the booking we’d made almost two months earlier. I don’t think it was directly their fault, as it seemed to be an issue with the system they used. It did affect our plans, but the manager called the next day and was very kind about sorting it out. They clearly tried hard to find a suitable solution, took responsibility, and gave me several options to make sure they could accommodate us. It was a good experience in the end, and it was nice to see that they care about their customers.

I’ve never actually been to this pub, but I recently watched a WWE video from 2012 with it in a segment, and that alone was enough for a full rating, lol. I’ll definitely go if I’m ever in or near London. The food looks amazing in the other photos too.