Hilton London Green Park

Not a typical Hilton. The rooms are small (even provide single bed rooms.) For a North American traveller, this will take some adjusting to. Unlike the Hilton Park Lane, this is a much smaller hotel. The staff though friendly, do not have the same polish. The hotel is slightly more run down, though there is modern furnish. Housekeeping leave some to be desired. The location is fantastic - 5min walk to a very accessible subway station from various different lines. Not more than a 3-star hotel.

After winning the Hilton Green Park on Priceline, I was concerned by the hotel’s decidedly mixed reviews. My 3-night stay ended up being fine, on the whole, but I’m glad I only paid $75 per night ($90 per night after taxes and fees).

I liked the hotel’s location in Mayfair, right across the street from Green Park and around the corner from Shepherd Market. I also appreciated the friendly, helpful staff, especially Michelle at reception, who was such a welcoming presence at check-in. I didn’t have any major requests to make during my stay, but whenever I needed something routine – replacement of a room key that had become demagnetized, or storing of luggage for a few hours – I received smiling, efficient service.

After reading many previous reviews complaining about the hotel’s small rooms, I was pleasantly surprised by the spaciousness of my room. It turned out that I had been assigned to an accessible room, so the extra space in both bedroom and bathroom was to accommodate a wheelchair. Although spacious, the room had little closet and drawer space. The walls were scuffed, the carpet was old and stained in places, and the furniture had nicks on it. There was a brown velvet sofa that I never sat on, not knowing what multitude of stains might be hidden by the dark color. Overall, the room just felt old and tired, and in need of refurbishment. Thankfully, the bed was comfortable and the white bed linens were pristine. Soundproofing could have been better – I could hear noise from the street and conversations in the hallway very clearly. Fortunately, my earplugs helped me to get a good night’s sleep. The hotel, like all Hiltons, charges something exorbitant for Internet access. Fortunately, there are two branches of Pret nearby, so I toted my netbook over there to use their free wi-fi, which was fast and reliable.