11 Cadogan Gardens — Hotel in London

Beware of Misleading 'Upgrades' at This Hotel

If you're considering a stay at this hotel, I strongly advise you to think twice, especially if enticed by their so-called room upgrades. Our experience was marred by deception and a lack of integrity, and I hope this review helps others avoid a similar situation.

We booked what we believed would be the perfect room for our getaway, traveling over 9,612 km and investing significantly for a memorable stay. Imagine our disappointment when, upon arrival, we were informed we had been "upgraded" to a room we never requested. Instead of the garden access we specifically booked, we were given a smaller and mediocre looking room with a kitchen that was unnecessary to us.

They falsely claimed the room was the same but with additional space and a kitchen. Despite our immediate requests—three in total—to revert to our original booking, they dismissed our preferences, leaving us stuck in a room we didn't want. The room lacked the garden access and elegant decor we paid for.

The staff explained there's no guarantee of receiving the exact room booked. This lack of assurance in honoring bookings left us feeling frustrated, as no effort was made to accommodate our original preferences or rectify the situation. After discussing the issue with reception, they finally admitted that all garden access rooms had been occupied. It became apparent that they knew the room wasn’t available in advance but chose not to inform us before our arrival and presented the "upgrade" as a benefit.

The exit plan in the room revealed that the staff's claim about the room being more spacious was a lie; it was actually 19% smaller and they never offered us any compensation. Fortunately, after our stay, we were able to dispute the charge through our MasterCard and received a refund for half the room price, thanks to their finding the hotel's actions unjustifiable. However, this was a small consolation for the stress and disappointment we endured, as it took us months of emailing Agoda and our credit card company.

Had they been honest with us from the beginning and informed us before we arrived, we might have accepted the situation. Instead, we were deceived multiple times: first, by presenting the downgrade as an upgrade; second, by claiming the room was the same but larger when it wasn't.

If you've already booked at this hotel, be skeptical of upgrade offers. To make sure the room you booked is available, email the hotel in advance to confirm your reservation. Don’t let them spoil your trip with misleading practices. Protect yourself from such disappointments and ensure you get what...

I have stayed at 11 Cadogan Gardens a few times now since 2020 and since the change of management under Relais & Châteaux, I am disappointed that the general service of the hotel has gone down. Toiletries were not replenished the next day (it was obvious the cotton pads were finished) so I had to ask the reception for it. Turn down service was lacking, on the 1st night water bottles were not replenished and neither were the coffee. 2nd night, no one even came to do the turn down service. Someone just opened my door without knocking and handed me a bottle of water and left. That was it. My bed was left undone as there was no turn down service on the 2nd night.

Also, for a supposedly 'luxury' hotel, why isn't there a fridge in the junior suite? Especially in summer in this kind of heat, you'd expect every room to have a fridge. It's not pleasant drinking room temperature sparking water when it's 30 degrees outside.

Restaurant service was not great either. Breakfast - I was sat at the table for over 15 minutes without anyone coming to take my order. I had to flag a waiter down, and the breakfast was not busy at all.

I've been a loyal customer at 11 Cadogan for years, but I don't think I will return now. The stay, and the staff used to make every guest feel special and memorable - there was a personalised touch, now it's forgettable and impersonable. Just like staying at any other highly commercialised hotel....

Overall – I would not recommend people to stay here if you want high end service or amenities despite it markets itself as a luxury hotel.

Front Desk - During check-in we were told our stay had breakfast included but at check-out we were told it was just for the first 3 nights and would have to pay for the other days. There was no effort to remove any of these hidden breakfast charges until pressed to issue a correction on the bill. Additionally, I told them it was our honeymoon and there was no note or any welcome gift for us which was a surprising lack of hospitality given the hotels positioning as a luxury boutique hotel.

Housekeeping - Throughout our stay the room did not have satisfactory service; the refresh of bed linens and room cleanliness were lacking. During our stay there were 2 separate occasions somebody entered the room ignoring the do not disturb sign hanging from our door. They would also leave the cover blanket and throw pillows on the ground of the bedroom and later put them back on bed which we asked them not to do.

Room Service – Kitchen is closed overnight and they only offer a sandwich or salad for food. We tried to order something overnight two times but nobody answered the phone to take the order.

Room – Stayed in the Signature Suite on the 2nd floor which was spacious and well furnished. Bathroom had modern standup shower with two shower heads (1 overhead rain and...