The Sewer, not the Senator

I just stayed at the Senator HOtel for three nights and it was terrible. THe first night, we had a room ont eh first floor. PHone had problems. Bathtub full of mildew. Peeling wall paper. Stank like smoke in ono-smoking room. TV didn't work becaus the antenna wire had been apparenlty ripped out of the TV (No connector, just a bare wire end. We compaliend and asked for a refund for the next two nights. The hotel said that Horels still had the money so we couldn't get a refund. We were moved to a refurbished room on the fifth floor. Well, the room was cleaner, but the phone system on the whole fith floor didn't work while we were there. THe first night it took hot water over eight miutes to reach our room. On the second night, it never shoed up. No screen on the window. Five tv channels over the antenna. I"ve been in better Motel 6 rooms for 1/3 the price. This was a terrible hotel. I would never stay there, and I will enver use hotels ever again either.

What a Nightmare!

I booked the Senator through Hotels for a one-week stay with my son and daughter. After a 16-hour journey from LA to London, we arrived to a rude and discourteous staff. I was told I had no reservation, that it had been canceled and there was no available space for us. Even when I produced the documents with our confirmation numbers on them (and I had also called Hotels.com and the Senator the night before our trip and confirmed PERSONALLY, via telephone), I was still told that our reservations were canceled and they would not be able to accomodate us. There was no effort on the part of the staff to be kind or helpful. I had traveled from LA, had two children with me and the cold, arrogant and rude young lady at the desk kept telling me that I had canceled my own reservation! Only after I insisted on speaking with the manager and demanding they call Hotels did they acknowledge their error and arrange for us to be moved to another hotel. They lied to me, telling me that we would be placed at a comparable or even nicer hotel, and we weren't. It was a tiny room in a two-star hotel--but I must say, the service was FAR better than what was offered at the Senator. The desk staff was caring, helpful and polite. They were very sympathetic to my dilemma, offering whatever assistance they could to make us more comfortable. I spent the night on the telephone arranging alternate accomodations as I refused to spend any more time at the Senator Hotel with their staff. I have traveled for much of my life and I have NEVER experienced the kind of treatment I received at the hands of the desk staff at the Senator Hotel. I think even the manager was embarrrased by the behavior of the young lady behind the front desk. I would spend a million nights in the tiny rooms of the Alexandra Hotel with their delightful and charming staff rather than one minute of time in the Senator Hotel with their rude and uncaring staff.

Small is only the half of it!

I stayed at the Hotel Senator for 8 days in June 2003. I paid $85 US bucks and felt it was overpriced. The shower flooded the bedroom every day but I was only allowed 1 towel a day. I felt sorry for the maid. It did smell smokey and was hot. The neighbor partied every night and kept me awake. I am still so sick of crousants I can't eat another one. But all in all, I guess I could have gotten ripped off anywhere. I am going back to London in Sept. and to Edinburgh and Dublin and I am starting to get panicky due to the high prices. So I may end up at the Hotel Senator. At least it is in a good location to Paddington Station and I did have a shuttle for 15 GPB going back to the airport which was better than the tube. I rode the buses every day and had a ball. If anyone has any advice of where to stay in Edinburgh or Dublin for 75-80 GPB please let me know. And also how do I get around in those cities? I am not as prepared as I should be and I leave in 2 weeks. HELP. Diane

Barely 2 stars

We stayed for a week in June, 2003. Service is poor, even grumpy. The rooms are small, very hot (no A/C, no fans) with tiny airless bathrooms and lumpy mattresses. The water came out of the shower head like a backyard hose without a nozzle. If you find a steal deal on the internet, must be near Paddington Station and are not staying there during the Summer, then maybe this can be a bare minimum choice.

Does not live to expectations

The hotel is not what I saw on the net: room too small, bathroom needed repair (shower plumbing leaked, toilet seat broken). No air conditioning (as most 2 and 3 star hotels in London, apparently); tv with only 3 channels. Plenty of closet space, though. Staff too stuffy, not friendly. The lobby reeked of cigarrete smoke (the room didn't).

The building is showing its age -has the feeling of a divided house- very strangely divided. The breakfast was included and was excellent.

The location is also excellent, very close to Paddington station and bus stops. There was even a grocery store very close by. Stayed for 2 nights in May, 2003. Wouldn't stay again there.

Avoid the Senator Hotel

We stayed for a week at the Senator Hotel near Paddinton Station.. The only positive thing I can say about it that it has a good location. The elevator was out of service the entire time, (we had to use the stairs to our room on the 6th floor, or ask to use the service elevator which is the size of a broom closet.). The rooms were tiny, the bathrooms tiny, & you had to ask for clean towels, sheets, etc... & there is no airconditioning, or fans.. For the most part, the staff was very unconcerned & unresponsive to any requests, for ANYTHING... ( Info, ice, clean towels..)

Three Stars?

It was supposed to be a "non-smoking" room but there was an ashtray....and the room smelled of smoke (smoke seeped in from somewhere). Showerhead cracked so water shot straight out of the shower as well as down. Bed so lumpy I had to sleep on top of it (not under the covers). Room very noisy, could hear all neighbors' noise and kitchen noise. Window couldn't lock. No cable TV, it used an antenna.

No dryer or radio like the website advertised. But the staff was pleasant and there was enough storage space in the room. (This was a single room. Maybe doubles or twins would be better).

Customer Service is Lousy

How they treat their customers!I had booked twin accommodations at the Senator in London for two nights in June 2003. When we arrived (yes it was late), we were informed they were having plumbing problems and they had to book us into another hotel. They arranged a cab for us who took us to another hotel in London. It was a dump! We contacted the Senator from the "Dump" and were basically told, take it or leave it. As we had already paid (big mistake), they would not give us our money back if we found another hotel to stay at. Their customer service was lousy.