Review: Marriott London County Hall
A city break in London is best enjoyed when you open your curtains in the morning and there London is, right outside your window. And that's exactly what you get at the County Hall.
The hotel is incredibly well situated to explore the Southbank, Covent Garden and Buckingham Palace to name a few. It is also a stones through from both Waterloo and Charing Cross so if you opt to come to the city via train then you won't have far to amble.
Sitting right on the Thames, many of the rooms at the hotel (including the one I stayed in) have a stunning view of the river and some of London's best attractions. From my window I enjoyed looking out at (as well as the sleeping pigeons on the windowsill) the London eye and Houses of Parliament.
Once I'd spent time admiring the view I turned my attention to the room itself. Despite arriving at County Hall in the afternoon I already wanted to have a nap thanks to the luxurious, incredibly large king sized bed. The mini fridge was well stocked as were the tea and coffee making facilities which including biscuits. Yes, I found that part hugely exciting.
There was no free Wi-Fi which I found unusual as a number of hotels I have stayed in usual offer this free of charge. Nonetheless 3G signal in the room was great so I could keep up to date with my emails (ok, and Facebook).
Like most great hotels there were robes, slippers, a hairdryer and all the toiletries you could need in the bathroom, making for light packing when visiting. Always a bonus, especially if you are travelling via train.
There is a spa which has a sauna and solarium and is home to the largest indoor hotel pool in London at 25m. There is also a fitness centre which is free to use for guests and there are personal trainers available for an extra cost.
The Southbank is home to a number of great places to eat, but having the two AA Rosette-awarded, Gillray's Steakhouse and Bar in the hotel (it is also open to the public), we opted to dine there. Before we sat for dinner we enjoyed a cocktail in the bar, which again overlooks the river. With 69 different types of gin on offer (and as a bit of a gin fan) there is plenty of choice when it comes to a pre-dinner tipple.
Built 100 years ago to house London's government, it is an ode to great English produce. Instead of bread as a pre-dinner nibble, Gillray's serve Yorkshire Puddings filled with, wait for it, cheese. This will now become a regular feature in my own cooking repertoire! The rest of the meal was equally delicious; prawns in lemon and parsley butter, steak, and their sherry trifle left me feeling more than satisfied.
There is very little I can fault when it comes to my stay at the County Hall except maybe for the breakfast. Despite having a rather large dinner the evening before I was feeling a tad peckish by the time we went down for breakfast.
I ordered the mushroom omelette which sadly, instead of being light and fluffy, was incredibly overcooked. However the incredibly polite and welcoming staff (not to mention the tea served in delightful Cornishware mugs) did make up for the fact that I left breakfast having only eaten less than half of my meal.
Prices for a Friday and Saturday stay start from £299. However there are a number of offers throughout the year; until April 5th a stay for the same amount of time will cost you £199.
For the views from the River rooms alone, you really get your money's worth. A fabulous evening, in a fabulous hotel, right in the heart of the Capital - perfect.
www.marriott.co.uk/hotels/travel/lonch-london-marriott-hotel-county-hall/ 020 7928 5200
The hotel is incredibly well situated to explore the Southbank, Covent Garden and Buckingham Palace to name a few. It is also a stones through from both Waterloo and Charing Cross so if you opt to come to the city via train then you won't have far to amble.
Sitting right on the Thames, many of the rooms at the hotel (including the one I stayed in) have a stunning view of the river and some of London's best attractions. From my window I enjoyed looking out at (as well as the sleeping pigeons on the windowsill) the London eye and Houses of Parliament.
Once I'd spent time admiring the view I turned my attention to the room itself. Despite arriving at County Hall in the afternoon I already wanted to have a nap thanks to the luxurious, incredibly large king sized bed. The mini fridge was well stocked as were the tea and coffee making facilities which including biscuits. Yes, I found that part hugely exciting.
There was no free Wi-Fi which I found unusual as a number of hotels I have stayed in usual offer this free of charge. Nonetheless 3G signal in the room was great so I could keep up to date with my emails (ok, and Facebook).
Like most great hotels there were robes, slippers, a hairdryer and all the toiletries you could need in the bathroom, making for light packing when visiting. Always a bonus, especially if you are travelling via train.
There is a spa which has a sauna and solarium and is home to the largest indoor hotel pool in London at 25m. There is also a fitness centre which is free to use for guests and there are personal trainers available for an extra cost.
The Southbank is home to a number of great places to eat, but having the two AA Rosette-awarded, Gillray's Steakhouse and Bar in the hotel (it is also open to the public), we opted to dine there. Before we sat for dinner we enjoyed a cocktail in the bar, which again overlooks the river. With 69 different types of gin on offer (and as a bit of a gin fan) there is plenty of choice when it comes to a pre-dinner tipple.
Built 100 years ago to house London's government, it is an ode to great English produce. Instead of bread as a pre-dinner nibble, Gillray's serve Yorkshire Puddings filled with, wait for it, cheese. This will now become a regular feature in my own cooking repertoire! The rest of the meal was equally delicious; prawns in lemon and parsley butter, steak, and their sherry trifle left me feeling more than satisfied.
There is very little I can fault when it comes to my stay at the County Hall except maybe for the breakfast. Despite having a rather large dinner the evening before I was feeling a tad peckish by the time we went down for breakfast.
I ordered the mushroom omelette which sadly, instead of being light and fluffy, was incredibly overcooked. However the incredibly polite and welcoming staff (not to mention the tea served in delightful Cornishware mugs) did make up for the fact that I left breakfast having only eaten less than half of my meal.
Prices for a Friday and Saturday stay start from £299. However there are a number of offers throughout the year; until April 5th a stay for the same amount of time will cost you £199.
For the views from the River rooms alone, you really get your money's worth. A fabulous evening, in a fabulous hotel, right in the heart of the Capital - perfect.
www.marriott.co.uk/hotels/travel/lonch-london-marriott-hotel-county-hall/ 020 7928 5200