The Langham, London — Hotel in London

I hope I read more of the negative reviews before booking this hotel, because I find what they have been saying to be mostly true. I have stayed at The Langham in NYC before multiple times previously, and I find the London location to be a different experiences, and not up to par with the NYC location.

The biggest issue with this hotel is the service. Which is the result of management not keeping standards. Or management simply needs to pay more to hire higher quality staff. I’ve read multiple reviews from 2 years ago complaining about the door men not doing their jobs, and I am still observing this today. I saw four doormen gathered in the small lobby chatting animatedly, not helping a couple with a stroller, obstructing guests. Other times they are just standing around while some guests could have obviously used the help, for example they could have helped this older couple open the door. I also observed doormen using the phone, which could be company communication, I give them the benefit of the doubt. But they should do it out of sight of guests at best, and not to be obstructive at least. Instead I saw two quite large doormen do this right by the door, and guests had to walk around them getting into the restaurant. Please have some basic situational awareness, and if possible , and try to be proactive.

There are more example with service. But the thing is, I feel like some of the staff are simply not qualified for their jobs and have a bad attitude. But this is again perhaps on management not giving them all the tools to be successful and providing a positive work environment. And management needs to be better job hiring. The service and hospitality industry is a tough business, and I think some of the staff are simply not cut out for it. For example having situational awareness.

I actually spoke about my concerns with a member of staff, and all he did was interrupt me with excuses. And when I asked him if I could finish, he replied, no it is in my nature to speak, I have to speak. Which is fine, but you are paid here to do a job, and that job is not to argue with a guest. I’ve worked in the service industry before, and many a times I wanted to explain myself. But I held off. Because it is my job to listen and to help. I’ll vent in my off time, but not face to face with a guest. Again, if that is in his nature to argue, perhaps the hospitality industry just isn’t for him. But he may be successful in other industries. So I see this as a hiring and training issue.

There are also issues with facility maintenance. Broken wall paneling and dirty carpets.

All in all, the service at this hotel is very, very subpar. Not even to 5 stars, but any hospitality or service. Worse attitude than 3 star inns and a very busy Starbucks. I wish I was exaggerating. Completely unacceptable.

I gave this review 3 stars still because the range of services offered is good and the facilities are good, could be better maintained but good. But that is to the merit of head office and not this location’s management.

But again, I am probably talking to the wind. A good management team would read their reviews, especially when I am trying to be constructive, and I don’t think this team would. It truly is unfortunate to have a beautiful hotel at a wonderful location...

The Langham Hotel has long been synonymous with luxury, but my recent stay revealed several disappointing changes that fall short of its renowned reputation.||Firstly, the term "complimentary" feels misleading. If one has paid for the Club Lounge rate, the so-called complimentary elements are, in reality, simply included in the price of the room. This terminology feels disingenuous and detracts from the overall experience.||The most disappointing aspect of my stay was the reduced hours of the Club Lounge. Prior to COVID, the lounge stayed open until, I believe 10.30pm which is a far cry from the midnight closure of yesteryear—which was a wonderful feature for late-night relaxation. Now, however, it closes at 9 PM, which is a significant downgrade. The early closure is not only disappointing but also poorly communicated. For example, I witnessed a young lady at the reception desk inform guests at 8:53 PM that the lounge was closed. This was confusing because the hotel's timing details state that alcoholic refreshments are available from 12–9 PM. Based on this, one would reasonably assume that drinks are served up to and until 9 PM, rather than the lounge closing abruptly at that time. Clarification is sorely needed to avoid such misunderstandings.||Another area that has notably declined is the quality of the hors-d'œuvre /canapés. Previously, the selection included a decent range of sandwiches that, while not exceptional, were far superior to what is now served. The current offering is lacklustre, with odd choices such as soup included. How does soup pair well with a glass of Taittinger champagne or a cocktail? The sophistication once associated with the canapés has sadly diminished, leaving me unimpressed.||Additionally, I find it perplexing that a 5-star hotel does not serve champagne, prosecco, or cava at breakfast. Instead, alcoholic refreshments are restricted to the 12–9 PM timeframe, which further diminishes the sense of indulgence and flexibility one would expect from a hotel of this calibre.||Overall, while The Langham maintains its aura of elegance, these changes in service and standards do not align with its reputation. If the hotel wishes to justify its premium pricing, it must revisit these aspects to ensure that long-standing patrons continue to feel valued and...

This hotel remains one of our favorites in London due to its location, nice rooms and facilities. I've stayed here numerous times so you can see prior reviews. I like the corner executive rooms with a connecting room. The beds are super comfy and the room is bright during the day when the sun shines with lots of windows. This time the pool was under renovation so we were sent to the Third Space gym about 8 minutes walk away. The hotel gym and spa areas are good. They normally close the pool around 9 and I wish they would keep it open later. We like the lobby breakfast although certain items such as cream cheese belong on the buffet and shouldn't have to be ordered (and waited for). We had club lounge access and it's at its best for lunch and early dinner. We wish it were open past 9 because every time we came back hungry after theater there was nothing to eat in the lounge or in our room. I asked the hotel to put something in our room for late night arrival after a long flight from the Middle East and they referred me to the room service menu and the minibar in the room. I had to run around at 11 at night going out for food with my hungry kid ten minutes walk away to places that were open. I was pretty upset because good hotels put some treats in your room when you were spending over $2,000 a night to be there. I hate it when hotels send you a note pre-arrival "what can we do to make your arrival fantastic" and it translates only as "what can we do to upcharge you?" This hotel is a good one but it has that large impersonal feeling and I can't really say that they go out of their way to look after their guests. Now that you can ride the Elizabeth line into central London and go to Bond Street station 2 blocks from Claridges, a hotel that has recently upgraded a lot of its facilities, I'd give that place a second look on my next trip to London. They do look after their guests there. Sure, I provided feedback about my visit and got lots of apologies afterward, but I am much more impressed with how things work when I am there as opposed to letters that arrive after I've left. London has a lot of 5-star hotel rooms coming on line, to the point of a glut, and the Langham needs to work harder to maintain its stars with its guests because its peers...