The London EDITION

I am a lifetime gold Marriott member. This means I have stayed for over 500 nights at Marriott hotels. I also have similar membership with Starwood and Fairmont because I travel a lot for both business and pleasure. And I am very picky and have high expectations.
This being said, we completed an 8 day stay at The London Edition Hotel in December. We had two rooms. The London EDITION has, in my opinion, far superior customer service to any hotel I have ever stayed at. Every single staff member including security, the doormen, the bell men, the people who answer the phone, room service, reception, the managers, housekeeping, the waiters, concierge, etc are friendly, professional and truly seem to care about making their guests comfortable.
The hotel is in a perfect location — steps away from the middle of Oxford street and close to everything fun to do in London.
The look and feel of the hotel is exceptional. I am very sensitive to smells and this hotel smells really good and clean when you enter.
The rooms were great. Very spacious.
Every night housekeeping brought us a little gift and a really nice little package arrived on Christmas.
One little bonus was that WiFi was free and it worked with no problem whatsoever.
For the 5 star (or in this case 5++++ star) hotel that this is, it is of course a little more on the pricy side — but it is not the most expensive hotel out there and it is certainly worth every penny because staying at this hotel contributed tremendously to making our stay in London a phenomenal experience.

one of my favourites places to go after work
the décor the high ceilings the lights the drinks the ambience is great very relaxing after a day at work, great service i just love it!

I’ve already given Berners Tavern a glowing review and the rest of the hotel in which it’s nestled is no different when it comes to upholding a high standard. The rooms are beautiful, a little pricey for someone looking for a ‘cheap nights sleep’ but in my opinion, worth the money. Beautiful and spacious, cool without feeling pretentious. The Punch Room is fast becoming one of my favorite haunts for cocktails too. Be aware that this hidden gem is a reservations only bar, and don’t turn up looking as though you’ve just been dragged through a hedge backwards. You’ll just ruin it for everyone else. Everything from the décor to the carefully chosen music (think doo-​wop, blues, ragtime) creates a land that time forgot, where you can while away the hours with friends or in some sort of romantic rendezvous enjoying one of the delightful punches.

Amazing hotel! Stayed here when it first opened as part of our honeymoon trip. Gorgeously decorated, great lobby and rooms. Perfect location!

This was a fantastic hotel! You are close to all the shopping on Oxford Circus and Regent St. You can walk to Oxford Circus underground in 5 min and then go where ever you want from there. The Edition appears to be the new trendy spot in town, no matter what time we came home the lobby was always full with patrons drinking and socializing or playing pool. The restaurant attached to the hotel was a hip spot as well. Everyone was well dressed and the ladies were smoking hot!!! The service was exceptional, they catered to our every need. I sprained my knee earlier in the day and the staff brought ice packs to my room, as well as more pillows to elevate my leg… I would absolutely stay here again and recommend it to any of my friends or family… or even the stranger who reads this review.
The light switches were a bit odd, but that may be because I am from the states and not familiar. They reminded me of a toggle switch inside of an airplane cockpit. But really was not a big deal. There were plenty of USA TV stations, at least enough to get me through the 1 hr of television I watched before bed.
Overall a great location and amazing hotel!

Exceptional hotel! From the décor to the staff to the food to the rooms, this is our favorite London hotel. I am shocked anyone would not be impressed. (The bad review from the woman holding the dog… yeah, we all can figure her out; pretty much says it all about her. I guess we should be happy she won’t be there anymore)
You won’t be disappointed with how cool and chic this place is… The backdrop of the historical building plays out very well.

My stay at the London Edition was fabulous.
⁵⁄₅
The concierge was able to help me with anything I needed. Including renting a Bentley with short notice.

Summary based on one, one night points stay:
–Calibration: 18^th London hotel review
-«life style,» that is posh and pretentious. Not an absolute criticism, just realize what the theme is.
–no free breakfast for Marriott Gold. Common to all «Edition» properties
–expect to tip the porter for luggage service
–rooms relatively dark
–lighting in bathroom not optimized. How hard is it to properly light the mirror area?
–expect a small room for a points stay, based on room sizes as shown in fire escape plan. Didn’t really believe the front desk staff went out of their way to give me a Gold status room, but impossible to call them on it.
–genuinely friendly outside staff.
–better than average location. Pret a Manger 3 minutes away. Sainsbury’s and Boots, too. (And Subway.)
–in room safe
–quiet
–wifi not that great. I ended up using my mobile plan
–ok fitness
–industrial, therefore dumb in this context, light switches in the bathroom
Probably won’t stay here again. I’m kinda surprised at the positive reviews. Maybe people don’t travel a lot. YMMV.

This hotel has a lot of potential but is not currently impressive. Service is marginal, the lounge bartenders are not attentive, and the door staff? Well they just flat suck. The location is ok if you don’t mind walking a good 10 – 15 minutes to the tube or anything except shopping. The beds look really nice but are not very comfortable. The toilet tends to run and the temperature doesn’t control very well. Also I upgraded to a «deluxe» room that overlooked a construction site. Not exactly what I would expect from a premium room. On the plus side, the room was quite clean and the other hotel guests I encountered were delightful.
I think you can do better for your budget.

This is a fabulous place to grab drinks, enjoy a nice meal, and thoroughly enjoy some quality people watching. The hotel itself is decadent and beautiful. I really enjoyed my drinks, meal, and overall experience here. They were a bit rigid about the reservation issue, but otherwise a great experience.

If you’re looking to settle into a fabulous cocktail after work look no further. This beautiful and historic setting is now one of my favorite locations in London. The main bar and restaurant area is warm, rich and well appointed with comfortable seats. The mosaic of art on the walls coupled with the beautiful lighting fixtures gives you a feeling of grandeur like no other. Once the Berner Hotel and now under Marriott they’ve performed a fantastic effort in retaining it’s glory while keeping with modern expectations.
Drinks here are done well and with friendly service. They tend to take just a little too long to make a drink but perhaps it’s due to the popularity of this place. It’s stunning and a place where I enjoy entertaining visiting guests. This American Southerner in London says the London Edition is a key addition to your must experience list, y’all.

The high ceilings, the decadent bar that resembles Édouard Manet’s painting, ‘A Bar at the Folies-​Bergère’, attentive and friendly staff and sleek interior is a five star production.
From the moment we walked in, we were welcomed and escorted to reception, where everything was a breeze and promptly shown to our room. We opted for the Superior Room of two double beds which certainly did not disappointed. The Edition ticked all the right boxes, the room was light and airy yet still sleek and modern with wooden interior, big soft beds and a large bathroom. There was no clutter or oddly placed furniture, everything was discretely hidden away.
Our room was made up twice a day and impeccability clean. Free complimentary high speed wifi everywhere in the hotel, big flat screen telly and an ipod docking station.
The gym is located below the lobby and is small but satisfactory for a holiday workout with weight machines, treadmill, bike and cross trainer. Water and towels are provided.
Location was very central — close to two tube stations, Tottenham Court Rd and Oxford Street. Lots of restaurants and bars surrounding.
Upon check out, we were offered a complimentary take away coffee for the taxi ride to the airport!
I would definitely stay here again!

My husband and I enjoyed our 2-​night stay here last month. I think this is Marriott’s answer to the W chain.
Pros:
lobby bar, punch room (like a lounge) and Berners Tavern gave you a lot of choices for dining/​drinks without leaving the hotel. The lobby bar was frequently packed, even on weekdays.
Service was generally good. I went for a run and when I came back the doorman was waiting with a fresh towel and cold bottled water (nice touch). They have nightly turndown service.
FYI: the shower in our standard room was great, but there was no bathtub. There is some construction near the building and it doesn’t appear that any of the rooms have particularly good views. Just important to know if you care about those things.
I would definitely try and stay at this location again.

I stayed in this hotel for 3 nights whilst in London for a long weekend. It is in a great location in central London in close proximity to many good restaurants and bars, including multiple within the hotel itself. The hotel restaurant is reviewed separately.
The staff is extremely friendly and always willing to go out of their way to help you with anything you might need.
The room was very clean and provided ample room compared to any other European hotels. There was free wifi that was surprisingly fast for a hotel. There was a plug adaptor for non UK travelers so that was convenient. The bathroom was large with a spacious walk in shower.
I have found the hotel I will stay at for all future visits to London. One of the best hotels I have stayed at in a very long time. A little more expensive than the other hotels but well worth the fares.

I hate giving a review this good because it will make it harder for us to get a room here in the future but I just have to.
What a beautiful hotel. A newly renovated hotel in in the Soho area of London. Walking into the hotel we were greeted immediately. Once inside I was impressed by the beauty of the lobby/​bar/​business center. The ceiling were beautiful and the furnishings were lovely. Wood on the walls warmed the hotel up and made it feel homey. It was a great mix of contemporary and classical decorating. I wouldn’t think to mix those two looks but they pulled it off perfectly.
We had a room with 1 king bed. The room wasn’t large but we had adequate room for our luggage and a chair with an ottoman to sit on beside the bed. Along one wall was a long desk/​ledge with outlets for charging our electronics and plenty of space to place items on. The closet was a good size right next to a small bar. The bathroom was good sized. Loved the shower having a rain shower head overhead as well as a wall mounted removable shower head. The sink was nice and large. The toilet was partitioned off from the rest of the bathroom and the bathtub although not long was plenty deep.
Our impeccably clean room was decorated in a contemporary style with plenty of wood to make it feel warm and homey. The pillows were perfect, I loved the comforter and there was a faux fur blanket at the foot of the bed which was a nice touch. The view wasn’t much, just the building across the street.
We ate at Berners Tavern, the restaurant in the hotel and had great food. Room service was prompt and delicious.
The location was perfect. We were able to either walk wherever we wanted to go or to the nearest public transportation. We were within walking distance of The British Museum and Oxford Circus and plenty of delicious restaurants like Barrafina, Patara and Burger and Lobster. When we didn’t feel like walking we would just eat downstairs at Berners Tavern or get room service.
We were there for 2 weeks and the customer service never wavered. It was always perfect. Each employee we ran across or talked to was exceptionally polite and helpful. The doormen were perfect gentlemen, very helpful and great at giving directions. If we had a need, the employees did everything they could to meet it. Our experience was so good we almost hated to leave.

Ever seen a giant levitating silver egg? Ever think you’d see one hanging around in a glamorous London hotel bar? Fear not, your chance is here!
If there’s ever a hotel in London you should visit just for the lobby, make it this one. The Edition’s Lobby Bar is a place to see, be seen, and then see some more.
The light-​bulbs over the entrance reminded me of an old Hollywood film, but whatever I was expecting after judging it from the outside, it wasn’t what I got! Instead I found a cavernous, marble-​walled space that you’d never have thought was hiding behind those doors, with gorgeously ornate coving all over the ceiling. Oh, and a giant silver egg sculpture too.
It’s old-​school NYC-​style glamour, from the grand marble fireplace to the super sleek bar. My date and I sank into some plush velvety armchairs at a free table for two, which was such a blessing as the place was buzzing with the pre-​dinner drinkies crowd. Fashionistas aplenty to look at (though my eyes kept getting drawn back to that damned egg!) but also enough ‘normal’ folk that I didn’t feel out of place. Also noticed people perched around a covered pool table; guessing they only open that up when it’s quieter though.
It’s table service only (well obviously darling) though be warned we found the waitresses nigh impossible to flag down. The cocktail line-​up sounded delish but I unusually went with a light rose wine (after my date recommended it and I felt somewhat obliged to test his judgement). Something to go back for though!
Apparently the guys on the door were a bit funny before they let my date in as it was so busy, but I breezed past them with an oblivious ‘I’m meeting someone inside’, and the crowd had thinned out by 8ish. We could hear a distant thumping by then too so I think there’s a club downstairs. Don’t leave without popping your head into Jason Atherton’s restaurant Berners Tavern in there too — it’s beautiful and you’ll thank me for the tip ;) Sadly they were fully booked for dinner otherwise I had my eye on eating there too!
A sexy choice for a drinks date that will definitely impress — so long as you don’t mind your date looking around at everything except you for the first half hour to take it all in…

I want to move into this hotel. That is all.

The Epitome of Trendy
In case you didn’t know, the launch of 2013 London Fashion week was held here, and if you check out their Instagram you will see photos of Nick Grimshaw and Harry Stiles fooling around in the lobby, that’s how cool this place is.
So forget about all that for a wee bit, I’ll tell you how our experience was. Arrived around 2100 on a Friday evening, and there was a line of trendies outside quieting to get into their night club downstairs. The door man /​bouncer was very pleasant, he welcomed us in warmly. You have to navigate through the bar furniture to get to the reception desk, it’s basically a beautiful room full of large couches and seats that you could quite easily fall asleep in. Feeling a bit disorientated I walked up to the nearest guy who resembled a staff member and he walked us to reception.
Check in was efficient, and very friendly, you can tell the team is still really pumped up from their opening. Then straight to the room, which was super cool. The walls are all flat wooden panelling, a bit of a Swedish sauna vibe. A huge fur bed runner at the bottom of the bed, and a very very comfortable bed. Huge TV, and the most pimped minibar you have ever seen!! Walk in shower with two separate shower heads, a bath would have been nice, but not the end of the world. All of the fittings and furnishings look the part in the room as well.
Breakfast on the Sunday was a little sloppy, and they don’t extend the opening hours to allow for the inevitable Sunday late rush. It’s all plated, and the food is lovely, but the very good looking staff seemed to be lacking a bit in ‘common sense’ department, and there was a lack of organisation. Not bad enough to ruin our stay, but just unnecessarily unorganised.
Check out was fine and friendly as well, though the reception area may get a bit awkward when you have more than 2 people waiting to check out, and I could tell people were getting a bit edgy — again another Sunday morning inevitability as everyone checks out late.
Great experience, and in a great part of London, I’ll definitely head back when I get a chance.

I read so much about this place when it opened, that I wanted to experience it for myself. I booked a two night B&B package for £300 a night.
Our arrival was greeting with huge smiles and doors held open. Check-​in is 3pm. We arrived at noon. No problem. Our room was ready and waiting. This isn’t the kind of hotel you book for a view. Our small window overlooked the main entrance on Berners Street, across the road from a WHSmith. But we weren’t here for the view. The room was beautiful, and considering it was the smallest available, was much bigger than I had expected. More importantly, the bathrooms are really generous, with a massive shower that could easily accommodate 2, if not 3 people. The room, and the entire hotel, look exactly like the photos on the hotel website. They really do capture the quality and ambiance of the place.
Being a Londoner, and staying in a London hotel, means I don’t intend to go out in order to go out. We planned to do all our going out in the hotel. The first drink we had was at the small lobby bar. The bartender needed to read instructions to mix our cocktails, which surprised me. We moved to the large bar in Berners Tavern. The bartender greeted us, but made no effort to chat or make us feel welcome. This wasn’t a problem, but we could definitely have been schmoozed into a fourth or fifth round.
When I made the booking, I had made several attempts to reserve a place for two in the Punch Room. No one there seemed aware of the reservation procedure. My attempts to make a reservation via the dedicated email and phone number for the private bar were fruitless. I sent a plea for help to the concierge and was then contacted my the Director of Bars, who apologised for the lack of communication and kindly confirmed my reservation. However, when we arrived, no reservation was listed, and we were kept at the door, negotiating the matter, as staff and guests pushed past us. It wasn’t the experience I had anticipated.
And then we flashed our room cards and headed past the bouncer to Basement. This is a club in the basement of the hotel, though it is operated by club promoters who technically have nothing to do with the hotel. I was hoping for a touch of Shoreditch. Alas, it was a nasty, Peckham vibe that greeted us. Check the club’s website in advance if you plan on going. We turned on out heels and left. But I was really impressed, and grateful, with the hotel’s sound-​proofing.
There were several other issues with our stay. No newspapers delivered to the morning, even though the check-​in staff made a point of asking us which paper we wanted. A turn-​down service for just one of our two nights stay — and that was for one person (i.e. one bottle of water left on one side of the bed only). Missing items ordered at breakfast — no toast and no juice arrived. Breakfast charged at £56 even though it was included in our room rate.
I mentioned all this to a rather harsh woman on reception as we checked out. I told her there had been some discrepancies with our stay. She replied «And what do YOU consider these issues to be?» as if to suggest they were debatable and perhaps not issues at all. She then summed it up with «So, not as seamless as you had hoped». No apology and a suggestion that my expectations were too high to begin with.
I realise there will be teething problems with the opening of a new hotel. Guests expect (and hopefully appreciate) the smiles and door holding etc, but the real test is how graciously hotel staff deal with concerns and problems. The reservation procedure is currently awful and the reception staff can be curt and sloppy.
Overall, the place is beautiful — not just on the eye, but on the nose too. The rooms are lush and beyond comfortable. The shower was like an intense back massage. The staff are hit and miss — some nice, some standoffish. The Punch Room, if they let you in, is well worth a visit. We tried four different punches, and each flavour was unique. They clearly have recruited the best staff for this private bar. Breakfast was delicious, but the service on the Saturday was a complete shambles. We overheard several diners complaining. Sunday however, was like clockwork.
I’m glad I experienced the place, but I don’t imagine I’ll make a return visit.