The Ned

We staycationed here for a quick one nighter over Easter and it was lovely. You enter via the huge banking hall passing the numerous excellent restaurants often with live singers performing on the central dais. The hotel welcome was excellent and we took one of the numerous and swift lifts to our cosy room. It was gorgeous, bigger than expected and included everything you might need from toothbrush and deodorant to robes and soft slippers We immediately changed for the marble lined underground pool - a large 20metres which is good for swimming. Adjacent were small rooms for sauna and steam room with a few chairs and loungers by the pool. A great space. We then enjoyed the generous choice of Cowshed products in our shower and headed to a lovely dinner in Cecconis, accompanied by more ambient singers. Breakfast in Millies was relaxing then we grabbed a free newspaper and relaxed in our room before a wander around the Roman wall ruins and Mithras temple nearby. A really relaxing break in the heart of the City and despite me stupidly leaving my book behind it just arrived home safely thanks to their excellent Lost and Found service For tourists if you want to be City based for the Tower of London and St Paul's then this place is perfect We'll have to return again soon

The Ned is only 2/3 min walk from Bank station( I think there is one in Watford also). Upon entry the place looks nostalgic and cozy. The service is amazing food superb and filling and you can have as much as you like. I could only manage the starter and a tiny bit of everything else lol. There was also a live band playing. I found it a bit too expensive but for the whole experience, I liked it. So if you have a £100 to spend go give it a try. Look it up on the website.

Ate here this evening as a pre-GCSE treat for our daughter, in a very quiet Kaia (one other table the whole time). Meal was perfectly nice, although not exceptional, and service was pleasant, although it was lacking in atmosphere other than the live music from the bar in the same open-plan area. We primarily chose this restaurant because it’s in a hotel so we planned to have a drink in the hotel bar with our 16 and 14 year old afterwards. Having found a seat in the bar area (not at the actual bar itself), we were informed that ‘children’ were not allowed in the bar due to alcohol being served! We had literally just had a cocktail, a beer & a karafe of wine at the restaurant in the same hotel a mere 20 metres away (as mentioned, it’s all in an open-plan area so not even in a separate room) with our ‘children’ who, for the purposes of the meal, were very much charged as adults! I am sure had we stayed at the hotel they would also have been charged as adults. It spoiled the end of our evening as we ended up having to leave and get the hour-long train home having only spent a couple of hours out. We have stayed at multiple hotels in the UK & elsewhere around the world & never had a problem having a drink in the bar area with our children, even when they were younger, but at 16 and 14 this was just non-sensical & alienating. We were offered to sit in an alternative ‘bar’ which was a completely empty canteen-style room with no music. no other people, no bar staff, and also a mere 20 metres away from the convivial main bar with music, but be charged the same hotel-bar prices for our drinks. Odd hill for this hotel to die on but we certainly won’t be back to stay or eat here & we do stay in London at least once a year and eat there regularly (my husband and I work in the City). The concierge did try to help us out by suggesting other bars we could try so thanks to him who was obviously not part of this arbitrary policy designed to deter returning customers.

My friends and I visited London on Saturday. There was no queue and none of us had been drinking yet the Ned refused us entry (we were all in heels and dresses) but said to the girls behind us once these girls have gone we will let you in. We were causing no trouble just simply asked to enter The Ned so I would put this down to racism or discrimination. Very very unimpressed and would never go back.

I booked this for a special occasion with my girlfriend, expecting a memorable stay. Having stayed at The Ned before, I was shocked at how different this experience was. The service was poor throughout and noticeably worsened as the hotel got busier. It felt like we were overlooked rather than valued guests. For the price, there are much better hotels that truly make you feel special. Such a shame, as my previous stay was fantastic, but this time, it was a real disappointment and not the experience I had hoped for.