More about Harlingford Hotel
Great Stay
by A TripAdvisor Member
My wife and I recently returned from a trip to London, which was made all the more better by a stay at the Harlingford. When we arrived, we were greeted by the very friendly staff. We were pleased to find that our room was ready for us when we arrived there at 9:00am.
The room was well maintained and very comfortable. The bedroom was decorated in a very modern and attractive style. I was happy to see that the bathroom was spacious by London standards.
The English breakfast was a highlight of our trip. The eating area was very clean and bright, and the food was excellent. Of the many times we have been to London, this was by far the best breakfast buffet we had been to.
I was also appreciative of the help and understanding the Harlingford provided to us. We had an emergency back in the States that required us to make several overseas phone calls. The staff and the owners were very understanding and reduced the phone bill significantly in light of that.
The only negative thing that I could say, is that the staff were not native Londoners, but rather foreign students. Thus, they were not as able to answer questions / give recomendations about London, but they were happy to look them up for us.
In all, our stay was excellent. We will highly recommend the hotel to our friends. We look forward to coming back and staying at The Harlingford.
Great little place to stay
by A TripAdvisor Member
After digging through countless London hotel reviews and wanting to avoid overpaying for lousy accommodations (some of my first choices among 4 star hotels received terrible reviews) I settled on the Harlingford in Bloomsbury. I'm not sure how I found this specific hotel among all the other possibilities, but once I had the name and matched it with a favorable review in the Washington Post, I made a reservation.
So, the Harlingford is convenient to Russell Square and the British Museum. It's on a fairly quite street, just don't let the hideously ugly concrete apartment block you'll pass down the street scare you off. The rooms are small (typical of many facilities crafted from Georgian row houses) but quite nice and stylish. The bathroom was also rather small but very functional. It also boasted new tile, fixtures, etc. Think W Hotel meets Fawlty Towers. The staff was friendly and pleasant. Plus, a traditional English breakfast is included in the price.
Overall, a great deal, especially if you're willing to try something other than the cookie cutter hotels and motels most Americans are used to in the States.
Great for families
by A TripAdvisor Member
We spent three days at the Harlingford in mid-March. The second floor quad room was perfect for two adult and two kids. Shower was small, but newly renovated and very clean. For those with acadmeic interests at the British Museum or University of London, this is a terrific location. Outside noise was minimal. The breakfast was excellently prepared and offerred more options than many other London hotels we've visited. Desk staff were especially helpful with left luggage and directions. Definitely the best small hotel B&B we've found in the Bloomsbury area.
I loved it
by TripAdvisor Member bojooth
I stayed at the Harlingford for 5 nights in mid September. Although the room was small it was great. We had a view of the park and the bathroom was immaculate. It has obviously been refurbished. Look for a cheapish hotel in such a good location I thought it was great.
The staff couldn't do enough to help. The room was always cleaned immaculately and the front desk staff were lovely.
I loved the location as it was not noisy and on a good line for the Tube. It's a shortish walk and with the museum being close by all the touristy open-topped buses are close by too.
The breakfasts are great and there is tonnes to eat. We ate so much that we didn't need lunch and always snuck some fruit out as well to keep in our bags during the day.
I would stay there again in a heart beat as I think it was good value for money.
Wonderful Stay
by TripAdvisor Member thebabs
We just returned from a weeklong stay at the Harlingford and were completely satisfied with the hotel, which met or exceeded our expectations in virtually every way.
After arriving in the morning before checkout time, the hotel was happy to let us stow our bags in the dining area, which is only open for the free English breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. We arrived back precisely at the 1 p.m. checkin time and our room was ready to go.
The room was exactly as we expected, small with smallish beds and a tiny bathroom with a tiny shower (guests with weight issues might find the exceedingly tight shower a problem). However, it was updated and perfectly clean, with dependable maid service.
The room HAS: built-in hairdryer, telephone (25 pence per local or toll-free call), shaver socket in bathroom, desk with chairs, small fan, closet.
The room DOES NOT have: high-speed Internet port (two Internet shops within a block, however), air conditioning (use the window/fan), bathtub, alarm clock.
SERVICE: Service was always friendly, although we're fairly well-prepared travelers so all we really needed were wakeup calls (which were reliable).
SETTING: The immediate neighborhood is nice mixture. It's mostly residential and quiet, yet there are plenty of pubs and restaurants (including the renowned North Sea Fish Restaurant for excellent fish n' chips) nearby.
TRANSPORTATION: Three tube stops, each nearly equidistant (less than a 10-minute walk), connect you to just about every line in London (the stops are Russell Square, Euston and Kings Cross, with Euston Square being a little further away). Coming from Heathrow, you can either take the tube directly to Russell Square or take the faster Heathrow Express train to Paddington Station and connect to the tube and come to either Euston or Kings Cross. From Gatwick, either take the Thameslink train directly to Kings Cross or get off at London Bridge and take the tube to Kings Cross; or take the Gatwick Express to Victoria Station and connect to the tube to Russell Square.
BREAKFAST: The breakfast gives the hotel even greater value. In addition to a breakfast far with cereals, rolls, croissants, jams, juices and fruits, you can get a full English breakfast consisting of a fried egg, Canadian bacon, sausage, fried toast and a tomato. Coffee and tea also are available. Note: If you're leaving the hotel before 7:30 a.m., the cereal/fruit bar is open beforehand (at 7 a.m., perhaps earlier)
SECURITY: The area seems very quiet and safe to walk through at night. You get two keys upon checkin -- one for the room and the other for the front door. The desk is open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
SIGHTSEEING: If you book a tour through Golden Tours, which we recommend, they'll pick up at the Hotel Russell next door to the Russell Street tube station. There's not a whole lot to see within walking distance except for the British Library (near Kings Cross) and the British Museum (near Russell Square). Yet, the neighborhood and easy transport access make the Harlingford a great base.
BOOKING/CHECKOUT: Booking was a breeze over the Internet and management was receptive to our few requests and questions ahead of time, saving the cost of a few international calls. I got downstairs to checkout at 7 a.m. and the bill was settled in about two minutes, which helped as we were trying to catch the 7:24 a.m. train to Gatwick (we did, and even had a little cereal before making the short walk).
We wholeheartedly recommend the Harlingford!
Pleasant enough
by A TripAdvisor Member
We stayed for 2 nights at Harlingford, and found some positives and negatives with staying here. Upon arrival (at 9 am) the staff was kind enough to let us store our luggage in the breakfast room until check in time at 1. At 1, our room was ready, however it was a twin when I had requested a double. I'd booked online and they showed me where on their booking it said twin, but on mine it said double. The manager was very friendly and switched our room immediately, but I think we were lucky that a room was available to switch, the hotel seemed pretty full. The original twin room was on the basement level, dark, teeny-tiny, looked out onto a wall and smelled like an ashtray. We would have stayed, but the review might not have been as good. The double room was on the fourth floor, (it was actually a triple) and was much larger, brighter, open window looking out onto the street below. It was a stylish room, but not as clean as I prefer. There was a fan and a nice breeze from our 4th floor vantange point but no airconditioning, so I would be wary in the hotter months. Bathroom was average, could have been cleaner I don't think we got one of the remodeled ones.
There is no elevator, so those with lots of luggage/small children/etc should request a room accordingly. Though our room was on the fourth floor, we walked up 6 flight to get there. I don't know how that worked, but it was a definite workout w/the luggage.
Breakfast was the highlight of the hotel, it's included in the price and the breakfast room is just lovely. The food was excellent, my husband and I didn't try the hot English breakfast but a couple at the table next to us did and it looked yummy. Between us we has toast, jams, cereal, croissants, cheese, fresh juice and fruit. Everything was fantastic.
The hotel was a few blocks from Russel Square tube stop, through some busy, cute streets. Other than the British Museum and British library, which is a short walk away, the major sights require a ride on the underground. There are many little restaurants nearby, all affordable, lots of shops, lots of college aids kids (i think there's a university nearby) not a huge amt of tourists, but enough.
Were it not for the great staff and the wonderful breakfast, the hotel would be totally average, and in a bad room might spiral down to below average. Since all rooms are not created equal here, asking for exactly what you want (remodeled bathroom, which floor, which view, size etc) might be the smartest thing.
Lovely!
by TripAdvisor Member ILNDGRL71
Formerly an ambassador's residence, this charming hotel is located in a quiet neighborhood. It is conveniently located three blocks from the Kings Cross public transportation hub and only two blocks from the Euston Underground stop. The rooms are tastefully hip and comfortable, although the bathrooms are very small (the shower is approximately 24" x 30"). Rooms feature a color television and phone. Hair dryers, soap and shampoo are provided. An iron and ironing board are available on the first floor. No laundry facilities. A full breakfast is served each morning in the lovely dining room and there is an inviting fireplace just across the hall in the parlor. There are several pubs and restaurants within walking distance and the British Museum and London University are nearby. Our room, No. 25, located on a corner, was smaller than most of the rooms. This hotel is not for people who have difficulty climbing stairs and there are no elevators. Overall, it is a good value. We'd stay there again.
OK for the price
by A TripAdvisor Member
We just spent four days at the HH. I concur with the views of most of the other reviewers on most points. The location is great if you want to be in Bloomsbury and near Soho. Access to the tube was adequate, as well as to the express bus to Heathrow, which was a five minute walk away. The staff was friendly and accomodating. At first we were given a basement room which overlooked a stack of black plastic bags with the days garbage. We asked to switch rooms. Since the hotel was full, there was a lot of manipulation that had to occur before we were given a chance to move to a larger room on the second floor the next day. This was generally a big improvement, since the basement room, was quite depressing. The room on the second floor had high a high ceiling and floor to ceiling window that overlooked the Crescent. It was much nicer.
My only real beef is the level of housekeeping at the hotel, which is something that can be changed with a little management attention. In our first room, the shower kept on overflowing the banks of the pan. When I investigated, it appeared that the drain was clogged with about a year's worth of hair and soap scum. I removed the surface block myself ( which was a quite unpleasant task) and reported the problem to the management. If they had a steady maintenance program with a little Liquid Plumber, this should not have occurred. Also, I noticed that in both rooms, the walls, hallways, coffee pot, etc. were somewhat grimy. Although the decor is modern and trendy, it looks as if it is not being well maintained. A little repainting and greater attention to hygiene would go a long way to keeping the look fresh. Nothing is worse than a modern design statement when it gets shabby.
would return
by TripAdvisor Member CTacitus
Perhaps the nicest of the half-dozen hotels on the Cartwright Gardens crescent. Remodeled relatively recently, attractive public rooms, outstanding breakfast. The rooms can be tiny, even by London standards, but mine was clean and well-appointed (a bit like a Toyko apartment, everything in miniature). The bathroom was fine. And one normally doesn't spend a lot of time in one's hotel room while in London. Great location for the British Library, University of London, and British Museum. Russell Square tube stop is about a ten-minute walk. However, apart from a couple of decent Indian restaurants and the good but overpriced North Sea Fish, there's not much to choose from in the immediate vicinity, and the staff, while pleasant, were not particularly knowledgeable. I was there in late March. It was unseasonably cold, but the profusion of flowers on the tables, in planters in the windows, in the garden, was cheering.
Forum Posts
Cheap Bed and Breakfast in the centre
by xivi
Hi guys,
we are going to London for the 1st time for 3 days in May. Could you recommend us some cheap but nice BB in the centre or near subway station? I would be pretty satisfied with a hostel but parents (around 60) probably won´t.
Thanks a lot, cheers, i.
Re: Cheap Bed and Breakfast in the centre
by doodybee
try hotel shakespeare near Paddington
we booked to go there through Alpharooms - seems pretty decent- the hotel does have its own website to check out also but we have not paid the prices they are advertising on there
Enjoy London where ever you stay and whatever you do and see there
Julie
Re: Cheap Bed and Breakfast in the centre
by zuriga
London isn't a city with too many B&Bs. The area around Cromwell Road in South Kensington is fairly nice and has a lot of lower priced hotels. Maybe you can find one there. There are also some in the Tottenham Road area.
Re: Cheap Bed and Breakfast in the centre
by JulesH
Depends what your idea of cheap is but I'd recommend the Harlingford Hotel located between Russell Square and Kings Cross tube stations. http://www.harlingfordhotel.com/tariff.html, it costs around £85 for a single room.
The Tavistock Hotel is also reasonable at around £65 per night http://www.imperialhotels.co.uk/tavistock1_hotel.aspx. This is a retro art deco hotel with a equally retro 1950s bowling alley in the old underground carpark below and it is located about 2 minutes from Russell Square tube station.
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