I booked two penthouse suites at Park Plaza County Hall London expecting the views advertised in the photos – London Eye, Big Ben, and the city skyline. Unfortunately, the view from our rooms was of the subway station and distant buildings, which was very disappointing.
The rooms themselves were spacious and clean, but very dated. The biggest issue for me was the service when we first arrived. We had just landed after a long flight, four of us with four large suitcases. At check-in, the front desk agent directed us away from the three large elevators right in front of the desk and told us to use an elevator further down the hallway, saying it would be “better” and quicker for us. We trusted her advice only to discover that she had sent us to the service elevator – which was much smaller and inconvenient for our luggage.
Later, when I confronted her, she claimed that only one of the three main elevators goes to the top floor, which I later realized was not true – all three elevators go to the penthouse level. It left me questioning why we were directed there in the first place, especially when no offer of assistance with our luggage was made. As visitors from the U.S., I couldn’t help but wonder if we were treated differently because we were foreigners.
Overall, this was a very disappointing start to our stay, and the hotel did not live up to expectations in terms of service, upkeep, or advertised views.