Ibis London ExCel

My daughter and I needed a hotel when we found that the one we had originally booked on line was a dump! Upon seeing the dump hotel, we walked out and met a wonderful Canadian Couple (yea for the friendly Canadians) who told us about the Ibis by Earl's Court tube. We took a taxi and found a nice hotel in a working class area. We were about one block from the tube with a wonderful Brit employee who helped us use the Tube to get all over London. The Hotel Ibis was affordable, clean, air conditioned, had wonderful food, and our room was large with a grand view of the London Skyline! The staff was professional and polite. The buffet restaurant people evern gave me two big bowls of soup to eat in our room on the first night because we were too tired to eat out.

We mostly ate at the neighborhood restaurants and pubs. It was wonderful because the food in London can be costly for an American if you figure that a 5 pound plate is really equivalent to $10.00 American! Every morning we would split a 5 pond plate of backed beans, two slces of ham, toast, hash browns, and sausage!

This hotel and the neighborhood made out London stay fantastic.

T & K

It's an Ibis hotel, so be prepared for loads of teenage tour groups! I was in one of them. This isn't really a problem since the walls are thick enough, and the teens seem to contain their frivolity to the lobby. Unfortunately, there's only one telephone in the lobby and if you happen to need that phone, be prepared to have to yell to hear yourself over the billions of Columbian adolescent girls squealing in your ear. Well, that's what happened to us.

The bar is nice though. They have a decent selection of beer and a large television showing random bar type programing.

The rooms are clean, and big enough for my roommate, me, and our suitcases.

The location would have been terrific since there is a train station just steps away from the hotel, but there happened to be some Christian revival going on at the Expo, which the station empties into, and we couldn't get back to our hotel either nights! We had to walk blocks and blocks around and over the river to eventually get back. This isn't anything against the hotel, but the British cops can be a bit wacky when it comes to events.

The service seemed okay. The bartender was a bit slow, but it was busy, so I understand. I'm not sure about other services as I didn't require anything special. Although, when my tour group was going to stay out late, my parents returned to the hotel early by taxi, and they were able to get their key, and luggage from the storage room (we had to check in early). So they were accomodating in that regard.

So, busy, but decent. I'd stay there again. I'd just make sure nothing is happening at the expo next door before I book a room.

I stay in the London ExCel exhibition and conference centre area at least 2 times a year. I write about all the hotels I stay in on the ExCel complex so I direct you to my user name to get my reviews on the other ajoining hotels I have stayed at.

If you are travelling to this hotel on the DLR alight at Royal Victoria as there are less steps to carry luggage up and down. Out of the station across the zebra crossing and at 10 O' Clock is a wide path between the apartment blocks. Walk along this path and you come onto Western Gateway. Turn left and the IBIS comes up on your right handside after about 250yds.

This hotel is fantastic I find no problem with the room size and the staff are friendly. My room was cleaned everyday to my satisfaction and on checkin I asked for a room with a view of the dock and my request was agreed. From reading other reports I think people are expecting too much for the room rate you pay. I have now stayed here 3 times in 3 years with nothing to really complain about.

The restaurant food is basic fayre but good value. I calculated the cheapest 3 course meal with a 0.5L bottle of still mineral water would cost just L14:55 a head.

If you want items for your room for a long stay, then in Canary Wharf is a Waitrose and at Gallions Reach (on the DLR) is a TESCO Extra to keep your costs down.

There are lots of eateries around the hotel and I found the quickest way to know where they all are is to pop into the ExCel centre next to the IBIS and get the free local restaurant guide from the information desk inside the door.

I have also come across a WEB site which will be useful if you are staying at this hotel and visiting central London to see the sights. It is walkit.co.uk this site shows you the quickest walking route between two locations. If you are visiting London for the sights start your walking journey at Westminster Tube on the Jubilee line, all the sites can be walked from here. walkit is a great site for seeing London on foot.