Lost Property St Paul's London - Curio Collection by Hilton — Hotel in London

THE HOTEL THAT MADE ME GIVE UP HILTON DIAMOND STATUS Lost Property at St. Paul’s, Curio Collection by Hilton

Lost Property St. Paul's, only about a year old, already has received many rave five-star reviews. This was the main reason why I chose it for our four-night stay in London in early August 2023.

Perhaps my cab driver took us to the wrong Lost Property, as our experience was quite a bit different.

I guess I should have read the Daily Mail travel review of July 26, 2023, just a few days before we arrived, in which that English newspaper's "Hotel Inspector" called the rooms here "grim" and rated the hotel only one star. I do think that's going a bit too far. For me, the reality was somewhere in between one and five. Let's call it three.

Checking in, we found our first floor room "London Regular Small." Now I know London rooms are rather on the small side, so I was prepared for that, having to walk sideways to get by the bed to the bath, for example, but not for a few other things. For a "premium" category property, where when we booked most rooms were asking 400 pounds a night or more, this was somewhat too close to being "grim," at least on a per-pound basis.

The worst was that there were no windows. To be more precise, there were windows but you couldn't see out of them. They were so heavily frosted, or painted, that we had no real natural light. We couldn't tell whether outside it was rain or sunshine. I learned later that most of the rooms in Lost Property have these frosted windows. Why?! But the real design flaw of the room was lack of storage. There was no dresser or bureau, and only a few small drawers. No place to put suitcases, and few places to put what was in our luggage. A couple of weeks later, we stayed in a standard balcony cabin on Cunard's Queen Mary 2, in a state room about the same size as our room at Lost Property, but on the ship we were able to put away two large suitcases of clothes and other items, with plenty of room to stow our empty luggage, souvenirs, formal wear for gala nights and so on. Now that interior designer knew how to use a small space efficiently!

Not to be unfair, there were some good things about this Curio Collection property. If you want to be in The City, the Central London location is very good, a short walk from St. Paul's. The art glass in the public spaces is striking. The buffet breakfasts (included for certain loyalty level members, otherwise I think around 25 pounds), is excellent, and the French Press coffee definitely deserves five stars. The bar, which shares space with the breakfast room and restaurant, can make a good gin and tonic. Most of the staff is friendly and cheerful, and thanks to Brooks’ intervention, one of the front desk people eventually moved us to a different room, one floor up – the same small size with little space for our clothes and such, but at least it had windows you could actually see out of.

However, overall this experience was the last straw in my decision to switch my hotel loyalty from Hilton to another international hotel brand (one that starts with H or M), despite the fact that I have been a Hilton Diamond for a 10 years or so and over the years have stayed in many, many Hilton branded properties, many of them excellent. "If they are now treating Diamond and Gold members like this," I thought, "how do they treat a regular mate who only stays at Hilton properties occasionally?"

I just canceled my Hilton Amex Aspire card that automatically provides Diamond status. I still am Hilton Gold, which gives me some benefits of Diamond such as included breakfast at most properties.

So, welcome to London and...

I recently stayed at the Hilton London St. Paul’s and overall, it was a pleasant experience with a few quirks that stood out. Let’s dive into the details!

Rooms: Quite the treat for the eyes! They're well-appointed, with a design that's both modern and cozy. The beds? Big and oh, so comfortable! And the lighting strikes the perfect balance, making it easy to switch from a relaxed vibe to a room bathed with light (e.g. for putting together outfits, or doing some work). However, there's a catch – the big French doors and windows don’t open, even in rooms with balconies. Talk about a tease! It’s also worth mentioning that many of the rooms have frosted glass. I get the privacy angle, but it can feel a bit like being stuck in a bathroom - and I'm not about claustrophobia, so I asked them to change our room immediately! Thankfully they accomodated this with no hassle.

The Bar/Restaurant: This spot is a gem! Whether you're looking to dine or just sip on a drink, the atmosphere is lovely. My favourite feature has to be the big table with bar stools – perfect for getting some work done in a relaxed setting. It’s a blend of productivity and leisure that I really appreciated.

The Reception Area: This part of the hotel felt a bit pokey to me. Walking down a narrow corridor to the lifts isn’t the most welcoming experience. I understand space might be limited due to the building's size, but did they really need a coffee shop at the front? Especially when the area is brimming with great cafes. It feels like a missed opportunity to create a more spacious and inviting reception.

Location, Location, Location: Now, this is where the Hilton London St. Paul’s truly shines. The views of St. Paul’s Cathedral are stunning, and you’re just a two-minute walk from the tube station. Plus, you have easy access to bridges that take you over to the Southbank, Tate Modern, Borough Market, and so much more. It’s a fantastic base for exploring London.

Would I Stay Again?: Yes, I would. But I have to say, I prefer the vibe at their sister hotel, Hilton Hart Shoreditch. It just has a feel and practicality that resonates more with me.

In summary, Hilton London St. Paul’s has its charms and a few areas for improvement. If location and design are high on your priority list, you’ll likely enjoy...

I recently spent 8 days at the Lost Property St Paul’s during my stay in London and I am so happy I chose this hotel. Gideon at the reception welcomed us with a big smile when we arrived. He also informed us of all the amenities the hotel offers. I knew at that moment I had made the right choice by staying at this hotel. I don’t think you can get a better central location in London. The hotel is located a minute walk from St Paul’s Cathedral, 5 minutes walk from the Millennium Bridge and right at the end of the bridge you will find Tate Modern, Shakespeare’s Globe. You are also a five minutes walk from Blackfriars and St Paul’s Stations making most of the London’s attractions a very short commute. There are also many restaurants, shops including Zara close by. Beautiful hotel with some very nice artworks throughout. I booked an accessible room because that was the one one available. It was immaculately clean, spacious with a great view of the St Paul’s dome. Even though our room was located close to the elevator, it was very quiet, serviced every day during our stay. 2 bottles of water were also provided each day. Quercus bath and shower gel, shampoo/conditioner and lotion are also provided. The only thing I would say they need to provide more storage space in the rooms. There was no ironing board and iron in my room but that was not an issue. Call the reception desk and they will gladly bring them to your room. I didn’t have time to use the gym but I stopped by one day and I can say it’s extremely clean and has quite a bit of exercise equipments for a full workout. Excellent breakfast! Huge thank you to Rafael for taking care of us during breakfast while our stay there. It was such a pleasure to talk to him in the morning and by the end of our stay he knew exactly what we wanted to order. We had dinner at their restaurant Found (which is where breakfast is served) and went to the bar a few times while we were there where Irene and Gavin took care of us. Princess at the front desk always with a smile and recommended a few places for shopping. Last but not least, a huge thank you to Gideon and the excellent service he provided to us during our stay at the Lost Property St Paul adding to our memorable time for our first...