We only had four days in London before heading to Dublin, since we are going back for almost six weeks in September. We planned those four days while staying an Airbnb in La Spezia, Italy, and it had the most uncomfortable bed.
So in a moment of exhaustion and weakness, I used all my Hilton points from my former sales life and booked the Waldorf.
Waldorfs are usually synonymous with luxury, but also tend to be outdated. Hilton has been doing a good job of updating them to meet modern luxury and comfort expectations, they aren’t all done. I recently stayed at the Waldorf in Orlando and the main areas were beautifully updated, but the rooms were not.
The reviews were mixed but I was tired, and sick of talking about London hotels, so I booked it.
We arrived via the Eurostar in the afternoon. After three months of trying to tell Ubers and taxi drivers addresses, it was nice to stay somewhere that the drivers knew. “Black cab, to the Waldorf!”
The doorman was very kind and welcoming, as was reception. Thanks to my diamond status, we were upgraded to a superior king room. They only had an accessible one available, but we didn’t mind.
The room was surprisingly big for London. There was a desk area, wardrobe, dresser, large bed, TV, and large, accessible shower. Pro tip: If offered an accessible room, take it. The bathrooms are usually much larger.
We also had a balcony! There wasn’t any furniture but it was so nice to open the doors and check out all the activity outside. The soundproofing was great, because we barely heard all the noise, despite being on the second floor.
The bed was so comfy, and we slept for almost ten hours the first night. After the riots and terrible bed in Lyon that alone was worth the money.
My diamond status came with access to the executive lounge. It had a continental breakfast in the morning, snacks and soda, tea, and coffee throughout the day, and drinks and canapés from 5-7 pm. They had wine, beer, and make your own cocktails, all included with your stay. The canapés were delicious and they had multiple options each day, and each day was different. If you stayed the whole two hours you could easily eat enough to be dinner, and drink enough to go straight to bed. In a city as expensive as London, it was nice to have such great options for free.
Breakfast was also included. You could either have the abbreviated version in the lounge, or go to the restaurant for a full buffet. The restaurant had three stations with different types of breads and pastries, yogurt, cereal and fruit, and hot dishes. The food was really good, and the room was beautiful.
At £541 plus 240K points for four nights, it was a great deal, especially for London. For that price, I would stay again every time. The bed alone was worth it, but the comfortable room and included breakfast and happy hour were awesome, too.
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