Great Hotel

I booked the Horseguards after reading reviews here, and couldn't have been more pleased. The location is exceptional, and access to the tube is wonderful, with Embankment being about a block away. The public areas are comfortable and luxurious and my room had everything I needed and more. A special treat was the 110 outlet by the desk and ISDN data access. The data access seemed expensive at 50p per minute (they also have a daily rate) but was so fast that I was on and off in less than five minutes. The bed was big and comfortable, and the bathroom was as large as many London hotel rooms and had a separate tub and shower. Lots of big fluffy towels, warmed by a heated towel rack. Breakfast (included in my case) was expectional, with everything being plentiful and fresh. My coffee cup was refilled as soon as needed. I did have the executive double, so I can't speak to the standard single rooms. I would not hesitate to stay here again.

Wow! Location, Location, Location

Imagine walking into your hotel room, pulling open the curtains and having a view of the entire London Eye accross the Thames - this is the Royal Horseguards. This is by far the best location London, we walked the Victoria Embankment nightly crossing the Jubilee footbridge, walking past the London Eye, Big Ben and the entire walk taking 10 minutes. Two blocks from Trafalgar Square, 6 blocks from Picadilly Circus - there simply is no better location. The room was large by London standards and well equipt. On a scale of 1-10 the Royal Horseguards gets a 20.

Should be the number 1 hotel in London

The hotel is wonderful, THE BEST location in London for visitors. It is in the middle of everything, and so close to the tube that the entire city is at your footsteps. My wife and I just completed a 9 night stay and enjoyed every minute. The staff is outstanding the food is great, and the rooms are large and decorated in the highest tradition. If you want to truly enjoy your time in London THIS IS THE ADDRESS for you.

Great hotel for the price!

We booked this hotel via American Airlines vacations and paid $1500 for round trip airfare from JFK for two and six nights inclusive of VAT and breakfast which we thought was a great deal; especially after checking in! We were pleasantly surprised at check in to be upgraded to an executive level room on the 8th floor. The room was large with a king sized bed, sitting area with couch, mini bar, desk, A/C and well appointed largish bathroom. The decor was pretty new and the room was very clean. We didn't score a Thames view but were able to see quite a bit looking north over the city. Staff at the hotel were always friendly and courteous. The concierge staff was a bit inconsistent - use the head concierge for recommendations and assistance - we had the most success with him. Continental breakfast was included - and it was acceptable but did get old after 6 nights. There are numerous sandwich shops and Italian restaurants and pubs a 2 minute walk away near the train and tube stations which were handy when we were too exhausted to venture further out. We found the clientele at the hotel to be mostly older North American cruise ship passengers with a few smaller European business groups. Would definitely stay here again and recommend it!

Needs better management

We just got back from a 6 day stay at the Royal Horseguards, during the worst heat wave London has seen for years. The best feature of this hotel is its excellent air-conditioning, and its location (see previous reviews). Other than that, we experienced multiple problems. We had reserved 2 connecting rooms for ourselves and our 2 teens, supposedly guaranteed - I had spent many hours on the internet searching for a hotel with connecting rooms in London. Upon arrival, there were no connecting rooms available despite the supposed guarantee, so they gave us adjoining ones. Ours was fine (thought there's no view other than trees unless you're on a high floor), but our teens had a room with a horrible view of walls and scaffolding - there was no natural lighting in the room at all, unacceptable for the deluxe rating of the room. The bed covers were dirty and stained (blood, coffee, and other stains) so I asked for clean ones; the covers disappeared that day and we never had covers on our beds for the rest of our stay! One morning the breakfast room staff didn't have us on their "breakfast included" list, so we had to get that straightened out before we could eat. No one at the front desk had any idea how the pay-per-view channels are billed.

The various concierges are friendly, but seem singularly poorly informed. They're more than happy to make calls to reserve show tickets etc (and charge a hefty fee - you're better off making the calls yourself) but were unable to give specific advice regarding restaurants, tours, car rental, etc. All in all, a disappointing stay at a hotel that could be very nice with better management.

Worth a Go

In London, as in most European cities, the quality of hotels can vary greatly, regardless of class. The Royal Horseguards, however, is an excellent choice for anyone visiting London. It centrally located (Embankment is the closest Underground Station and is litrallly a three minute walk from the hotel; also bridge nearby to London Festival Hall and London Eye) and on a generally quiet street. Rooms are very comfortable in size. Breakfast buffet is pleasent and filling. Lots of nice little bonuses that they don't mention (such as free copies of Timeout, which has 7 day listings for all types of events and happenings in London; if it's happening in London it is in Timeout) The truest strength of this hotel is the staff, who go out of their way to ensure a comforable stay. The concierge and his staff are first rate (very helpful). If there is a downside it is that on the side of the hotel which has the view of the Thames river, there is a large road with quite a bit of traffic. A room higher up in the hotel will diminish the noise level. On the whole I would recommend this hotel to anyone and would happily stay there again.

What a pleasant stay!

What a pleasant stay this was! My wife and I stayed 4 nights at the Thistle Royal Horseguards from July 11 to July 15,...our first trip to London. The room was phenomenal. By far bigger than what we expected and beautifully decorated, including a sitting area with a sofa and coffee table. It is in a quiet part of town, but so close to the tube (which is as easy as pie to use) and within walking distance to Trafalgar, Picadilly, Westminster Abbey and other sights. Every night we would walk over Embankment Bridge, which is only a couple hundred yards away, for a great view of the Eye and of Big Ben. We even walked to the theatre district from here to see Mamma Mia and Les Miserables.

Everyone at the front desk was pleasant and extremely helpful. The guests ranged from business types to families with many kids. Even the breakfast (included) was fine, with a big selection, so you could vary it from day to day.

If you want to stay in a rowdier, or more of a party atmosphere part of town, then book a hotel at Leicester Square, Soho or closer to Piccadilly, ....Thistle even has some near there. But this is close enough to where you can hit a show, and walk back down to the hotel, after a bite to eat and a short stay people watching at Trafalgar, (which is buzzing late into the night), and then back to the calm of the Royal Horseguards. A great buy for your dollar (pound!)

JR

Incredible Hotel

We loved this Hotel! This was my wife and my first oversea trip and we got a roomk through priceline. We arrived and found an incredible looby with a very nice staff. Our room was awesome. Large for an American hotel,enourmous for a European one. The bathroom was marble and also very large. We recieved a free upgrade and had a room overlooking the Thames! We were 2 blocks from a very accessible tube station, and were within walking distance to Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, and Picadilly Circus. The hotel is on a quiet block away from the noise at night. Overall this was an exceptional hotel and I reccommend it without reservation.

A++++

WOW! We (a younger couple) decided to book our first official (post honeymoon) vacation through an airline. While we had so so luck on the honeymoon package we took through the same airline, the deals were too good to pass up!As one of the many Thistle hotels that were available we couldn't have asked for more. LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION! This place was great and we could get to just about anywhere walking or via the nearby tube. Our room was super clean and the VIEW!!! - with a press of the button my curtains opened in the morning to a view of the Thames....wonderful!The service throughout was fantastic including the desk staff who gave us an upgraded room, early check-in and much needed tourist advice.Oh yeah the photos of this place will make your friends gasp....it's a stunning building from the inside and out!

Lovely Room and a Great Location

We stayed at the Royal Horseguards as part of an airline package, and we were just delighted. We never dreamed that a London hotel of this quality - it is the Thistle chain's top hotel in London -- would be included in a package. Our room and bathroom were not only lovely, but large by London standards, and filled with many unexpected luxuries, from a heated towel rack in the marble bathroom to a bedroom that had reproduction furniture, velvet pillows and sashes, golden mirrors, and a picture window that looked out over the City. The entire hotel has been renovated and has a new fitness center. Located on the eighth floor, the fitness center was well equipped with eight Reebok and Cybex machines, as well as a mat for stretching and a small fridge with bottles of mineral water. A continental breakfast with fruit, croissants, rolls, cereals, cold cheeses and meats was included our package, although most guests enjoyed a full breakfast with eggs, sausages and bacon. This was served in the Hotel's very fine and handsome restaurant, and the wait staff was great about filling my coffee cup. The staff was friendly and attentive, and supplied us with maps, directions and suggestions for restaurants and pubs for lunch. Guests were a mix of British business people, as well as American and German tourists.

The hotel, which is on a very quiet block overlooking the Thames and the London Eye ( the kind of giant ferris wheel built for the Millenium celebration). It is an easy walk up to Trafalger Square, the West End theatres, or along the river and down to Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. Of course, a block away, we could see the Changing of the Guard at the Royal Horseguards, and it is much easier to get a clear view of this ritual here, than at Buckingham Palace. The Embankment tube stop is a three-minute walk from the hotel entrance.