Claridge's

Claridges will never be short of custom because of its status. It was that status that enticed us to book a night there before going to Paris for our wedding anniversary. I had been longing to stay in Claridges for some time having gazed at the beautiful staircase every time I was passing through the lobby to meet friends for drinks or dinner.

Whilst there were many positive aspects to our stay - nice well appointed room with art deco furniture, excellent bathroom with what looked to be original 1920's porcelain, comfy bed, turndown and ample space - finding a half eaten chocolate bar in our mini bar when we arrived in the room was less than positive.

Of course an oversight can happen anywhere and in a hotel as busy as Claridges it is perhaps not surprising. However I sincerely doubt when the Jolie-Pitts arrived in their suite (they stayed the previous week) they would have found anything of the sort!

If you are going to charge upwards ot £300 a night you need to make sure that the mini bar is checked when servicing the room. We reported this instance to an apologetic (if slightly insincere) receptionist when we were on our way out shopping, yet had to follow this up later when a replacement was not forthcoming.

Our room was not made up as requested. I had asked for non allergenic pillows and while I was having a relaxing bath before dinner, housekeeping arrived as there had been a last minute change of the room we were allocated and the pillows were not non allergenic. Thankfully my husband was able to close the bathroom door and deal with this. Had I been alone it would have been an irritation.

Breakfast was not included in our room rate - which is fine but at no stage was this made clear. Perhaps it is not included in any room rate. Whilst it was a decent breakfast, service was on the slow side and we paid around £40 for the privilege. Had I known I'd have opted for a pain au chocolat at St Pancras on my way to the Eurostar.

In summary, a gorgeous hotel and I'm glad we stayed, but would I return? Probably not . I'd rather gaze at the staircase from the lobby and imagine a world of luxury at the top. The dream and the reality don't quite match up. I'd recommend Claridges (it is a London institution after all) to friends but only after I'd told them what to look out for!

I booked a queen sized luxury room for the weekend for my husband's birthday. The hotel had been recommended to me by a friend.

We paid for a car to pick us up from the airport and take us to the hotel. This was a Mercedes S Class and was luxurious and well worth the money. The arrival to the hotel was amazing as we were greeted by footmen in top hats who took our luggage to our room as we checked in. The hotel itself was perfectly located for shopping, the theatre and sightseeing around London.

The room itself was ok, it had lovely high ceilings, air con and a flat screen tv. The issues with the room were that: the internet did not work in the bedroom; the shower screen leaked so that after a shower the bathroom floor was a pool of water; and at night because we had a room overlooking the inner courtyard all you could hear was the noise of the the fans of airconditioning machines, even after using earplugs!

Whilst I cannot fault the service and the location of the hotel I would have expected not to be kept awake all night by the sound of the fans of the airconditioning when you pay to stay in a 5 star hotel.

Stayed at Claridge's for four nights on business in April 2008. What a fine property! This is a grand hotel that really knows the meaning of the word "service." The rooms are large (even by American standards) and the furnishings are very nice. My room even had an antique desk, which was beautiful in addition to being functional. The bathroom was also large.

Room service was prompt (when you ask for breakfast to arrive at 7:00, it is there at 7:00 on the dot) and the food was delicious. The service staff was very helpful and courteous, and always went out of their way to make sure I had everything I needed.

Location is also great --- in the heart of fashionable Mayfair and close to both Hyde Park and Bond and Oxford Streets. For those taking the Heathrow Express into Paddington Station, it is less than a 10 minute cab ride to Claridge's from Paddington.

Claridge's is quite pricey, but for Americans everything in the U.K. is expensive these days. If the exchange rate were 1-1, Americans would probably think Claridge's was a bargain considering the comfort and service you receive. I would go back in a second.