The Vanderbilt Hotel

Booked the hotel via online hotel search company and paid for and selected a non-smoking, deluxe double room in advance. On arrival we were shown to a small twin bedded room which had an ashtray and was obviously a smoking room. The carpet from the bedroom to the bathroom was shabby, torn and dangerous. The bathroom itself was very small and dangerous. I am quite petite and to sit on the toilet I had to squeeze between the sink and the toilet, my knees were under the sink (I could wash my hands whilst sitting down) and I had to sit upright to prevent hitting my head on the glass shelf above the sink. My partner would have to use the toilet to the side as it is impossible for a man to stand in front of it and the bathroom was too small to have 2 people in it at the same time. We complained and had to threaten to leave before they suddenly found us a better room. Nevertheless, the service was poor, we had to constantly request that the coffee/tea making be refreshed, to have toilet rolls and they took all our towels save one small one away. I have since written to the Raddisson Group and complained about the health and safety aspects but they have failed to respond. I feel that as we got a special rate through the hotel search system that we were treated as poor customers.

My wife and I visited London in mid-November for about 10 days and spent half in K+K Hotel George and half in Radisson Vanderbuilt Edwardian. The K+K was 10x better. I am sure there are worse hotels in London than this Radisson, but I would not want to stay in them and would not want to stay in this one again, either. The room was dark and NOT fully up-to-date, and was about the size of a small closet. The closet itself was pitiful. There is hardly any place to put your luggage in the room. The small bathroom had a TINY sink and you had to wait about 5 minutes for the water to get warm. The shower had a funny plexiglas contraption instead of a shower curtain that made it difficult to reach the faucets without being in the tub (with the cold water). The room had a TV with a screen that indicated if I had a phone message. I found that on one occasion, I had to call the hotel operator to have them remove the message. Otherwise, the TV kept coming back on by itself at high volumes to tell me about the message I had already deleted. The room also had two phones, one of which was annoying. I had to call someone at another hotel and leave them a message. When I pressed "0" to leave a message, this phone connected me to the hotel operator in my own hjotel while putting the original call on hold. Frustrating. The hotel operator also gave me the wrong number for the hotel I was trying to call (but I got the call removed at check-out). My non-smoking room smelled of smoke on at least one occasion. I assume that was because someone else in a non-smoking room was smoking, which I suppose is not fully the hotel's fault (maybe). They got my room rate wrong. When I complained about it the night before check-out, they said they could not fix it. I asked the person helping me to put what she just told me in writing and to sign and date it. She then went in the backroom for about 5 minutres, returing to tell me it had been fixed. The next morning at check-out I found one night at the correct rate and three at the higher/wrong rate. They did correct it with my printed itinerary. Someone traveling with us at the same time was not so lucky. He could not produce the written itinerary, so was charged 40 pounds more than me per night. They also misplaced his shirt for laundering. When he called them, they said it would be right up in a few minutes. When they did not show up, he went down to the front desk and found that his shirt had never been laundered at all. The location is convenient to the Undergound for the Picadilly line to Heathrow and to the theatre district near Leicester square, and for the District and Circle lines to Parliament, etc. There are many places to eat nearby. Or just get on the Underground for dinner elsewhere. We bought 7-day passes for the Underground which were 20-25 pounds each for Zones 1 &2, but well worth it to get around. A day pass costs about 4.3 or 5.3 pounds depending on whether you want to use it during the morning rush hour. Otherwise, it is 2 pounds for a one-way trip. To get from the airport to the Hotel, we used the Hotelink van (15 pounds each). A taxi to the airport costs about 40 pounds plus tip. There are a number of foreign exchange locations in the area, but I found that the best rates were obained by just using my ATM card to make a cash withdrawl.

My room was tiny, along the lines of a ship's cabin. A navy ship. The bed was a bit lumpy. The room itself was fairly opulent, with an enormous french door/window that opened up onto the porch above the entrance. Fancy bathroom with loads of marble, but WHY OH WHY can't the British build sinks that have a single sink tap, instead of one that is boiling hot and another freezing cold? The staff was friendly and professional. One (and only one) internet connected terminal was available in the lobby (even though there is easily space for four). Queues got long as guests waited for it, as broadband is not available in the rooms. The hotel's surcharge for international calls might be the highest I've ever seen -- check first (a quick call to the states to check my voicemail cost me over $12). In that the hotel is built out of a block of townhouses, the hallways are narrow and windy, with awkwardly placed fire doors (that are narrower than a large suitcase) placed throughout. Getting luggage to and from the room can be a chore. The lifts hold one person at a time, and creep along. I would go back, but in that there are so many hotels in London, especially this area, that I'd probably try something else first. While quirky and not without charm, the hotel is quite expensive for what you get.

This hotel is advertised as a high class, quality hotel and from the outside and foyer certainly appears to meet expectations. We got a cheaper deal via the internet and thought we had got a bargain for a luxury room. As the price was good we went for an upgraded "king size" room. I can't tell you how disappointed we were. The room was small and not particularly clean. The standard of fittings, particularly in the bathroom, were shabby, dirty and desperately in need of refurbishment. This was definitely not what we expected. When we went for breakfast we were shocked to find that our £80 a night didn't even include breakfast. They wanted another £27 for that! Needless to say we wouldn't consider ever returning to this hotel. Expensive, shabby and poor value for money. We felt ripped off. Stay away, there are better deals to be had.

We stayed in the Vanderbilt in October 2004 after getting a great last-minute deal. Our room was a deluxe double and was beautiful with plush furnishings and an extra seating area with leather couches. The location can't be faulted as it's just around the corner from Gloucester Road tube station and on the same street as the V and A, science and natural history museums. Our stay here was very comfortable and my only minor reservation would be that the sound proofing in the rooms could be better as I was conscious of doors banging somewhere during the night. However, that is a minor quibble and I would recommend staying here.

my cousin and i stayed at this hotel for a week in late august. initially dismayed by the small size of the double room, we were most pleased when we were given 2 individual rooms. these rooms were also very tiny BUT comfie, clean and well air-conditioned. the staff was warm and very accommodating. loved the area also. cannot say enough good. one caveat - the rooms are small so if you are looking for large rooms, this is not the hotel for you.

Difficult to fault this hotel. Its location is very handy for the various attractions of Kensington, from Harrods to the local Lamborghini dealer, the Natural History Museum, the V+A, etc.; and Gloucester Road Tube station is just round the corner. The standard of service we experienced during our 1-night stay (20 Sept 04) was good (attentive staff at breakfast, which is unusual) and the room we were allocated was immense - you could have played a game of football in it, had you wanted to. It was also well equipped with air conditioning, ironing equipment, a safe, and the various other bits and pieces one takes for granted. The only (extremely minor) criticism was that the room lighting was a bit dull - although, given the size of the room they'd have needed floodlights to do it justice! All in all, a very pleasant stay. I'd recommend it.

I stayed here for 3 nights in August 1999, while on business in London. I had a single room which was surprisingly large (by London standards), as was the bathroom. The room was simply but elegantly furnished, with trouser press provided. I can't remember if there is AC or not. The dining room was under renovation, so no breakfast was provided. The staff were helpful in the reserved British way. The location was great, in a quiet, residential part of Kensington just down the road from the Victoria and Albert Hotel and the Museum of Natural History. A tube stop is a minute away by foot. There is a decent pub nearby that serves excellent fish and chips.

Stayed here for a night, nice quiet London location. Tube Station 2 minutes walk - perfect. Bed was a bit small (suposed to be a king), nice oldyworldy rooms. Bathroom small, but new and very clean. Easy to get lost trying to find your room though. Had to get my own bags twice because the conceirge could not find them (too many other bags). Nice bar, expensive restaurant - go out its London, explore and have fun. A good base hotel. Get the special rates from their website!!!

This hotel is a disgrace. I have never had such a small room. The furnishings and decor were tired and the bathroom so small you could hardly turn around. The lobby and bar look very grand, don't be fooled into thinking the rest of the hotel is. Staff OK but not particularly helpful. Excellent location next to Gloucester Road tube station. Definetely not worth the money, avoid if you can.