The Intercontinental Park LaneAs any regular user of the site will know, our usual hotel in London is the Churchill. However, on this occassion we were only stopping over before flying to Dubai, thus used our remaining priority club points for a night whilst we were still Royal Ambassador members.
The Intercontinental Park Lane is a hotel we used to frequent before discovering Hyatts. It is in a great location for tourists (very near Hyde Park, Buck House etc), although the rooms facing Hyde Park Corner can be affected by traffic noise. The lobby is bright and airy with numerous flower displays including lillies, orchids and unripe hyacinths, which enhance the lovely scent they use in the lobby. The hotel has a good Elemis spa (we enjoy the Rasul treatment) and gym, and the club lounge on the 8th floor is one of the best in the chain. The decor throughout the hotel feels truly 5* and in the past, we had many enjoyable stays in the hotel. As we hadn't stayed for some time, it was interesting returning to the IC Park Lane. On arrival, there was no doorman available but after a minute or so, a porter arrived and offered assistance. We then entered through the delicately scented lobby and check-in was completed efficiently. Interestingly, even after the renovation work, the lifts are still very bumpy. Don't worry though - they do still work! On exiting the lifts, the corridors are decorated in a traditional English style and are clean and spacious enough for travellers to pass each other (or housekeeping) with luggage. Overall Impression |
One-bedroom Suite
We were pleasantly surprised to be upgraded to a 1 bedroom suite (after booking on points this was a good upgrade) on the 8th floor. We love the dark sparkly marble floor on entering the suite (a common feature in this hotel) and the decor is a mix of dusky damson red and cream. We like the red colour, but find it a bit dark for quite a small space - it works much better in the larger suites. This suite (884) would have been perfect for New Year's Eve with a great view over Green Park to the Thames skyline, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, the London Eye, the Shard and the Gherkin.
The lounge was small but perfect for a couple. The welcome gift (a few apples and box of biscuits) was uninspiring but quite typical for a chain welcome gift. The main perk of Royal Ambassador, the complimentary minibar, was well stocked, complete with spirits, wine, champagne, soft drinks, nuts, crisps and the ubiquitous Cadbury chocolate (why don't luxury hotels ever offer quality confectionary?). The bedroom was also small but adequate, although we both found the bed (and especially the pillows) incredibly uncomfortable. The bathroom was absolutely tiny with a shower cubicle barely big enough for 1 person, let alone 2. However, the Elemis goodies in the bathroom went some way to making up for this. On the other hand, it was a pity that the shower leaked all over the floor. |
We do like the Intercontinental Park Lane and this stay was pretty good. So, why did we stop staying? We found that the service was gradually getting less friendly. Despite having better status (Royal Ambassador rather than just Ambassador) we were not receiving better upgrades or recognition and the price was increasing. The odd complaints we needed to make in the past we always felt were met with indifference. We objected to paying £80+VAT for club lounge access when booking a room - in our opinion, top tier status should result in at least complimentary breakfast. The final problem was when we booked for New Year's Eve on the first day it became bookable, but the hotel would not allocate us a room with a view of the London Eye (there are only a few on each floor). Whilst I appreciate that this would be a popular request, surely it should be on a first come first serve basis?
For our next stay in London, we had the choice between booking a standard room at the IC (with an upgrade due to RA status), which would include minibar and internet, but not lounge access or breakfast, for £789.60 (2 nights) or a standard room at the Churchill (upgraded to club room due to diamond status), including internet and club access, as well as wine as an amenity, for £480 (2 nights). For comparison, the nearby Hilton on Park Lane would be £431, Berkeley Hotel £740 or the Ritz £752. The service at the IC is good, but rarely warm or friendly, and for us, that, in addition to the price, is the deal breaker.
For our next stay in London, we had the choice between booking a standard room at the IC (with an upgrade due to RA status), which would include minibar and internet, but not lounge access or breakfast, for £789.60 (2 nights) or a standard room at the Churchill (upgraded to club room due to diamond status), including internet and club access, as well as wine as an amenity, for £480 (2 nights). For comparison, the nearby Hilton on Park Lane would be £431, Berkeley Hotel £740 or the Ritz £752. The service at the IC is good, but rarely warm or friendly, and for us, that, in addition to the price, is the deal breaker.