More about Ramada Encore London West
Great Stay
by TripAdvisor Member Blueysmrs
We (us with our 3yr old and 1yr old) stayed here for three nights. Plenty of room for the four of us - we had a cot as well as a huge amount of luggage/strollers etc. - and the kids still had room to muck about (although we did worry about whether they made too much noise on the wooden floor). Bathroom was excellent. Staff were extremely friendly and helpful. High chair was available for the little one for meals. The coffee shop had plenty of lunch type food available as well as cakes etc. Tube station is very close and there is a pub across from the tube station (there is also a shop and a service station nearby). Easy to find and plenty of parking. Good breakfast - cereal, rolls, toast, fruit, yoghurt. Hotel restaurant was happy to make meals for our kids just how we wanted. Would definitely stay here again and recommend to others.
Far away from most everything but clean and bright
by TripAdvisor Member spailey
Beware, this hotel is quite a trek from the main London drag. At busy times expect to spend 20+ minutes on the Tube getting to most of the tourist attractions. Rush hour times on the subway were horrific, avoid them if at all possible. No nightlife in the area to speak of (though that can be a blessing). The Underground is within easy walking distance, though it is certainly not 200 yards away as the hotel proclaims--it's more like three blocks. The Thai restaurant inside is surprisingly reasonable and decent, and the (free) continental breakfast is also good. The rooms are okay, kind of novel and on the small end, and there is virtually no storage space. Very stingy on electrical outlets, too; I think there were two in the entire room. Whoever designed the place took a lot of inspiration from IKEA: lots of bright colors, clean lines, and thin fabrics (I'm not complaining). Liked the wooden floors and the rooms were very clean. As I wound up in a wheelchair accessible room (after the heating system in the original room wouldn't shut off), the bathroom was something of a conundrum--taking a shower without drenching the entire bathroom is something I never mastered, which makes sense considering there was no door or curtain to the shower. It was perplexing. Hopefully folks staying in regular rooms fare better. A word on the wireless Internet they say they supply: it is through a third party and horrifically expensive ($6USD for 30 minutes/$22+ for 24-hour access), PLUS it is unavailable in the rooms. You've got to be down in the lobby for access; I wouldn't have stayed there had this been accurately represented (and I won't stay there again, based mostly on its location). The hotel's exchange rate was horrid; get that done elsewhere.
Encore indeed! I'd stay again!
by A TripAdvisor Member
I stayed here in mid March. This was the first time I've been to England or indeed to any worldly city outside Dallas. I enjoyed my stay quite a bit.
We stayed 3 days and shared a 2-double on the 3rd floor. The room was exceptionally clean and tidy, with a modern look. The bath was immaculate and new with ensuite power shower - plenty of hot water. The room temp was cozy, but we kept the windows open often.
The hotel features a free continental breakfast buffet with juice, cereal, fruit, cheese, yogurt bread, coffee, juice, and milk. There's high-speed internet for a 20p/min fee and a payfone (i think the same fee). The hotel also hosts a spacious guest lobby (that reminded me of a very modern college commons), a full bar (open late and staffed by this guy named Gi who is super friendly), and a good indian food restaurant (shrimp crisps are nice with a Carling Cold). Elevators take you to the higher floors, there are a few vending machines round the back, and parking is no problem. There is even a security guard on duty here at night, though I had absolutely NO indication that the guard was necessary. Its just a further example of the full service provided.
This hotel is in North Acton, which is on the Central Line headed west. The location is not very central to the big sites of london, but the tube station is only about 5 min from the hotel by foot and bussing is also very available, and this is hardly a bad area to stay in.
If this hotel were in Westminster or if it had a shuttle service, I would gladly give it a perfect 5 rating. Since its location is just off of central and you have to make it here on your own (though they will call a cab for you), I rate it only VERY GOOD instead of PERFECT. Not too shabby for about 50 GBP ($100 USD) a night. I will definitely stay here again!
I've included my email, so If you've any questions about London or Dallas, let me know. Cheers!
Delightful, surprising hotel
by A TripAdvisor Member
We used TravelAdvisor to pick a hotel that was not extraordinarily expensive which most are in London. We found the Ramada Encore. This was a surprising hotel while not in downtown London, it was very clean. We took the Gatwick Express into Victoria station and from there we took a taxi to the hotel because we did not want to drag luggage up and down the stairs in the tube stations. It cost approximately 25 pounds to get to the hotel from Victoria Station. The hotel is only about 4 minute walk from the tube station (Central Line, North Acton). They allowed us to check in early which was really needed after arriving in London at 7:30 in the morning. While not having a lot to do around the hotel, the restaurant in the hotel was excellent. Michael was one of the best waiters we've encountered in a long time. The Chef created food that was excellent, the service was excellent. In this case, all the excellents are deserved. Let it be noted that the room did not have a closet but had hooks to hang your clothes and the shower had no door. These are not significant negatives.
Clean and nice hotel
by TripAdvisor Member Stevie1234
I did a lot of research before traveling on our first overseas trip, using this forum's reviews for just about every hotel in London. Our trip was for 4 nights, 3 of us (Mom & 2 teenage daughters) in one room. We had a double bed and a pull out "cot" was set up upon our arrival. We were allowed to check in early. We all loved the room--very clean, not noisy. There was not much storage area, and we had ALOT of luggage, but we managed fine, living out of our suitcases. The bathroom was roomy, and we actually liked the shower with no door and had no problem keeping the water where it belonged. It was a pretty short walk to the underground, and we liked the idea of not being in the heart of the tourist area. We ate at the pub nearby which was good. We enjoyed the free breakfast and found there was a pretty good variety (for a continental buffet) of food. The decor of the hotel was very modern and reminded us of something out of "The Jetsons." The staff was very polite and helpful, and when we returned late at night, noticed that the security guard kept an eye on us while we were walking home. Don't know if it was needed or not because we felt very safe in the area. My daughters are pretty picky and they loved the hotel. I do recommend taking a cab to and from the hotel, though, as opposed to carrying luggage on the underground, which we did on our way there. Not a good idea, but it was our first experience with a subway and so we learned from our mistake.
We liked the Encore
by TripAdvisor Member jenuinejnee
My sister and I stayed at the Encore March 2005. We found it to be a good value. It was bright and cheerful inside, and the front desk staff was courteous and extremely helpful in giving directions. Our room was clean, quiet, and, much to our surpise, spacious, which is not typical of European hotel rooms from what I have heard. The area around the Encore was also quite safe - my sister and I both felt comfortable walking out at night. Our only qualms were a) the rooms did not have a closet - we had to keep our belongings tucked inside of our suitcases b) the hotel was a bit far away from Central London - the Encore is in Zone 2-3. Although it is conveniently located just a short walk from the North Acton tube station, we found it to be quite a distance from all the action. Our daily commute into the city was about 15 min on the tube. Also, there were very few restuarants and shops in the area surrounding the Encore.
I would not recommend the Encore for those who like to take midday breaks back at the hotel before continuing with their sightseeing. Otherwise, the Encore is a great place to stay.
Best Bed and Breakfast deal in London !
by TripAdvisor Member RobInSanDiego
Contrary to most bed and breakfasts in Central London, this place is new (about 1 year old), clean, and a five minute walk to the North Acton Tube station. It's about a 20 minute ride to the heart of Central London from there. The rooms are ultra-modern and spacious. I stayed here for 5 nights from March 11th to March 16th, 2005 and loved it. The only draw back was the limited amenities to iron your own clothes. It's not a 5 star hotel with all the resort features, but most people visiting London (as tourists or for business) just need a place to sleep and to eat a healthy breakfast. It's beside a busy street but the rooms are still quiet. The rooms have hardwood floors but are still warm. They are furnished in an IKEA style.
There's a security person in a suit manning the entrance at night, eventhough it's in a safe neighborhood. There's a pub along the way to the Tube station also. I would definitely stay here again if I return to London!
Lastly, there are a lot of smokers in London and smoking is allowed in almost all public areas (including this hotel), so make sure you ask for a non-smoking room if it offends you.
Good hotel, good price, a hike to central London
by A TripAdvisor Member
This hotel is a good pick if you want to save a bit of cash and have a decent room that is a little bit of a hike to London. We stayed 3 nights in a double room for 79 Pounds Sterling/night. The rooms were pretty big by London standards for this class of hotel and clean (the hotel is new). Floors are hard wood. The hotel is a 2 minute walk from the Tube (North Acton Station) and about a 20 to 30 minute ride into London from there. It is located in a commercial area so there is really nothing nearby (no stores, restaurants, or sights), so the hotel restaurant and bar is your only option nearby.
I would stay here again, but if you want to be IN London, you can either pay more or get less.
