St. Ermin's Hotel

This was one of the best hotels I have stayed at the staff was incredible the room was spotless and the bar was the best. First time in London selected this hotel wanted old world British charm and wow did it deliver the staff was fantastic. The Claxton bar was our main hangout at night and all the boys behind d the bar were fantastic. If you want an incredible experience and a true British experience this hotel is a must.

From the moment you enter the tree lined courtyard and into the welcoming envirnment of the hotel the ambience can not fail to make you feel you are entering a home from home. Every single member of staff is there to ensure your stay is just perfect, Little touches, such as chilled lemon water in the lounge where you can just help yourself shows the attention to detail which is just standard here. Food is of a high standard and cleanliness is just 2nd nature. Its just the most perfect setting for a hectic few days in London.

We stayed at St. Ermin's for a week, May 6-13. Our room overlooked the central entry courtyard, a plus. The bed was comfortable, and the bathroom had good fixtures. The water valve system on the shower was a bit different than any I had seen before, but easy to figure out. Three elevators (lifts) in the building, all small by U.S. stanards (typical of London), but they worked well. There is a business center with three computers and printers on the first floor, and free wifi available in the rooms. The hotel is just around the corner from an underground station, which has a small shopping area incorporated in the station, so it is convenient for grabbing quick snack items or sundries, and easy to connect to anywhere the underground goes (which is just about everywhere). Westminster Abbey, Parliament Square, and Big Ben are only about a 10 minute walk in one direction, while Buckingham Palace is 10 minutes in the other direction. Hotel staff was friendly and helpful, and the lobby is handsome. I would recommend this hotel to anyone.

We stayed in a Junior Suite, using Marriott Miles and Cash. Our room was on the 3'rd floor at the end of a hall, providing excellent light with windows on two sides. The room was a bit noisy during the day with a huge construction project going on across the street, and there seemed to be a service door nearby that being slammed shut repeatedly (would make our door rattle.) But that wasn't a big problem, the room was quiet at night, except for Saturday Night when we discovered that the hotel ballroom was below and they had a wedding with the thumping base of the DJ's music choices coming into the room until 1:00 am. The night manager tried to get them to tone it down, and was apologetic. She waived the cash charge for that night, and finally gave us access to another room to sleep in. Other people were complaining, and it was clear that this was not a one-off occurrence, so pick your room carefully if you want to sleep when they are having a party. Otherwise, the hotel was very much as expected -- a refurbished old London hotel. A beautiful garden in the entrance-way, led to a porch and lobby. A nice bar/lounge area was off the lobby, and there is outside seating (in good weather.) The breakfast buffet was good (though it never varied over 6 days, so we order off the menu a few times for a change. The exercise room had some free weights and good Precor machines, and you are close to St. James Park/Green Park for running and walking. While the immediate area is quiet, there are plenty of pubs and restaurants a short walk toward Victoria Station. St. James Park Tube Stop was around the corner. Our room was very nice -- the bathroom was spacious and had a large shower with a rain-head. The bedroom was large, with a comfortable bed. Four pillows but no variety in type of pillow (I like a soft pillow, which seems hard to find in some hotels). The seating area was small, but functional, and gave us some space to spread out. Overall I was very pleased with the stay, except for the wedding banquet. It's frustrating that they would penalize their hotel guests in order to rent out their ballroom space, and have no control over the volume from the renters.

We stayed at St Ermin's for four nights in a junior suite on the fifth floor. The room did not face the courtyard, but the nearest building (which was not unattractive) was far enough away that we had plenty of light in the room even on overcast days. The room was updated, so the bed was comfy and the shower and Nespresso machine worked well. As others have said, the location is exceptionally convenient. St James tube station is just around the corner. St James Park, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square and the Thames are all a short walk away. If you like classical music, St John Smith's Square is a pretty setting for concerts and also a short walk away. All of the staff we interacted with, from the maid who cleaned our room to the front desk staff and doormen, were welcoming and kind. I can imagine that some rooms were not as nice as ours was, but we would definitely reserve a junior suite at St Ermin's again.