London hotels with children

[Will in SJC]

I am going to be back in the UK from the US in the Spring for the first time in three or so years. We need to be in London for a couple of days for a US embassy appointment.

Does anyone have any recommendations on children friendly hotels (that are nicer than a bog standard Holiday Inn)? Children are both under 5. I had originally planned on being close to the embassy but I am not that fussed as I quickly remembered the new embassy is surrounded by a lot of development. Ideally we want somewhere that is relatively modern, a decent sized room (or connecting rooms) with some nice restaurants and parks nearby. We want to avoid somewhere which turns into a trendy nightclub in the evening (looking at you IC Los Angeles!).

In an absolute ideal world the hotel will have a good restaurant or bar where friends can swing by to eat or have a drink with us whilst we are in town.

I have taken a look at the Crowne Plaza London Embankment which we stayed at just after it opened but they can’t accommodate four people in a room.

I am a Hyatt loyalist but the price of family rooms at The Churchill and Old Scotland Yard is too expensive and I can’t get points availability.

All suggestions are welcome. If it can’t be booked via Emyr with some benefits thrown in, all the better! We don’t mind having a bit of a journey to the embassy. I am also open to non chain hotels but have status with IHG, Hilton and Hyatt.

• This topic was modified 54 years, 4 months ago by .

[Crafty]

Andaz family rooms can be ok value at times?

[BuildBackBetter]

Marriott Residence Inn and Staybridge Suites can be good options and might have connecting rooms as well. They have kitchenette that can be useful for families.

[aseftel]

Crafty wrote:

Andaz family rooms can be ok value at times?

No parks, but otherwise I’d say it’s a decent choice. Had a good experience on a family stay last summer. Great restaurant/drinking options on the doorstep.

Park Plaza Westminster Bridge also comes to mind – Great views (especially from some suites), some open space nearby, has a pool, lots of family-friendly attractions on the doorstep, right end of town for the embassy too.

[The Savage Squirrel]

The embassy is indeed in a strange and unlovely corner of London. Closest decent option is probably Pestana Chelsea Bridge which had nicely furnished modern rooms when I stayed, very decent pricing due to its slightly odd location; although I can’t comment on food options. The child friendly bit is that you get a view of the dogs exercising out of Battersea Dogs Home from the back, and Battersea Park is just across the road.

Probably a better bet is the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge as mentioned above. All pretty modern as it’s quite new; I don’t know how they’ve done it but it’s amazingly quiet despite being surrounded by roads, and the Family Rooms would be ideal for two under 5s being a single room but set out in such a way that the two sleeping areas are a little separate. Decent selection of in-hotel choice with a decent bar, restaurant, sushi place and coffee shop. Skip hotel breakfast and go to Lower Marshes with a choice of artisan coffee house or greasy spoon (you know your kids will love it), while the Jubilee Park next to the London Eye has a play area suitable for young children to go absolutely feckin mental let off steam.

• This reply was modified 54 years, 4 months ago by .

[Will in SJC]

Many thanks for the suggestions everyone- much appreciated. It looks like the Park Plaza is a good bet followed by the Andaz.

[The real Swiss Tony]

Just to say the Park Plaza County Hall has some studio type rooms, where there’s again a separate sleeping area/sofa bed away from the main part of the room. As I recall it also came with a microwave and fridge, although it doesn’t have a pool.