163 Marsh Wall, Docklands, London, E14 9SJ, United Kingdom
Map This Hotel
Hotel Photos
Hotel Amenities
Check Rates and Availability
69%
of people enjoy staying here
765 Opinions
Excellent
141
Very Good
245
Average
151
Poor
104
Terrible
123
Our Members Say
DAO
Reviews: 2877
User Rating
SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES.....
Yes, smoke gets in your eyes....and your nose...and your clothes... Did I mention I think the Manager is a jerk as well? How about I wouldn't trust the staff as far as I could throw them (ideas spring to mind). Oh...and the beds are horrible to. I have stayed in dozens of bad hotels in London. This place ranks as my all time worst for several reasons. It wasn't just that they put me in a smoking room - they put me on a SMOKING FLOOR. A very large floor. And then they added insult to injury. Please read on.
I have used Britannia Hotels in England and Scotland for years. Since the night in question I have refused to stay with them. Why?
When I arrived I had used a website that defaults all reservations to NON SMOKING. I went to the desk and they acted very funny. They told me I was getting a larger room. When I asked in surprise "a larger room?" they said yes, but it was a smoking room. I told them no. They begged me to go up the elevator and have a look. They told me most of the rooms didn't smell like smoke. And even if they did smell bad, they could get someone up to open the windows and freshen the room. I reluctantly went up and I started to smell smoke even before the doors opened. When it did - Pow! I mean smoky. I had tears in my eyes trying to walk down the very long corridor. When I found the room it just smelled nasty. I went down and told them no way. That's when they became very nervous. One of them went to see 'the Manager'. She came back and said they didn't have any non-smoking rooms left. I asked to see the Manager and the young lady went to the back again. After a long wait I was told the Manager was not available. I was stuck. But I was offered 'room freshening'.
As the windows are LOCKED, housekeeping came up and opened the windows to the winter air and sprayed the room. I was told to let it settle. I went for dinner and was gone 2 hours. After going back to the freezing room I rang to get the windows closed. They were closed and I was trapped with years of stale cigarette smoke covered over by bad air freshener. Years. and Years.
And then I found the mattress was so bad it hurt my back. Between the discomfort and smell - you guessed it - no sleep.
Now the insult.
And yes - I thought smoking was banned in UK hotels now, but this hotel on the Isle of Dogs seems to be exempt. Exempt from smoking laws and guest comfort.
So anyway I wrote to the Chairman of the company. Fat lot that did. He either never saw it or didn't care too much. I had a letter written to me by the Hotel Manager offering me a deal for one night - possibly in a larger room - for a price HIGHER than what I paid the first time!
Are these people completely mad?
Photo evidence is available.
So in DAO's opinion:
DO NOT STAY HERE!
Unique Quality: * Bad matresses * Smoking rooms and a whole smoking floor * Stange acting staff * Offers to pay MORE if you complain * Faded rooms * Locked windows
Its just bad.
Opinion of Price: about average
Related to: Business Travel, Seniors, Women's Travel
Written May 18, 2012
Britannia International Hotel Photo: I ADVISE YOU NOT TO STAY HERE !
4 more images
Britannia2
Reviews: 841
User Rating
Helpfulness
4 star in Docklands
This hotel was included as part of a long weekend package from East Yorkshire to London and was a good choice for us as we were visiting the East End. For many people though - especially those from overseas - the hotel is quite a distance from central London although quite accessible by DLR and the Jubilee Line. This is a large hotel - there is a pool and health club, pizzeria and bar areas which overlook the water. The restaurant (which does not discriminate against people on organised tours with separate meals as some hotels do) also overlooks the water and is a carvery - however there is little ambience and it is crowded and difficult to negotiate the self serve food buffet. The staff seem perplexed at busy times too and we had to ask for simple things such as forks as the tables were not fully set. Food acceptable in the evenings but not too adventurous but breakfasts very good. The rooms are all en suite and the quality is excellent (although the windows are dirty!) and the bathroom of a good standard. You do need to consider the location though if you are thinking of this hotel. Not great for central London but for Greenwich, Essex, Kent and east London and of course Docklands the location is excellent.
Unique Quality: The view from the upper floors is worth staying here alone especially if you get one once as we did facing the 02 Arena. Update - March 2012 - restaurant much improved and there is now a second bar area. The windows are still dirty. On the night of 23/3/12 at 23.40 the fire alram sounded. I must rate the evacuation as good although there should have been some staff involvement on the floors above the ground floor. It seems to be the hotel is run (like everywhere else these days) on minimal staff numbers but the staff did what was expected of them and although it was not serious I felt safe.
Opinion of Price: about average
Britannia International Hotel Photo: The entrance
1 more images
timlloydlangston
Reviews: 70
User Rating
Great location, but not without its flaws
I was travelling here on business, so the location right next to Canary Wharf was ideal. It's also a good base in London as there's easy access to both the Docklands Light Railway and the Underground (Jubilee Line). The hotel was smart and comfortable and the rooms were clean. Now for the flaws: Half of the rooms look over the Docklands Light Railway which is very noisy as it crossess Heron Quay. With trains starting before 6am it isn't good for having a lie-in. The gym is great, but the pool is tiny (looks a lot larger in the promotional material) and there is a 2.50GBP charge each time you want to use the leisure facilities. The seating area around the bar is huge with views of the dock, but the bar itself is very small and there was a long queue to get served.
Opinion of Price: more expensive than average
Markus68
Reviews: 1
User Rating
Helpfulness
Not Recommended
Very unfriendly staff. Try to let you pay more (also for breakfast even if included). Breakfast buffet very small and just english breakfast. The tables in the restaurant are dirty.
Air conditioning in room broken or cools down only to 25 degrees (checked in several rooms). Pillows and carpet are dirty. The TV has just a few channels and only from England. The window (if open) cannot be closed as you need a special key. If you call the reception or concierge then nobody picks up the phone. If you get someone on the phone the it takes nearly one hour to get someone to your room for example to close the window.
Attention: If you need a taxi they don't call you an official London taxi. It's a private one which is more expensive then a normal one. Check the mirror in the bath as behind there is a small room...
It was a business trip with 6 people (each one room). Everyone had problems with the staff and the rooms.
Unique Quality: -
Opinion of Price: N/A
BlueBeth
Reviews: 77
User Rating
Helpfulness
Not exactly central...
Great place to stay, right in the heart of Londons Docklands. We sat each morning at breakfast watching the ducks on the river. Slight problem with check in - would you really want your kids staying in a room four floors below your own? No we didn't either, best they could do was halfway along the same corridor as ours, even though we had mentioned when booking that we wanted two adjoinging rooms! Anyway once that was sorted out it was a good base, walking distance of either Canary Wharf tube or a DLR station. They had their own pizzeria as well, which the boys enjoyed.
Opinion of Price: about average
Helga67
Reviews: 2612
Helpfulness
BRITANNIA INTERNATIONAL HOTEL
The room is furnished in English style, fully air conditioned, direct dial telephone and colour TV.
Opinion of Price: about average
Britannia International Hotel Photo: Britannia International hotel
Helga67
Reviews: 2612
User Rating
Helpfulness
BRITANNIA INTERNATIONAL HOTEL
The hotel is situated in the heart of London's Docklands and within three minutes walk of South Quay on the Docklands Light Railway and Canary Wharf on the Jubilee Line.
Unique Quality: There are 3 themed restaurants and a bar with a lovely view of the Docklands. For a small fee you can use the pool, gymnasium, sauna, steam room and hair and beauty salon.
Opinion of Price: about average
Britannia International Hotel Photo: Britannia International hotel
This hotel was wonderfull, I could not fault it other that the breakfast being very overpriced, Two bowles of cereal and a cupper for nearly £13. The Room we had was a Jacuzzi room i was actually supprised how good it was(go easy on the bubble bath that thing multiplys them), It was a very large room with a very nice view, the staff were helpfull without being intrusive, the dinner in the resaurant was fab a 3 course meal for only £13.50 bargain no matter where you come from. The bar was comfortable with a view over the river, And most important it was clean through out . You wont be dissapointed .
You can probably do better
by TripAdvisor Member darbyo2
My husband and I live in London and needed a place to stay between leases. We were at Britannia for a week and then at the Novotel Greenwich (which is much better).
This hotel does have good points. It is convenient to Canary Wharf the DLR and Jubilee line. The room and bathroom are spacious and clean enough with old style furnishings that may be considered quaint (or tacky). The concierge on duty in the evenings was fantastic.
The restaurant and pizzaria food was overpriced for the quality. But the worst parts were the uncomfortable bed and the eternity spent in the lifts every day. We didn't have a good night's sleep all week.
We paid about 100 pounds per night and that was too much. The Novotel Greenwich is a little more out of the way, but we only spent about 75 per night there for an excellent hotel.
Good hotel but noisy
by TripAdvisor Member dannma
Recently took a 2 day break in this hotel. Extremely easy to find right in the centre of Docklands and next to Canary Wharf tower. Easy to drive to hotel with car parking at £15 per day underneath. Can also be reached by Docklands light railway and Canary Wharf underground station on the Jubilee line. Both stops around 10 minute walk from hotel. Initially presentation of entrance and reception to hotel very good. Staff are very helpful, with a tang of european accents as is the case in many uk hotels now. Room was perfectly adequate twin with ensuite. Great views over London and the River Thames from the 12th floor. Price was excellent value with a leisure break only costing around £150 including breakfast for both nights. Easy to book rooms on line. Large amount of building work currently taking place in the area although this is mainly confined to the working hours of 8 - 5 and did not cause us any problems with noise. Looks like planning permission has been granted for large 15 tower building to be erected next to the hotel but this has not started yet but will certainly restrict hotel views when completed probably in a couple of years time and I would suggest will create noise whilst being built. Biggest noise problem we experienced was the light railway which is elevated across the dock below. This runs every 3 minutes from 5.30am to midnight and sounds like a jet plane taking off. Should get used to this after the first night and does make interesting viewing from the hotel room. Hotel is well placed just outside the hustle and bussle of central London which can be reached by tube, bus or railway in 30 minutes from the hotel.
Somewhat ordinary
by A TripAdvisor Member
Hotel was o.k. but unspectacular. We stayed one night only. The exterior is brutish and somewhat unwelcoming. Unfortunately, the interior (once you have cleared reception) varies between the garish, dated and downright tacky.
The hotel badly needs an overhaul. The decor needs enlivening. Staff were fine though.
Worst bit was the leisure facility. The pool was in a really poor state - with peeling plastework in evidence and mould all over the ceiling.
For a purportedly 4 star hotel, I think the owners must really do better than this.
I would pitch it at more like 2/3 stars - so to this extent £125 for a night for a weekend break family room did not feel like the good value I thought it would be !!
We spent the two previous nights in a Premier Travel Inn at £48 a night. It was no worse than the International......
Forum Posts
Where to stay?!@
by Liveitup_Bailey
Hi All
Me and my brother are stopping in London for a quickie 2 day visit. Just wondering if you guys know any safe affordable hotels to stay at. We have a lot of luggage so hostels won’t really do. We want to be some what near the attractions as well so we’ll get most out of our 48 hours in London
Any suggestions?
Thanks tons
Bailey
p.s. Also what are the must see areas to hit?
RE: Where to stay?!@
by carlrea
O.k. it must seem i'm on the payroll for this website but check it out as you can view prices and the rooms inside before you book. i've yet to pick a bad hotel through this site!!!!
www.2stay.com
Have fun
Carl
RE: Where to stay?!@
by tarced
I stayed in this hotel last year
The Britannia International Hotel
163, Marsh Wall
South Quay
London E14 9SJ
England
Telephone: 011 44 (0)2077120100
It's by the Dockland development, which used to not be a safe area, but is safe enough now and is on the Jubilee line. Expedia is quoting $108 right now for a room there.
Don't miss the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey (don't go on a Sunday, you won't get to go inside), or eating Fish and Chips in a pub.
Enjoy your time there!
RE: RE: Where to stay?!@
by robine
As a Londoner, I can't really advise you. But I always consult www.tripadvisor.com, which has independent reviews.
RE: Where to stay?!@
by lou31
I stayed at the Kensington Close Hotel in Kensington. Clean and well layed out, and they have porters for your luggage. Tube just around the corner and High Street one block away. With the tube you can be at all the attractions fairly quickly. Have a look at my London accomodation page for a pic. Also have you tried the Smoothound website?
RE: Where to stay?!@
by Carlop39
Hi!!
There is one hotel in Victoria station, The name is Victor hotel that is about £60 a doble room, and very close to this hotel there is one even cheaper and the quality is very good(has bathroom, breakfast and is very clean and nice)called Hutton or something like that, It will be about £50 or 55 per double room, but they are almost all the time full. Anyway on that street there are a lot of cheap hotels...the only thing is that during the weekends there are always full.
Victoria area is very good..you will be in ten min In oxford circus, coven garden...and you have the tube and night busses...Good luck!!
There are 3 themed restaurants and a bar with a lovely view of the Docklands. For a small fee you can use the pool, gymnasium, sauna, steam room and hair and beauty salon.
14614 members live in London
Best Deals for Britannia International Hotel
Britannia International Hotel: Save money, Book now !
Booking.com Excellent choice, Low rates
Britannia International Hotel: Book online.
Hotels.com See maps & reviews for over 140,000 Hotels worldwide!
Q:First time touring my hometown "Hey guys,
My girlfriend and I are planning a few days in the city. I live near the centre, but I've never really seen it..."
A: "We often take for granted the things closest to us.
As a tourist I can tell you that I instantly fell in love with your city and rank London as one of 3 of my top..."
Read 13 Replies»
Best Deals for Britannia International Hotel
Britannia International Hotel: Plenty of choices
agoda.com Save up to 75%, Don't miss! Live support, Instant confirmation.
Britannia International Hotel: Discount Hotel Rooms
Priceline.com More Ways to Save on Hotels. Save up to 50% on Top Brands.
Sign in with Facebook
