Hilton London Paddington Hotel

The place has gone down hill since a few years ago. Not sure if this is a Hilton thing or just the location. Poor sound proofing, equipment in room not working, heat and AC not working, rooms not properly stocked on arrival or erratically stocked with each day’s housekeeping. The staff are pleasant and try their best but there seems to be a systemic issue.

I can’t believe this is a 4 star hotel. There are better 2 star hotels that I have stayed in. This place is costly and is definitely not worth the price. It’s closest proximity to the paddington station is one big advantage though.
I forgot to request an early check-​in, and I arrived there at 8 AM. I was being «helped» by a Ms. Sarah Ali. I told her that any room would suffice as long as I can check. She was very «inefficient» in finding a room and kept telling me to check-​in with her after every 30 mins. After about 1.5 of waiting and dealing with Ms. Ali, i decided to consult with another attendant (i think she was from eastern europe), and she was able to look up her system and find a handicap access room for me immediately.
so good and bad experience as far as check-​in is concerned.
their breakfast buffet is super expensive and they don’t even have that big a spread.
Highly recommend booking this in priceline or some other website to get economy pricing.

By far the most impressive thing about this hotel is its location. Thanks to the 15 – 20 minute ride on the Heathrow Express, it took me less time to get here from Heathrow than it usually takes me to get to an airport hotel by shuttle (if I could I’d write another raving review about the Heathrow Express – it took me all of 5 minutes to download the app and purchase my round-​trip e-​ticket).
To get to the hotel, you can literally walk off your train and into the hotel lobby. Of course the signage wasn’t clear so I walked clear out to the street first.
From Paddington Station, you can get pretty much anywhere in London via Underground. Being my first time in London I was a little confused at first, but within a few minutes I had my Oyster Card and was riding the tube like I was at home (luckily, being trained in the first and worst subway system in the world in New York acclimated me to just about any other system).
So the location is great. Now about the hotel.
I arrived on a Sunday afternoon; my business meetings had not yet started so I was in still excited tourist mode. As I checked in, the fellow at the front desk was, shall we say, not the paragon of British hospitality. Not that he was outright nasty, but he had a lackadaisical way about him. No «welcome to London», no smile, and several times when I was in the middle of talking with him he would answer questions from people behind me without so much of a «pardon me» or «sorry». I asked him if there were any rooms with views and he sort of rolled his eyes at me. I wasn’t sure if this was the norm in London, but I would have expected a little more of a friendly welcome.
I asked for a room on the top floor (what could go wrong?) and he obliged. When I went to check out the view, I saw a black wall. If you look at photos of the Paddington Hilton, you’ll see why this is. I read someone else refer to these as the Cinderella rooms – for me it was more like being locked in the Tower of London. The hotel does date back to 1854 and from what I can gather the wall hasn’t been cleaned since then – there’s some fuzzy white mold that probably dates back to Queen Victoria.
The room itself was tiny and just felt old. I mean there was literally space for a double bed and a desk, but that was about it. I hear this is typical for Europe, but for the price I paid and the number of stars this hotel is rated as, I would have expected a little more (and I got it down the street at the Novotel). The corridors on the sixth floor is a bit of a confusing maze, I saw other residents of this floor wandering around aimlessly trying to navigate just as I was. A bit of clearer signage might do them some good.
I’ve seen other reviews about the toilet (sorry, the loo), which also seem to date back to the days of Thomas Crapper. It had an odd, deep shape and flushing using the large handle on the wall yields a enormous wave, followed by an eerie moaning sound like the ghosts of poo poos past.
The shower also seemed «historic». You pressed a button to turn the knob, but the button had fallen completely out so it took me a while to figure out how to shut it off. The housekeeping didn’t provide soap on my second night, so I had to call for it. The stopper for the bath was lying separate from the drain.
On a more positive note, I did appreciate the two complimentary water bottles and the complimentary WiFi. And being next to Paddington Station, they do sell cute Paddingtons at the front desk for charity (you can also go to the Paddington toy store just outside). And I enjoyed my room service fish and chips much more than I thought I would.
But overall I found it disappointing, especially compared to the «Tale of Two Cities» experience I had at the Novotel down the street.

As far as location goes, you cant beat it. Especially if it’s the end of your trip and you are leaving London on the Heathrow Express. Other than that… meh. When we got there, they were so inattentive with my bags they lost my jacket (35 quid later I bought a replacement — thanks a lot fellas, appreciate that welcome). We get a decent room because I’m Diamond with Hilton but it wasnt overly impressive. The Executive Lounge was small and not well stocked at all. If you want a beer at night I hope you like Stella! It seemed like the staff couldnt be bothered to be over courteous or helpful — they also gave me VERY wrong directions to Nandos which cost me a 15 pound cab ride and in all actuality it was one tube stop over. Again, thanks a lot fellas.
Like I said, the location next to the station cant be beat but I would stay at the Double Tree Hyde Park (assuming you’re brand loyal) if I’m choosing a hotel in the area next time.

I stayed here for an entire week with one of my good friends and was very pleased! The location was great! Paddington Station was a couple feet away which was really convenient. There was also lots of places to eat nearyby and just a short walking distance to Hyde Park which was also very nice.
The hotel staff was welcoming and very friendly! We did ask for two twin beds in our room and received a room with one queen bed and a roll in twin bed. We were a little surprised by this but both beds were totally comfortable so we were ok. The room and bathroom were very clean but nothing too fancy.
The complimentary breakfast was fantastic! There was a little bit of everything you could possibly want and the staff was great at cleaning your plates away and getting you coffee or tea!
Overall my experience here was great and would recommend it to anyone staying in London!

Great location within Paddington Station. Nice hotel. Decent size rooms. A lot of restaurants and cafes close by. Definitely would stay again.

Pretty bad service overall and the people working there were quick to get angry or ignore you.
Breakfast:
Sat at a table, asked someone in waitstaff if I could get coffee, I was ignored twice.
Lounge:
Brought in fish and chips while meeting with friends in the lounge, I didn’t know there was a rule against this. The Server stared me down in and aggressively told me «no outside food» everyone at the table was shocked as to how much anger he showed toward me.
The Room:
Pubic Hairs left in bath-​tub before I checked in. No view, Wi-​Fi cuts of CONSTANTLY!
Check-​Out:
There computers were down so they asked me to sign my name and leave my email and they’d email me my receipt. Never received the receipt, so I called the next day and they hung-​up on me twice so far, still trying to get it.

Only stayed here a few night.
I like the location, close to Hyde Park and its next to Paddington Station which was helpful since you can hop on a train to the airport and save a lot of taxi fare.
The rooms are newly renovate and were clean.
we got there late and the kitchen was already closed but the chef still make a burger for my 7 year old. Was eternally grateful for that.

Note: I did not stay at this hotel!
I went for breakfast with two family members who were staying in the hotel. The breakfast was terrible. While the spread for the buffet is very good (although not very intuitively organised) I decided I wanted pancakes off the menu.
First problem, after I got them and was unhappy with them they told me I could make my own at the buffet, which would have been included with my family’s room… I never saw a pancake maker or would certainly have done that instead. Again, not well organised as I went up to get multiple things and did not once see this pancake making machine.
Ordering the pancakes was interesting, as when I asked a waitress if she could take my order she said she had to ask her colleague how to do that. Her colleague seemed just as confused when I placed my order…
When I got the pancakes they were absolutely drenched in some kind of berry purée. Like completely soaked through. I am not a huge fan of fruit jam or purée on my pancakes in general but a little is fine. This was an absurd amount. I even looked at the menu again to see if it said anything about that and all it said was «topped with fruit from the forest». In my opinion that meant it had fruit on top of it…
When one of the confused waitresses came over and asked how it was I said that it was way too much fruit purée and she just kind of stared at me so I went on and said that the pancakes were basically mush at the bottom to which she replied, «Oh, would you like more syrup with that then?» What? I just gave her a very confused look and said, «No thank you».
My family was going to ask for them to remove the charge from their room bill as the food I got was almost inedible but when we brought it up the waitresses were immensely confused.
Oh also, before I even got my breakfast they told us they were closing soon but that we didn’t have to hurry up. Then why did you make sure to tell us that?
Overall, a terrible experience eating here.

I want to give 3.5 stars. Everything is great about the hotel. Location is perfect, right next to the major train station so lots of options for eating and a couple grocery stores for grab and gos. The staff is super friendly and the doorman was spot on with his food recommendations. The rooms are small but that is very typical for Europe. The reasons it gets 3.5 stars is because the beds are extremely stiff. If your looking for that then maybe this would be 5 stars for you.

For London you can’t beat this location. Its not the nicest Hilton in the world, nor in London but if you are looking for something close to the train station you can’t get any closer. Its literally right on top of it.
There are also a good variety of tasty restaurants in walking distance all around the hotel. The rooms are old but have been updated in the last few years. There are sometimes false fire alarms and such but its part of the charm.
The room service here is actually pretty good and I usually get it the first night I am there after flying in while recovering from jet-​lag. This location can be more expensive than other Hilton given its location and demand and if you are looking for more competitive rates there is a the Metropole down the road.

After traveling around the UK for a week, my boyfriend and I were looking for something clean and convenient for the last few nights of our trip. The location was amazing for 2 tired travelers and the girl at the front desk was helpful.
We got musical tickets through the concierge and asked him for dinner recommendations. It was 5 o’clock and we were starving after being on the train all day. He very rudely told us that there were «no restaurants open till 6 pm because that is the appropriate dinner time in London». When we walked out of the hotel we found 2 dozen restaurants all open within a block. He was short with us and all the information was incorrect; it almost ruined our night.
There was an alarm in the middle of the night that sounded again and again. It must have been a mistake, but our hearts were beating and took hours to go back to sleep.
We had a drink in the lounge, 2 doubles came out to $ 80!!! These were standard drinks, nothing fancy! This place thinks they can be rude charge whatever they want and get away with it because of the location, but I will never be back and recommend that no one book here.
Most of the pictures on here are the ones Hilton posted of the suites and do not resemble the actual rooms.
After all that, we got changed twice for one of the nights and have still not been able to resolve the discrepancy.

I stayed here for 5 nights when I was in town for business and picked this location because of the convenience of the location. This hotel is literally in the Paddington train station. I took the Heathrow Express from the airport and it dropped me off right here at the train station and I got to the hotel without ever going outside. That was very nice since it was my first time in London and I didn’t arrive until very late.
The room in the hotel was nice and pretty spacious. They had a coffee maker and tea in the room. There was a refrigerator with a mini bar, but I never even opened it because I was nervous of getting charged for something that I didn’t even use.
You have to pay for Wifi which was super annoying and expensive. It cost 16 pounds/​day!
When I checked out, I needed to print off my boarding pass and they concierge desk had me email it to them and they printed it off for me which was very nice and helpful. I really liked this hotel and would certainly recommend it.

I stayed here for eight nights, so I feel like I really get what it’s like to stay here. Like other folks mentioned, staying here is so convenient. There’s a train that is non-​stop from Heathrow to the train station steps from the hotel. And if you’re taking the tube during your stay, the entrance is right downstairs where the train is.
Small things made this a great place to stay. They put free bottled water in my room every day. There’s a cute, useful grocery store and drugstore right downstairs.
However, it was very hot the whole time I was there, and the air conditioning is just not as good as places in the U.S. Tip: The room I stayed in (409) has the air conditioner near the desk, around the corner from the bed, making it impossible to get good air flow while sleeping. My colleague was across the hall in 408. His room was set up differently with the air conditioner facing the bed. If that’s important, ask for it. Also, the first day I asked if it could be any cooler. They were able to make it cooler from downstairs, which really helped.
The breakfast was free with my room rate. It was an absolutely perfect, delicious buffet. But the price if you were paying for it every morning seemed outrageous.
They definitely need to work on their Wifi network. I was logging in at least every hour. If you go to the lobby, it kicks you off. If you go back upstairs, it kicks you off.
I think this is a great place if your company will pay for it. But it’s very expensive otherwise.

I read the reviews before I booked my room. There are a fair bit of posted complaints leveraged upon the «datedness» of the hotel. Hmmm. We are in London. Right? This is a truly ancient city.
Okay — I stay in a lot of hotels. I am not stating this to be braggadocios, but to merely set a context. Because I stay in so many hotels I feel that I’ve developed a particularly keen eye for evaluating the accommodations. The Hilton London Paddington is a perfectly lovely hotel with a FANTASTIC location. Did I mention the location? Just a few steps walk from the Heathrow Express train. It is an absolutely fantastic place to stay for that fact alone. Now add in — very comfortable rooms, polite and knowledgable staff, convenient access to Hyde Park for morning runs, and the best part of all — a contiguous association with Paddington Station.
Will I stay here again — on business trips, for certain. The next time I come to London with my family, we will stay in a location that is a bit of-​the-​beaten-​track. The Hilton Paddington is, however, a great place for business or short sightseeing trips to London. You can’t beat the location and the staff are wonderful. oh, and the rooms and hotel facilities are very nice as well.

Recently came here for afternoon tea with my mum. To say that I was disappointed would be an understatement.
Starting off we arrived to find it would be served in what only you could describe as a canteen area. Then pronounced my name back to me incorrectly.
Before we were seated they asked if we would like our champagne at the beginning or end, we clearly stated the end but it was the first thing they brought to us. This was slowly followed by a tier of plates with a very small selection of cakes and sandwiches and eventually our pots of tea actually arrived.
I would definitely not got back, I’ve experienced much better than this and would have thought somewhere like the Hilton would have much better standards.

Perfectly situated, well appointed and conveniently spacious even by American hotel standards. On a recent two-​week trip to the United Kingdom and France my wife and I had the good fortune to stay in the Paddington Hilton, a decision made by positive reviews from both Unilocal and Travelocity… it was a decision well made.
Convenience is king here… and that’s what this Hilton delivers in spades. Directly adjacent to London’s famous Paddington Station this hotel was extremely easy to get to via the tube from Heathrow and made our day-​trips back out to London easy as well. This hotel is literally right around the corner from Paddington Station.
Large and spacious even by American standards this hotel was a perfect introduction to London accommodations for two Americans spending their first night in Europe. Featuring what seemed like 20′ ceilings our room had an aura of opulence about it that made it all the more entertaining. Our window looked out onto the bustle of the street below. The bed was king sized, spacious and accommodating. The mattress was of good quality and both firm and supportive. The pillows were ample and the linens of equally good quality as the mattress. The bathroom (a very American word) was spacious, clean and well appointed to the point that it would have been hard to tell it apart from nearly any American Hilton counterpart. The mini-​fridge was over-​stocked with high priced nick-​nacks, could have done with less of that and more room for our water bottles.
The staff here was all very accommodating though I must admit both my wife and I were a bit confused as to the etiquette with the bellhop… it’s just something you don’t see in America anymore. Everyone here made us fell welcome, comfortable and at ease, really an all around terrific experience.
Well reviewed, most definitely recommended and the perfect accommodations for Americans traveling abroad in London.

I first came to this hotel when it became a Hilton (sometime in the last decade), I had a good impression and have stayed a few times with varying outcomes. Most of the hotels in London are terrible so I thought «better the devil you know» and chose this due to it’s proximity to the Heathrow Express.
I checked in and was given an upgrade — I don’t think this has ever happened in my all the time I’ve been a Hilton Honors member. So far so good. The check in process was fast and efficient, normally I get the person who has just finished their training course or their printer is broken and end up hanging around twiddling my thumbs.
So I head up in the elevator to my «Executive Suite», I am pleasantly surprised when I open the door. the room is large (by UK standards) and looks clean. On my previous stays the rooms have been pretty beat up and at £200+ a night that’s not a good deal.
Everything in the room was in order (apart from some ugly masking tape on a part of the carpet) and the best thing was the bed, it was amazingly comfortable. It was so comfortable that I oversleep and was fortunately (and unfortunately) woken by what I assumed to be a drunk person returning to their room after getting totally wasted. It sounded like he was smashing up his (or her) room to the point where I almost considered calling the front desk to advise them. This noise continued for some 25 minutes and then realised it must be housekeeping next door. I’m not sure if they were making the room up or destroying it.
I will probably stay here next time but only because it’s a known known in my book — by no means is the hotel excellent, it’s just reasonably predictable and close to the Heathrow Express.

Big old hotel with a location that can’t be beat as it’s across the street from the Paddington tube station and surrounded by pubs. Of note, the only late night dining option is the Burger King which is very welcome if you came in on a late flight.
The rooms have a high ceiling, nice wallpaper, and fine furniture (think high armed armchairs, love seats, and a lot of heavy wood). Bathroom is black and white tiled with heavy metal fixtures and nobs. Very nice.
The bad is that the AC barely works, but the upside is that unlike most safety conscious hotels, the windows open on upper floors. That way you and your hotel neighbors can yell out the window at each other about how damn hot the rooms are.
The location alone makes this property a winner, although they need to do something about the AC.

Hotel erbaut zwischen 1850 und 1854. Stilvolle Innengestaltung. Parkplatzprobleme.

There’s something special about the Hilton London Paddington Hotel.
Built in 1851, the structure is dignified and majestic. The lobby area, although small, has plenty of comfortable seating. Walk through the lobby at any time during the day or into the evening and you’re sure to notice tables filled with people having meeting, (some more salacious than others). The staff is polite and professional. The rooms are not particularly spacious, after all, it’s a 150+ year old hotel in the heart of London, but they are perfectly adequate with lots of outlets, modern bathrooms, serviceable for-​a-​fee wifi and even a little bar area.
But, if there is one thing that is truly special about the Hilton Paddington, it’s location.
Location, location, location.
I simply don’t know if there’s a more centrally located and convenient hotel anywhere in London. For £20 (about USD $ 30) you can take the Heathrow Express train from Heathrow Airport to Paddington Station, which the hotel is connected to. Heading into the city, you can catch one of the four London Underground lines which are connected to the station. Prefer to say above ground? It’s easy to catch a cab, or walk to any of the famous neighborhoods that surround Paddington including Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Oxford Street and even Notting Hill, which is just a 30 minute walk away.
The convenience of having the hotel connected to Paddington Station extends beyond geographic location as amenities in the station include numerous restaurants, a Starbucks, a pharmacy and a couple of groceries.
Besides breakfast I have not spent any time in the hotel’s bar or restaurant. But, the breakfasts are fairly extensive, with a mix of hot options, fruits, dry cereals and of course coffee, tea or juice. My corporate rate includes breakfast, but I don’t know if that’s true for all hotel guests.
Over time I’ve developed a nice morning routine while staying at the Hilton Paddington. Wake up and throw some sweats on. Head down to the Starbucks, located in the corridor between the hotel and Paddington Station and grab a morning latte. Then, back to the hotel room to get ready for the day. That usually takes all of five minutes. Once dressed, head downstairs for a robust breakfast. It’s a great way to start the day and stave off jetlag.
There are a couple of downsides to the hotel. First, the television sucks. I mean this is a hotel that services business people from all over the world and the best the hotel can provide is a half dozen grainy channels? No CNN International? Come on, that’s just being cheap.
The second is that you pay for the convenience of staying there. The room rate for my recent stay was £210 or about USD $ 317 before taxes. In previous stays my rates have ranged from £203 to £339 (holy smokes, that’s over $ 500 a night!) At that rate, the Hilton Paddington is pretty much a business person’s hotel and a premium one at that.