Shakespeare Hotel London, Paddington — Hotel in London

Bear in mind, you get what you pay for. That said, the Shakespeare Hotel on picturesque Norfolk Square is my go-to choice for an overnight stay in London before heading home to the U.S. and probable one of the better hotels on the square. The rooms are affordable if you're on a budget, compared to other London lodges.

About my single room in the Shakespeare: It was spartan but functional, and the room was spotlessly clean and tidy. The room (No. 344, if you're curious) had a hair dryer, an extra blanket and pillow, a place to hang clothes, a mirror, a TV, a kettle with tea and a mini-fridge.

There was a small window, the bathroom was tiny, but if you're only spending a night there, as I do, that's all you need. I'm traveling as a single man. I'm 6-foot-4 and fairly broad, so the shower required some maneuvering to be able to wash adequately. If you're just looking for more than an overnight stay or a couple of nights in London, they might become frustrating.

Longer than that and you may begin to feel a little claustrophobic, depending on your tolerance for slightly confining spaces.

Even on the third floor, you will hear the rumble of underground trains, which I find comforting. Earplugs and an eye mask are a necessity.

The hotel is a short walk from Paddington Station, so with easy access to national rail, the Heathrow Express train to and from Britain's largest airport and the Tube. It's a short walk to Hyde Park. While not the most salubrious area of London, convenient access to the underground means only a short trip to the Big Smoke's tourist attractions (you're gonna have to use the Tube anyway to get around).

The hotel doesn't have an elevator, so accessibility could be an issue if you're unable to climb stairs.

I should note that heat was an issue. It was fairly warm in my third-floor room. There's no air conditioning except for the small gap in the window. There was a fan that I jerry-rigged to air draw in through the window. But still, it was a fairly warm night. So do bear that in mind, depending on when you travel. For winter, there's a radiator in the room. When I was there in February, in a different room across the hall, I don't recall any issues with temperature.

If you need a few supplies, there are plenty of small convenience shops in the area, especially at Paddington Station (a Sainsbury and Marks and Spencer express and W.H. Smiths). There is a 24-hour Budgens on Praed Street, close to the London Street intersection.

In the mood for a good cheap breakfast? Head to Raffles, a cafe just a short walk along east along Praed Street, on the south side of the road. Order the Raffles if you want a cheap English breakfast, or the Big Ben for something more substantial. The cafe is a good place to sit, order a tea, and watch the world go by (say while writing a review).

The area has a good selection of shitty tourist shops, restaurants with a variety of cuisines and pubs.

As far as I could establish, Shakespeare was not...

We booked a triple room for 3 nights / 3 persons: the two of us (couple) and our 13-year-old daughter, to visit London. The hotel staff is generally very attentive, helpful, and pleasant. We thank them again for their kindness. Unfortunately, the comfort was catastrophic, which spoiled everything: The room we booked (number 413, which we will remember for a long time) is at the very top of the hotel, on the 4th floor, with no elevator! To access this room, you have to climb a steep staircase which becomes so steep when you reach the top two floors that you feel like you have to climb a ladder to get to the 4th floor! When we returned to the hotel at the end of each day, tired after our visits to London, it was still a real mountaineering exercise to get to this room. Upon arrival, we asked the hotel reception to please move us to a more decent room as one of us has difficulty walking, but this was refused, as the receptionist told us that the hotel was full. However, we had paid for our reservation in full (without a deposit) more than a month before our arrival. Every evening, before going out to dinner, my wife and daughter were waiting for me in the hotel lobby while I went to put away our day's things in this room that was so difficult to access. So my wife and daughter only went up to this room to sleep. Furthermore, this “triple room” itself is tiny, both in terms of its surface area and its 3 separate single beds which are as narrow as beds in boarding school dormitories. Really not great for a couple with a 13 year old child, all this for a cost of £490,30 i.e approx. € 575 in this room for 3 nights. The exact location of the rooms in this hotel is not indicated when booking. If we could have known the location of the room before arriving, we would never have booked this hotel. We left London feeling nostalgic to say goodbye to this beautiful capital where we had seen so much, but relieved to leave the “Shakespeare Hotel”, despite the kindness of most of its staff. We suggest renaming this hotel with a new name. For example, "Endless Staircase Hotel" or "First-Row Mountaineers Hotel" or even "Everest Hotel" would be much more appropriate names. Tireless sports enthusiasts, this...

I recently had the unfortunate opportunity to stay at Shakespeare Hotel London, Paddington, and I must say it was a truly dreadful experience. From the moment I stepped into the room, it became abundantly clear that this establishment lacked even the most basic standards of cleanliness and hospitality.

First and foremost, my room was infested with bed bugs. I discovered these unwelcome companions only on my last day (I was there for two nights), when I found myself covered in itchy, red welts. It goes without saying that this was an unacceptable and unsanitary situation.

As if that weren't enough, the state of the towels and bed sheets was appalling. Not only were they clearly unwashed, but they were also stained with what appeared to be blood. I can't begin to describe the revulsion I felt upon discovering these unsightly marks. It was clear that the hotel's housekeeping staff had neglected their duties entirely.

The breakfast offered by the hotel was nothing short of a disaster. The options were limited, and the quality of the food was abysmal. The tasteless, rubbery eggs were the epitome of disappointment. To add insult to injury, the hotel had the audacity to charge a fee for a simple fried egg. It's beyond comprehension how a basic breakfast staple could warrant such a ridiculous charge.

To make matters worse, when I approached the hotel staff to express my dissatisfaction and concern about the bed bugs and unclean linens, their response was shockingly rude. Instead of showing empathy or taking immediate action to rectify the situation, they dismissed my complaints and made me feel like an inconvenience. It was an appalling display of unprofessionalism and a complete disregard for customer service.

All in all, my experience at Shakespeare Hotel London, Paddington, was an absolute nightmare. The combination of bed bugs, unwashed linens, subpar breakfast, and the rude staff left me feeling utterly disgusted and disheartened. I would strongly advise anyone considering a stay at this hotel to look elsewhere for accommodation, as the sheer lack of cleanliness, quality, and basic courtesy is...