Holmes Hotel London

The hotel has very loud rooms so is not for those who need a quiet environment to sleep in. In addition unfortunately one of the party were in hospital and due to undergo an emergency operation and the hotel refused to let us cancel the room - stating that it was a non refundable rate. I understand that this was the case but found this to be heartless. To add insult to injury the reception staff were offering the room to people checking in stating that “ they probably won’t turn up “ Would never stay here or another hotel in the same group from now on.

I recently had the pleasure of staying at the Holmes Hotel during my visit to London which is a 2 minute walk from the tube station. The staff at Holmes Hotel are a credit to the company. They go above and beyond to ensure that guests feel welcome and comfortable. The level of service was fantastic, with friendly and attentive staff members always ready to assist with any requests or provide helpful recommendations. We had breakfast every morning and was a great way for us fuel our escapades around London. One of my favourite things about Holmes Hotel was the coffee cups in the restaurant and how it managed to keep the coffee hot for so long. I'd also like to give a special mention to Ben the reception manager who always went out of his way to make us feel welcome.

I don't particularly enjoy having altercations, but at this place, I was not comfortable during my stay at all. Especially with the rude concierge, after being scolded for eating my food near the fireplace in the drawing room. She then asked if I was staying there or just a guest. I don’t expect everyone to remember me, but she’s the one who confirmed my reservation, by the way. My experience should feel relaxing and not aggravated as if I’m walking on eggshells, especially for 300+ a night. I arrived at this hotel on the 24th of Dec. for a nine-day stay. Given our flight delay and the way reservations were made, we arrived hours later. Since we didn’t use the room the night prior, I asked kindly if that one night could be refunded. They refused to accommodate me based on their policy. I stayed respectful and asked politely if they could look into it. The following day concierge told me they could only do 25% off that night and that they weren’t even suppose to do that but will do me a favor! The staff handling this said, “We are already accommodating this for you when we don’t have to, and once I complete my stay, they will refund 25% of that night only.” I thanked them and moved on. One of the evenings, I was sitting in the lounge seating area near the elevator (not a bar or restaurant) but the drawing room, where you can sit, play board games, or relax by the fire…one of the concierges walked by and said: “You can’t eat outside food here only in your room.” A few hours prior, there was a group of kids and a family that practically destroyed the living room and left trash and their snacks. These kids killed the area by throwing little potted plants, ripping them out of pots, and crushing them. Dirt was everywhere. No one reprimanded them or even batted an eye, yet I couldn’t sit by the fire and eat a small sandwich. I have stayed at many hotels, and I’ve never had such a hostile experience. I’ve spent over 3,000$ on a small, dirty room and a rude receptionist. If I had known this, I would’ve paid more to stay elsewhere. The room has broken lights in the bathroom, and the bathroom fan doesn’t work when showering, causing mildew growth around the shower tile. The shower was dirty, with holes in the walls, mold in the shower (needs to be recaulked), holes in my pillows, dusty bathrooms, rust all over the shower head and sink, and the shower head had hair. I know the room was cleaned because it has condiments with “washed towels.” Some of you will say well, why didn’t you say anything. I did! What were they going to do? Move me into another dirty room!? We arrived early afternoon, dropped off bags and went to get some food. I didn’t discover any of the issues until later that night. It was disgusting. I am not going to move rooms when I just had a long day and I am jet-lagged. I’m already being refused a one-night refund and any other accommodations. I simply want everyone to know what you are paying for, that's all! On top of that, the staff had weeks to repair and clean that room before my stay. Again, I understand not everything is going to be perfect, but if I’m spending more than 3k on a room, I at least would expect it to be clean. This isn’t my first trip to London or Europe. I’ve traveled all over. I swear, after COVID, everything is getting run down and run through. People do not respect anyone and lack of self-awareness. Customer service is down the drain, and no one gives a rat's tail. It’s sad What has happened. I have worked in hospitality before, and I am not an entitled person who thinks the world spins around me. See photos for yourself. The restaurant is dirty, and the chairs and seating area are dirty. The staff doesn’t wash their hands or clean the tables (zero sanitation). The uniforms are dirty, BO/no one showers? I have spoken to some locals, and they feel the same that the UK is just going down the hill. The only good thing about this area is the location and coffee shops!!!!! Just be careful and watch your step outside walking, you might just step into dog poop!