Hilton London Metropole — Hotel in London

I arrived at the Hilton Metropole London with high expectations, but unfortunately, my stay was marred by a series of negative experiences, particularly in the customer service department.

Upon arrival, the initial interaction with the reception staff was adequate; however, the issues began shortly thereafter. I was asked to return in 15 minutes as my room was not ready. In need of using the facilities, I headed towards the disabled toilet, only to find it locked. After a 20-minute wait for assistance, it turned out the toilet was out of order without any prior notice. Birute, the assistance security manager, was helpful in directing me to another facility, but the initial oversight was quite inconvenient.

The real trouble started when I returned to check into my room. Despite my clear communication about needing a wheelchair-accessible room for medical reasons, I was initially offered one that might not have met these requirements. This led to escalating tensions, especially with managers Matthew and Javier. Their attitude was unprofessional; Javier's approach was particularly hostile, making an already stressful situation worse. The lack of empathy or understanding was palpable, especially when Javier blocked my exit, leading to an unnecessary confrontation.

However, not all staff were reflective of this poor service. Olivia at the reception quickly resolved the refund issue with kindness, and the security manager, particularly Birute and Alex another manager from another team, showed commendable professionalism and empathy. They managed to de-escalate the situation and even offered gestures of goodwill, which I declined due to the already sour experience.

Addendum to Review:

Additionally, the situation escalated to a point where I felt compelled to contact law enforcement myself. Upon explaining my diplomatic status, the police classified the incident as a P1 emergency, indicating the severity of the situation. This response from the police underscores the gravity of the service failure and the potential safety concerns that arose during this interaction at the Hilton Metropole London. It's worth noting that after the initial mishandling, my interaction with Alex and Birute, who demonstrated professionalism and empathy, led me to reassess the situation. Their efforts to resolve the issue and their genuine concern for my well-being prompted me to cancel the emergency response from the Diplomatic Protection Command. This decision was made because of their intervention and willingness to address the matter appropriately, highlighting that there are indeed staff members at the Hilton Metropole who strive to provide the service expected from a hotel of this caliber.

This incident caused me significant inconvenience, making me late for an important meeting at the Embassy and disrupting my travel plans. The behavior of certain staff members not only highlighted a lack of training but also a concerning attitude towards guests with disabilities.

Conclusion:

I am deeply disappointed with my experience at the Hilton Metropole London. While there are staff members like Birute and Alex who truly represent the hospitality Hilton is known for, the actions of others have left a lasting negative impression. I've been advised by my legal team to report the incident to the police for false imprisonment and discrimination, which I intend to do.

I am now reconsidering my loyalty to the Hilton Honors program, as this incident has significantly impacted my view of the brand. For those with mobility issues or disabilities, I would recommend considering other accommodations where your needs are taken more seriously.

Final Note:

A special commendation must go to Birute and Alex for their professionalism in a challenging situation. Hilton should recognize and perhaps elevate individuals like them who truly uphold the values of quality service.

If you're looking for a stay in London, perhaps look elsewhere until Hilton ensures that all staff are trained to handle situations with the dignity and respect every...

We chose this hotel primarily due to location and I was considering upgrading my Silver Hilton Honors status this year. We also needed a hotel that was dog friendly. Our experience wasn't amazing and there is definitely room for improvement particularly in the following areas:

Pet stay charge of £35 per stay was literally just to provide us with the ability to let our dog stay with us in our room. There were no special dog facilities made available like dog beds or bowls. It was lucky this fee wasn't a per night fee otherwise I would have certainly made a complaint.

Digital check in: I checked into the hotel 24 hours before as the Hilton Honors app instructed selecting room 1301. In the booking I had specifically asked for a room away from the lift and towards the backside of the building facing away from the main road, so I chose a room that met our needs. Upon arrival (we were early) I asked if our room was available and they said yes but then put us in room 711, so I double checked that it met our requirements and after being reassured it did I went upstairs to check and discovered that I had been incorrectly told it met our requirements. So I went downstairs to ask if there was another room available and why our original room wasn't available anymore and they said we could be moved to 1223 but it wouldn't be ready for another hour. We came back to the hotel 2 hours later and the room still wasn't ready but should be ready very soon. Again we went back to check 30 mins late and still not ready. We waited further until 3pm the official check in time only to be told that room 1223 was still not available to check in and that we could have 711 instead. I refused this room once again and by this point pretty annoyed that they kept messing up the room allocation and they said they didn't have a room available at check in. Shortly after a manager then came to assist and I had to again explain my fairly simple request and finally they managed to locate another room 2023 which we ended up in, but no apologies for the mix up. I would not want to go through this experience of having inconsistent information provided to us, it was frustrating to be messed about and waiting around because they couldn't give me accurate information.

Lift management: On every floor the hotel puts a sign saying "pro tip: press both buttons for the lift if you want to get one ASAP". Logically you'd get in the first lift that arrives but that doesn't cancel the call made to the other set of lifts which means that if you're coming down from one of the higher floors like we did you end up stopping at every floor on the way down because people pressed two lift buttons to try and go downstairs but there isn't always someone getting on because they already got on the other set of lifts. Added unnecessary time on the way down.

The room itself had been refurbished and luckily we were on a higher floor as the rooms are not soundproof. It was small in size, only recommended for one or two nights. The shower was probably the highlight of the stay, which says something about the quality of the experience. It's just the kind of hotel to sleep and leave your belongings, very basic.

For me, I'd only stay here again for the convenience to Paddington Station. There are other hotels in London that offer a better quality experience, so I'm not really that convinced about whether it's even worth upgrading on Hilton Honors. There would likely need to be a very good deal on for us to choose here over...

The Hilton Metropole: Where Every Stay is a Team-Building Exercise

When I travel for business, I have two simple requirements: cleanliness and functionality. I need a hotel where I can unwind before bouncing between meetings like an over-caffeinated pinball. So, when an awards ceremony took me to a different part of London, I found myself at the Hilton Metropole. A well-known name, a central location—what could possibly go wrong? (Spoiler alert: A lot.)

My adventure kicked off at 4:00 PM, which, in hotel terms, is prime "organised chaos" hour. I get that. But standing at reception for 15 minutes, watching four different staff members walk past me—smiling but with the determined avoidance skills of a cat ignoring its owner—was a special kind of frustration. Had I accidentally entered an immersive theater performance? Was this an escape room? Eventually, someone acknowledged my existence and directed me to my room, which required more navigational guidance than a cross-country road trip.

Room 208 awaited me, and so did my trusty pre-event ritual: ironing. I pulled out the ironing board, which immediately collapsed like a fainting Victorian lady. No worries, I thought. I’ll call reception. Except... I couldn’t. Because the in-room phone was apparently there for decorative purposes only.

Adaptability being one of my finer qualities, I turned to my mobile and called the front desk, explaining that their phone system was about as useful as a screen door on a submarine. “Of course, sir, we’ll send someone right up,” they assured me.

Twenty-five minutes later—just as I was beginning to accept my fate as a wrinkled awards attendee—there was a knock at the door. Salvation! My ironing board had arrived! Or so I thought. Instead, a very polite staff member proudly presented me with… an iron. Just the iron. No board.

Not wanting to act out an impromptu Mr. Bean sketch, I clarified my needs once again, and after another brief eternity, an ironing board arrived. Technically, it was an ironing board. Realistically, it resembled an oversized cheese grater, seemingly designed to turn my shirt into modern art. At this point, I accepted defeat, thanked the housekeeper, and let my wrinkles be a statement of resilience.

Still hopeful, I decided to shower away my troubles—only to discover the shower head had its own definition of functionality, which involved spraying water at every angle except the one I needed. That was the moment I broke. I just stood there and laughed, fully embracing the absurdity of it all.

To be fair, the room itself was impeccably clean—so clean, in fact, that it reminded me of a hospital: sterile, well-intentioned, but slightly dysfunctional. The Hilton Metropole certainly looks the part of a grand central London hotel, but at times, it felt more like a corporate-themed episode of Survivor. And as for the broken phone? The hotel’s electrician must have been a magician because he vanished without a trace.

Would I stay here again? Possibly. But next time, I’ll bring my own iron, a backup phone, and a strong sense of humor. At least the smiles were free of charge.

... and as for the commentary of submitting reviews to the wrong hotel. Nope I left your establishment this morning (225 Edgware Rd,...