The Mandeville

London has many so-called 4 star hotels. London is one of the most overpriced cities in Europe where you can pay a lot for a nasty experience. But unlike many capital cities even the chain hotels here are often very variable in quality and certainly price. So it’s a delight to come across a hotel that is substantially different from the norm, The Mandeville. OK, so I got a very good rate of £150 including VAT and service through Laterooms.com. The Mandeville’s location is good. Just a hop skip and jump from the Bond Street end of Jermyn Street in the heart of London’s West End - a good 10 mins walk from Oxford Circus tube station. However, what sets this hotel apart from the mainstream is its theatrical decor with a modern twist and the great standard of service that everyone from the doorman to the reception clerks deliver. This is a hotel that treats you as a name rather than a number. Even the telephone operator greeted me by name! The staff are uniformly friendly and unlike most London hotels seem genuinely so. The room I had was great. It was certainly compact, but nicely and freshly decorated and furnished with a comfy bed, desk and a well lit bathroom with a ‘shortish’, but perfectly adequate bath (I’m 6ft 1in) and an excellent shower. Full English breakfast is a steep at £22 (but this is London), but it is freshly prepared to order as every breakfast should be. Fresh orange juice, yogurts, fruit salad and tasty pastries complete the picture. Altogether an excellent one night’s stay. I would have no hesitation in recommending The Mandeville to friends and business colleagues as THE place to stay in London.

For location only, it's sufficient. If you're a tall person, you'll scrape your head on the entryways to tiny elevators. firedoors, bathrooms. Very claustrophobic hallways and guest rooms. Superior room (one queen sized bed) is only 10 feet wide. Cannot view very small lcd tv from bed unless you have superhuman eyesight. Bathroom door is clouded glass but completely compromises privacy. No drawers to unpack your belongings but closet has a few small shelves. Staff (except doormen) speak English as a second language usually. Not particularly friendly either, but the doormen are wonderful (especially Richard). Some concierge attendants are accomodating. Just found the main desk staff aloof. No coffee/tea maker in room, no clock/radio, no ice bucket or drink/snack machines. Minibar is for super-wealthy only, so don't open it!Positives: Bed comfortable, room and bath clean, towels good and soaps good. 2 blocks from Bond Street tube station. Lots of cafes nearby for breakfast. Skip room service as the prices are prohibitive. If you're a small person with alot of money, this hotel might suit you. Lovely Victorian facade hides ultra-modern and chilly interiors.

Me and my partner stayed in a deluxe room for one night and had such a lovely experience. Door staff were helpful and friendly, and check in was very smooth. One thing to bear in mind is that they give you two rooms keys, and one has to be put in an electricity meter type thing next to the door, which they didn't tell us downstairs, so we were walking around in the dark for about 5 minutes trying to find switches etc! Hotel decor was as expected; gorgeous, ambient lighting and everything was clean and new looking. Went to the bar that evening and had a champagne cocktail, my partner asked the barman for something creamy and he whipped one up from off the menu, which was seriously the best cocktail i've ever had! The whole experience was luxurious but friendly at the same time. My one tip is to book this hotel from somewhere like myboutiquehotels because the prices on the hotel website are so expensive.