(America) – Park Plaza Riverside
I’d booked lunch for Val and me at the Savoy Grill and the day after I’d booked it, by coincidence, I received an email from Club Carlson – the Park Plaza and Radisson loyalty club – advising that I had a bucketload of points that were about to expire. Just enough points for an overnight stay.
It all sounded like a cunning plan. I booked valet parking (£35) we dropped the car off and left our overnight bag with the concierge – at the Park Plaza Westminster.
I’d thought I’d booked the night there, and only learned of my error when I later tried to check in, I’d booked us into the Park Plaza Riverfront.
Five minutes in a cab and we were at a different Park Plaza hotel, the Park Plaza Riverfront, a mile or so west of Westminster, on the way towards Vauxhall.
Check in was efficient and courteous, we were offered breakfast for an extra twelve quid each which sounded reasonable so we booked it.
Our room was 301, on the third floor, and on looking out was revealed to be about twenty feet from the railway tracks heading into and out of Waterloo; trains went past every minute or so. Thankfully the room was well soundproofed, and I know we weren’t paying, but it was less than glamorous.
Rooms at the front of the hotel overlook the Thames, opposite Millbank Tower, at a premium.
That said, the room was reasonably spacious and comfortable rather than luxurious. Frankly a little tired, but well equipped, with a large ‘power’ TV, minibar, tea & coffee making facilities, hair-dryer, safe, iron and ironing board. The bathroom had both a bath and separate shower cubicle, and ‘Elemis’ toiletries.
There’s free WiFi, limited to 1Mb/S, faster access is available, at a price.
On the ground floor, outside, there are garden seats (for smokers), while inside there’s a large, if fashionably dark, bar and a restaurant that claims to be ‘Pan Asian with a Latin cocktail bar‘.
Well THAT certainly covers all the bases. We didn’t try either, having enjoyed the aforementioned Savoy Grill lunch earlier in the day.
On unpacking, Val realised that she hadn’t packed a hairbrush or comb; a quick call to housekeeping and we had a comb, and additional pillows, delivered to our room.
Breakfast on Sunday morning was served in a large, low ceilinged room on the first underground level, there was a reasonable spread of cereals, pastries, cold cuts and the ‘full English’ serve yourself buffet. We went down at nine on a Sunday morning and everything was being replenished frequently – breakfast is served daily until eleven.
Breakfast wouldn’t set the world aflame, but it was reasonable value for money; I’ve enjoyed better, I’ve suffered many worse.
I should give a special mention for London Central Parking and Car Spa Logistics who brought our car to the correct hotel, having left it at the Park Plaza Westminster. I expected things to get complicated but was pleasantly surprised to get the call that the car was waiting for us downstairs at the Park Plaza Riverside.
So, all in all a reasonable hotel, in a reasonable location.
Nothing to really complain about, but nothing worth writing home about.
Rating: 
