THE HOTEL
Following a major refurbishment, this dual-branded Accor hotel opened in summer 2024. The 12-storey property has 226 three-star Ibis rooms on the lower floors and 282 four-star Mercure rooms from the 7th floor and upwards, sharing a lobby and other facilities. The hotel is five minutes’ walk from West Brompton Station and nine minutes from Earl’s Court Station.
THE CHECK-IN
Don’t be put off by the unappealing concrete exterior. Once through the revolving doors there’s a nicely-lit, buzzy, circular lobby lounge, with quirky art, a 24/7 café, and discreet check-in area where staff greet you at low level tables. It was peak check-in time but the queue moved quickly.
THE ROOM
The Mercure rooms have a ‘Layers of Time’ theme, inspired by the tardis of Doctor Who, which stands in front of the nearby Earl’s Court Station. Four-star frills include a 55inch flat-screen Chromecast TV (19 inch in the Ibis rooms), Nespresso machine, kettle, bathrobe and slippers, hair dryer, ironing board and flat-iron, a large safe and a decent-sized desk. Power points are well positioned. Ibis rooms are similar but with less frills.
THE BUSINESS
The ballroom (1,200 theatre-style, 800 seated for gala dinners) and five smaller, flexible meeting rooms have a separate outside entrance, or via the lobby, and have the latest tech and natural daylight
THE FACILITIES
Don’t miss Barnaby’s, a relaxed first-floor, zoned restaurant serving international and British favourites for reasonable prices (fish and chips £17.50 and vegan or chicken curry with naan and poppadums £16.50). Bikash and his team looked after us well. We had held an awards event in Barnaby’s a few weeks earlier and the service was equally as excellent. Breakfast is served in a large space on the same floor and was super busy, with guests spilling out to a seating area outside. The buffet had all the basics and more – not just scrambled eggs but fried and boiled too. There’s indoor parking (£25 a day) and the lobby café with daily specials and ice cream counter. There’s no gym.
THE VERDICT
A good, solid business hotel where staff go the extra mile to cope with the large number of guests. The dual brand makes it ideal for groups.
THE DETAILS
Classic Double Rooms from £149 per night, room only, and £109 at the Ibis.
