The Grosvenor

We have just returned from the Grosvenor this evening after spending one night at the hotel.

At first glance, this is a beautiful hotel, really stunning architecture on the exterior, and is in a perfect location being right next to the train/tube/bus stations. Also about 10 minutes walk from Buckingham Palace which is very convenient for a bit of sightseeing. Additionally, there's ample restaurants/bars/pubs/cafe's within the immediate walking distance of the hotel, meaning it's easy to get a bite to eat or drink.

When we checked into the hotel, the lobby and reception is exactly what you'd expect: grand, luxurious and elegant. Just like the exterior. Staff at reception were helpful, we did require a double bed however they only had twin rooms left because the hotel was fully booked. This was no problem and we were aware of this prior to booking.

We then made our way to the bedroom, which was on the sixth floor, and as soon as we left the ground floor, 'cracks' (not literal!) were emerging in the elegant facade of this hotel. Little things such as damp walls, peeling paint/wallpaper etc in the corridors to the room. We then entered the room to find a tiny bedroom, literally, the two (small) beds which were placed in the room struggled to fit! Within the room, which was in desperate need of decoration, was a bedside table, which had a broken draw, a flat screen TV, which you could only reach channels 1-5, and a small wardrobe and trouser press. The adjacent bathroom was poorly lit, did not appear 'clean' (as you'd expect in a hotel), and the shower was difficult to use. There was a hairdryer fixed to the wall in the bathroom, which my girlfriend used until she realised the handle was 'burning' her hand. The safety check sticker on the cover indicated that it had not been checked since February 2007! I cannot explain my dislike of the bathroom any further than it just didn't look "clean". The bedrooms have single glazed windows, so the traffic noise outside kept me awake for a lot of the night.

We had breakfast in the morning, which was lovely, and an excellent selection available, again the staff were very helpful.

In conclusion, the big 'plus' about this hotel is the location. However, the bedrooms appear to be very dated, and are in a desperate need of a good lick of paint!

I would not return to this hotel because there are plenty others in London which are significantly more comfortable!

Was slightly worried about staying here given some of the previous reviews but my worries were totally unfounded - this hotel was great!

Check in was a breeze and staff were efficient and very welcoming, stayed in a standard room which had just been decorated and I have to say was excellent - the room was bright, well laid out and very clean. The bed was excellent and extremely comfortable and a had a great nights sleep. Had forgotten an adaptor so housekeeping appeared within 5 minutes with one, and the hotel also let me check out late and were polite about it to (unusual for London hotels!).

All public areas were very well presented and the lobby and bars were very grand and welcoming. Ate in Chez Gerard for lunch with colleagues and was not disappointed - service was excellent, food was very good (great choice) and would gladly recommend to others.