Canary Riverside Plaza Hotel — Hotel in London

Definitely not a 5 star experience. We called in advance to book afternoon tea on the terrace which is suggested on their website, the person taking my booking repeated back to me “afternoon tea for two on the terrace” and was ready to end the call until I suggested “do you need a name?” which they realised they did. Turned up and nobody there to greet us, reception was weirdly tucked away with no signs to direct us. They “lost” our key cards that had apparently been prepared in advance to our arrival so we were left checking in for almost 20 minutes. EVERYONE working here appeared like it was their first day not only at the hotel but in the business. The receptionist didn’t know where to direct us to the terrace which was just next to reception, our reserved table was there, no sign of any staff, after waiting we went inside and notified the bar staff of our attendance. Eventually someone came out who seemed nervous and again like it was his first day, I ordered an aperol spritz but with lemonade instead of soda. He wrote down “aperol spirit” and brought me an Aperol spritz made with soda and a separate glass of lemonade. Then he appeared again after some time and asked if we wanted food. We advised we booked afternoon tea, he went away again and returned with someone who didn’t introduce himself but can only assume was a manager of some sort who said “oh yes I recognise your faces now” which was weird as we’d only just arrived and not seen anyone, he then advised the booking was messed up and they did not “hear” afternoon tea and unfortunately could not produce it now as they order the items in specially per request. Feeling absolutely fed up we decided to finish our drinks and go to our room Heading to the room the waiter stopped us to try and charge us £30 for the 2 drinks we had and technically a lemonade I didn’t order I advised as it was their mistake ruining our arrival I would hope the drinks were on the house the manager guy appeared again to say he didn’t have that jurisdiction and would check with higher up Eventually the drinks were comped but by this stage everything felt tainted The room was disappointing as the website advertised a large ceiling to floor window but placed us on the top floor which only had a semi circle window. The river view was amazing but was only visible when sat upright or stood at the window itself The bathroom was ok but the boasted l'occitane supplies were the smallest I have ever seen and unsure if they had been refilled with a cheaper product as it left my hair feeling like straw Rooms were dated and bland No in room dining menu, just a QR code on the tv to constantly get it up on our phones, no charging plugs or ports near the bed. And a cheap as hell tresemme hair dryer, next to a clothes brush that had clearly been used by someone to brush their hair and not cleaned. The slippers were the cheap standard ones, no branding seen anywhere. Save your money if you are looking for a treat and to feel luxurious Had better room and treatment at a 3* hotel They didn’t even ask how our stay was when checking out and have had no follow up...

The front office manager was extremely rude, patronising and unprofessional. It was my 40th birthday and I came to celebrate with my friends. During our stay, Jay asked me and my friends to cover up as we had wore our bikinis to enter the Spa. Although we only wore Bikini tops, we were covered from waist to our feet with towels wrapped around us.

Jay informed us that it was not appropriate to wear bikinis in the Lobby as it would make guests feel uncomfortable. Please note that there were no guests in the Lobby during this time and this can be confirmed by checking the surveillance. She mentioned this on 3 occasions and on the third occasions stated, " please tell your friends to cover up", to which I replied they are covered up and she mentioned I dis not see this. This is deemed as harrasment.

I kindly asked Jay, please can you kindly inform me where it states that we could not dress this way in the hotel policy. Jay informed me that it was not in the hotel policy but this was her policy as she was the Front office manager. I asked to speak to the manager as I felt harrased, belittled. As a guest, it was not appropriate for Jay to speak to me in this tone. My understanding is that if we pay for a room, I should not be questioned or harrased regarding the clothing I wore. we specifically booked the hotel for the Spa facility. I felt like this was an infringement of Human rights. I have stayed in 5 star hotels and never been harrased regarding the clothing I have wore.

Jay called Dusko Babic the hotel manager as I requested to speak to someone senior. I kindly informed Dusko how I felt and he said that it was not appropriate in a 5 star hotel to dress in bikini tops. Please bear in mind that Dusko had not recieved any complaints from his guests regarding the type of clothing we wore. When I expressed my concerns he said that although we have not recieved any complaints, he did not want to trigger a complaint.

I kindly told him that Jay was rude and I have never been told what to wear by a staff member. I said " I have stayed at 5 star hotels and wore clothes which were slightly revealing but never been questioned or belittled.

I mentioned that the staff at Marriot Hotel have never raised concerns regarding my dress code, to which he replied Marriot is not a 5 star hotel, we are a 5 star hotel with High clientele, again making me feel humiliated and belittling me. He then stated that this type of clothing would not be acceptable at The Dorchester.

Please note that this had no relevance to the concerns I was raising. I asked Dusko so would the hotel have a problem if i wore a Halter neck short dress, to which he replied that there is a difference between wearing a dress and bikini. I have never felt so humiliated, belittled and distressed by a member of staff.

When I asked to see the hotel policy which states that the hotel specifically had a dress code, he stated that its not in the hotel policy. My birthday was ruined, I could not enjoy my stay and I would like to escalate this to...

It’s always such a pleasure to arrive at the Riverside after my long transatlantic flight. I’m greeted with warm and personalized welcomings. I feel like I’m coming home. Check in is a breeze and then I’m whisked up to my clean comfy room. One thing that I really enjoy about The Riverside is it’s typically a quiet hotel. Mostly business type people so it’s quite peaceful. The soundproofing is also very strong. Black out curtains are a must and the ability to control the temperature of the room are of high importance for me. Those are my three “musts” when staying at a hotel and The Riverside has all three.

The view at The Riverside is nothing short of amazing! The Thames looks gorgeous by day, but especially at night. You can see Tower Bridge and The Shard. Just stunning!

There is also access to The Virgin Atlantic gym, which has everything you could want to keep up with your regime. The pool is the real star of the show with another spectacular view of The Thames.

If you decide to have breakfast at the hotel I encourage you to indulge. The Quadrato Restaurant won’t disappoint and you won’t go away hungry. My favorite is the avocado toast. Sourdough bread with a healthy amount of avocado and two perfectly poached eggs on top. Jalapeño pepper slices dotted all around to give it a slight punch. The eggs Benedict are also delicious. My boyfriend loved the pancakes. They are similar to Dutch babies and cooked in the oven. He had them every single day of our stay.

The location is one of the best in my book. No, Canary Wharf is definitely not in the heart of all the action London has to offer, but the transportation options are optimal. For example, I usually arrive at Heathrow. Then I hop on the Elizabeth line going to Canary Wharf. Typically 45 minutes. Then a short 15 minute walk to the hotel. Stellar! They also have many other train and tube lines running through Canary Wharf. But my favorite mode of transportation is the Uber Boat. Just steps from the hotel you can hop on and cruise down The Thames to many popular destinations. It’s easy and relaxing. Staying here isn’t just about luxury—it’s also about smart, seamless travel around London.

The personal touch from the staff is the icing on the cake. It’s rare to find a hotel where you’re remembered and genuinely welcomed like family. Irene, Ajay, Leslie, Ruta and all the others are always ready to meet your needs and beyond. Shabul is an absolute gem. He always goes above and beyond to make your stay as seamless as possible.

The Riverside at Canary Wharf checks off all the boxes for a fabulous getaway. I highly recommend it for an...