Park Lane Hotel

Stay: May 24 - May 29, 2007

Room: Executive Room

Upgrades: Room (from Classic Room), Late Checkout

Comments: Everything that you have heard about the Park Lane is probably true. I spent more time trying to decide on where to stay in London than the rest of our trip combined. For starters, if you take the Tube, you are going to have to walk quite a bit with your luggage to the hotel. And remember, the lobby is at the back. We of course, were too tired and frustrated (all luggage was delayed an hour) to remember, so we had to drag our luggage up and down stairs and around quite a few corners. The gentleman working at the desk, Rajiv, was EXTREMELY helpful though. When I asked about an upgrade (even though this was a Priceline stay) he spent about 10 minutes looking for something and eventually settled on an Executive Room after night 1. We were never so happy to hear that after we saw our initial room. Gross is the single word I would use to describe it. The carpet, walls and baseboards were black from dirt and use. No AC. The bathroom was only wide enough for one person at a time. This was exactly what I feared about paying $400 a night through *wood.

Luckily the next day our luggage was moved to an Executive Room, which was obviously refurbished more recently. The walls and floors were cleaner, but still not what I would call 3* here in the States, and the bathroom was updated. A better value for the Priceline price I paid ($200 a night), but if I went through *wood as was my initial intention, I would've shot somebody. My wife was never comfortable walking on the floor without her socks the entire stay.

The concierge did recommend us a VERY good Indian restaurant past Piccadilly Circus and was helpful. Relatively, it is close to 2 different Tube stations, but the entrance off of the back alley is mind boggling. The noise from the lobby/bar IS a problem if you are on a floor lower than the 4th. Suffice it so say, next time I will be staying someplace else, since IMHO, *wood has nothing reasonable in the city.

It being London, you really cannot complain since everything in the city is crazy expensive for us over here. The location was good walking distance to whatever we wanted and the 2 Tube stations was good for our longer jaunts. Still, there are other hotels, non-*wood, that are a much better bang for your buck in the city.

I have just come back from a very enjoyable weekend in London and stayed at the Sheraton Park Lane Hotel. I had read previous reviews and dont agree its all bad as some say. There are good points such as location - 10 mins walk from Knightsbridge, Hyde Park and Buckingham Palace - Two tube stops away from Oxford Street. There bar area is amazing not in a modern sense more in an old grandour way and each night there was a jazz band playing.

Bad points all relate to the room - they were drab and dark and the bathroom was tiny with no space for your toiletries and you could not turn in the shower. If I was staying again I would ask for a room with a bigger bathroom.

Very disappointed on the Sheraton Park Lane, unfortunately, it really is a bit of a dive.

Don't look at the picture on the website. The reality is that the hotel is actually on a bus lane so you don't get dropped off at the front door. You go round the back and up the sort of seedy back street that most people would avoid walking up if they could.

The whole ethos of the hotel is a pretty shabby dated and old hotel that obviously had it's day back in the 1960's.

The room was totally bland, bare, characterless and although I wouldn't say it was dirty in an unhygenic way, it just seemed as though it needed a good clean.

Wireless internet access in my room was intermittent at best, despite moving around the room for a signal (and paying £18!!).

The bathroom was about 4 foot wide. I couldn't actually get an angle to get a photo of the shower as it was basically hidden around the corner behind the door.

As 1960's plumbing, that hadn't been updated in nearly 50 years it made an absolute racket. Was woken up by someone, somewhere, having a shower at 5.30. It could have almost been in my room, the noise was so loud.

Room £269, wireless internet £18 and VAT £47.08 makes the room £334.08 (or at todays rate just over $650). The hotel is priced at the same sort of levels as other hotels in the area, but is just incomparable in terms of service, look or comfort.

For £150 a night it would be acceptable. At this price, I'll never stay here again.