The Wellesley Knightsbridge, a Luxury Collection Hotel, London — Hotel in London

Don’t stay here unless you’re a Saudi royal or descendant of an Arab Sheikh! The staff seem to bend over backwards to cater to the Arab clientele, but unfortunately our experience was quite the opposite. If you’re used to getting showered with benefits due to your Marriott Elite status, do yourself a favor and stay at a different t hotel. Here’s a summary of my two day stay at the Wellesley Knightsbridge in London. I chose the complimentary breakfast instead of points (Titanium Elite benefit) and was told for £5 pound add-on charge for the English breakfast. It feels cheap to ask for £5 at a luxury hotel for breakfast when offering free breakfast to Elite members. Made me feel like I’m checking in to a hostel rather than a top category Marriott hotel. When early check-in was not possible, I was told to “spend time at Hyde park while the room is being prepared.” Normally, at luxury hotels, it’s customary to offer credit at the bar, restaurant, or breakfast which is welcoming and makes you feel appreciated as a Titanium Elite customer while the room is being cleaned. What is the point of the hotel inquiring about arrival time beforehand, if no arrangements have been made in advance to accommodate Elite tier customers? Not even a bottle of water was offered upon check-in. I’ve stayed at St Regis and Ritz Carlton properties in the past, and while the Wellesley is in the same category, unfortunately my experience was not comparable. The check-in process was long and no information about the hotel was given. After waiting some time to hear back from the manager upon inquiring about a suite upgrade, I was told they would “give me a deal and I would pay £600 per night to upgrade.” Again, as a Titanium Elite member I’d rather hear no suite upgrade is available, as opposed to we have availability but you have to pay £1200 to upgrade for both nights. What’s the point of having an Elite membership, if it comes with no perks at the Wellesley? The room (305) was the most disappointing and saddest room I’ve ever stayed at. Felt crammed and like a prison cell-the door to the balcony was locked with a wire, and when asked the front desk why I cannot access the balcony, I was told “your room doesn’t have access to the balcony, the suite next door has balcony access and to make sure the suite has a private balcony we have locked the balcony door in your room.” What’s the point of having a balcony if you can’t access it. And the fake greenery in the balcony is off-putting for a hotel of this caliber. I had to ask the front desk lady if there’s a gym, lounge, which finally prompted her to give us a tour of the hotel. It made me feel as if they wanted us to just go to our room and get the whole check-in over with. I inquired about a late checkout, I was told to check in on my departure date. Again no attempt was made to accommodate an Elite Titanium member. I had to change my plans in case a late checkout was not offered. Again, this is not the experience Elite Marriott members seek when they book hotels. Finally, upon posting this review as part of the hotel survey, the hotel contacted me and basically told me to book again with them and they make sure the items mentioned above are taken care of next time. Like if you go to a hotel once and spend a lot of money/points and have a terrible experience, what incentive are you providing to the guest to stay at your hotel again. I would not recommend this hotel at all to anyone due to their poor...

This hotel transports you back in time to the art deco era. This small, elegant hotel exudes charm and personalized service. The decor and level of service reminded me of a very small st Regis. ||Since it is so small, the wellesley definitely does have a couple of drawbacks which may be deal breakers for you. 1. No fitness center. 2. No concierge lounge 3. No buffet breakfast 4. Virtually no drawer space in the room. ||Although I enjoyed our stay, we stayed here for 5 nights and I would have liked to unpack. The lack of drawer space made this impossible so we had to live out of our suitcases during our stay. My wife has ambassador status with Marriott and we were upgraded to an executive room but the storage was sadly lacking for 5 nights. Our son was in an entry level room with the same lack of drawer space. It would have made our stay much more enjoyable to have been upgraded to a larger room with adequate drawer space. The website showed that suites were available for our 5 night stay but I suppose management hoped to book these. The hotel is quite small but we rarely encountered any other guest during our stay. It is a bit annoying to spend over 100 nights at Marriott properties each year but not get upgraded to the best room available. ||Positives |The hotel is very easy to get to from Heathrow. Simply take the Piccadilly line and get off at Hyde park corner. There is an escalator and then a ramp up to the street. Use exit 3/4 and the hotel entrance is about 50 steps on your left||Every room has a butler. Arrange for a wake up call and your butler will bring you complementary coffee with some small cookies. I enjoyed this leisurely way to start each day||We love to walk in London and the hotel is well located within a half hour walk of many top London destinations. The hotel also has a complementary car service. Their BMW will drop you anywhere within a mile radius of the hotel (1st come first served)||As ambassador, we opted for the free daily breakfast. You will receive a complementary continental breakfast that includes 2 of the best warm croissant I have ever had. You can swap the continental breakfast for another menu option such as full English breakfast, French toast, or omelet for an up charge of 8 pounds. ||Complementary daily newspapers were available in the breakfast room as well||On previous London visits, we have stayed at the Sheraton grand, county hall, Grosvenor house, and st ermin’s. The Wellesley is definitely the most luxurious experience but the small size of the hotel poses the drawbacks I have mentioned. ||If you will only stay a day or 2, you may want to experience the Wellesley but for longer stays, a larger full service hotel may be a...

Unpleasant Experience at The Wellesley

On 1/01/2025 at 11:45 PM, I came to The Wellesley intending to spend some time alone in the hotel bar, a place I’ve always trusted for its safety and excellent service. In the past, I’ve had wonderful experiences with the bar staff inside the hotel, who treated me with professionalism and respect. Unfortunately, this visit was completely different and deeply disappointing.

When I arrived, Bobby, the doorman, informed me that he needed to check with the bar about availability. He asked me to wait outside in the cold weather while he did so. After some time, he returned and said there was no space and that I would need to wait 45 minutes. When I asked where I should wait, he simply said, “Go and come back.” This response was dismissive, unhelpful, and far below the standards I have come to expect as a loyal guest.

Unlike my previous visits, when such matters would have been handled by courteous staff inside the hotel, I was left standing outside in full view of other guests entering and leaving the bar. This made me feel embarrassed and unwelcome.

After waiting and returning an hour later, Bobby told me to “come back tomorrow.” When I pointed out that I could see people leaving the bar, suggesting space was becoming available, he dismissed me with a smile and an unprofessional attitude, saying the bar manager was too busy to address me and that I would not be allowed in.

When I asked repeatedly for the name of the bar manager, Bobby initially refused to provide it. After much insistence, he finally gave me the name (Daniel) and a general hotel business card. I left feeling shocked and disrespected that I had to go to such lengths for such basic information.

This entire experience was completely unacceptable. In the past, even if the bar was full, the staff inside the hotel would handle the situation politely and respectfully. Bobby’s behavior wasted my time, left me standing outside in the cold, and ruined what I had planned to be a safe and enjoyable evening in a trusted environment.

I have always praised The Wellesley as a peaceful and welcoming place, and many of my friends agree. Sadly, this experience does not reflect the high standards I associate with your hotel.

I urge you to address this issue with the staff involved and ensure that future guests are treated with the respect and courtesy they deserve. While this experience was disheartening, I still believe in the quality of The Wellesley and hope to see improvements...