London Hotel Tips by Kaspian

Wow, what a posh place! I thought I'd gotten a killer online deal for two nights at the Reubens, but after all taxes had been applied and the girl at the hotel desk had sold me on a $30 extra room upgrade (for a better view), I ended up paying much more than I'd originally budgeted for. But what a bizarre, splendid place!
The decor of the hotel was distinctly "British", all dark woods, deep red colours, and gold gilding. The lobby and restaurant areas had lots of royal memorabilia and old military flags on display. The bartender was just as you would expect at a fancy British place, a stiff-upper-lip guy in a tuxedo--he drawled out "Siiirrr?" whenever he took my order. The staff was greatly friendly and courteous--the girl at the check-in desk was quick and the concierge helped us plan a whole walking tour of the area. The location of the hotel is ideal for those wanting to see the changing of the guard in the morning or walk to the other sights (such as Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament).
The window in our room looked out over one of the gates of Buckingham Palace towards the Royal Mews. I have to say, it was pretty impressive to look out your window and see the Palace less than a hundred feet away.
Different types of royal seals adorned above and around the bed. The tiled bathroom was small but immaculately clean.
I wouldn't take the over-the-top regal atmosphere here too seriously though. Underneath all the pomp, underneath the fancy dressings, I found the Rubens to be a very normal hotel--in need of some paint here and there, the room was kind of small, and the elevator didn't work one day. But it's a really fun place to stay for that same reason and I would definitely recommend it when visiting London; I think royal-watchers and kids would especially love the atmosphere.

Unique Qualities: This is the closest hotel to Buckingham Palace.

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Theme: Hotel
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$180 and up  » Currency Converter
Phone: +44 (0) 20 7834 6600
Address: 39 Buckingham Palace Road, London, England SW1W 0PS
Directions: On Buckingham Place Road. Exit Victoria Station tube stop. Exit the station at Terminus Place and turn left. Turn right onto Buckingham Palace Road and follow road for approximately 100 metres.
Website: http://www.rubenshotel.com
Other Contact: bookrb@rchmail.com

Considering the amount on unintentional damage I did to the room during my stay here, the staff remained friendly and helpful throughout my ordeal of madness. I don't know what my problem was that week, but it seemed I was breaking things every time I turned around. It was like being in the movie, "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas". The first thing to go was the porcelain soap dish that was affixed to the wall in the shower. I'd been out having a few pints, turned on the shower, got in, and somehow managed to knock the soap-dish so that it came out of the tiled wall and shattered into 5 pieces on the bottom of the tub. Oops!
I explained to reception the next day what had happened, she eyed me suspiciously, shook her head, and laughed. It was fixed several days later.
On the third day I lit a cigarette, yawned, and stretched. My hand hit the wall and the cigarette flew sending red embers everywhere. Luckily, I managed to prevent a massive blaze and later rubbed most of the burn marks out of the carpet. I decided to apply the "it was like that when I got here" rule to that episode. I'm not even going to get into the spilled beer, coffee, and tea incidents.
This was the smallest hotel room I've ever stayed in. When you opened the door it literally knocked into the nightstand. What didn't make sense was that the bathroom was the same size as the bedroom, if not bigger. The room was clean and comfortable. A little cool at night, but there was spare blankets in the closet. The bed leaned slightly to one side, so it always made me feel as though I was going to accidentally fall out. The bathroom (before I got through with it) was tiled, bright, and clean, with good towels. The shower pressure was fantastic! My only real complaint was that at 9:00 in the mornings, there wasn't a single drop of hot water to be had. I usually showered slightly later to avoid the hypothermic water.
For the price I paid, the damage I did, and the service I received, this hotel was a bargain!

Unique Qualities: I absolutely loved the location of this hotel on the Strand. It was within easy walking distance of 3 tube stops, Trafalgar Square, Covent Gardens, Piccadilly Circus, Fleet Street, the Temple Church, a large variety of cafes, restaurants, nightclubs, and pubs.
I ordered beer from room service in the middle of a Saturday night and delivery was quick, friendly, and unpresuming. They also had a great and friendly concierge, desk staff, and downstairs bar.

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Theme: Hotel
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: US$80-120  » Currency Converter
Phone: +44 (0)20 7379 4737
Address: 372 Strand, London WC2R
Directions: On the Strand. Easiest tube stop is Embankment or Charings Cross.
Website: http://www.strandpalacehotel.co.uk