Great Location but no attention to detail
by A TripAdvisor Member
Have just returned from spending a night at the Best Western Shaftesbury in London. Location wise it was great, between Piccadilly & Leicester Square and within easy walking distance of Covent Garden, Oxford Street and Trafalgar Square. The hotel was advertised as having just been modernised and updated which was very true, the rooms being very modern and "designed". Trouble was I think they paid more attention to the design than the practicalities. Every surface already had stuff on it - the desk had a tray with kettle, cups coffee etc. but the lead was too short to reach the socket. The cups were very nice but too small to use a whole coffee sachet unless you like rocket fuel. The bathroom was tiny with no room to put any of your own toiletries though it did have a TV.... The hair drier would not reach a socket anywhere near a mirror. We booked a junior suite which was basically a room with a settee in it. The bed was two singles pushed together with an uncomfortable join in the middle. As our room was on a corner it was very noisy which I suppose is really to be expected on a busy main road. If you want a quiet location this is not the one. I expected more from this hotel to be honest especially at the price as its not cheap. (ranging from 150 - 300 a night) It did for our needs as we were only there for one night and had a busy schedule of theatre, exhibitions and sightseeing but for any longer you would not have room to move.....
Would Highly Recommend this Hotel
by A TripAdvisor Member
My sister and I traveled to London from July 3-6, 2005. I had done a lot of research on various websites (tripadvisor, londontown, expedia reviews, london hotel reviews etc.) as I am a very picky person when booking hotels. I want just the right hotel, for the right price, location, as well as decor and cleanliness. After much research and contemplations between hotels at Earls Court, Euston, Russell Square and Westminster areas, I selected the Best Western - Shaftesbury. The room is a bit on the small side, however very clean, bed was comfortable, great location, (3 blocks from Picadilly line) and a central location to all major attractions (5-10 minute walking distance to Piccadilly Circus, Chinatown Trafalgar Square, Soho) - (Underground distance to London Eye, Big Ben, Westminster, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, ) The hotel was at a reasonable price especially for the location. (119 pounds/nite) Hotel staff was also helpful, One person at the reception desk was a bit on the rude side, but other than that everyone was very helpful. I would definately recommend this hotel and would absolutely stay here again. Hope this is a helpful review to those reading it. (FYI - this is my first posting a review on tripadvisor.com, so it says alot for me to type a review. I normally just read reviews and keep opinions to myself)
Excellent Location, Good Hotel
by A TripAdvisor Member
Just returned from a 3 day break in London to take in the sights and see Patrick Stewart at the Apollo. Checked out this site before staying at The Shaftesbury Hotel and was a little nervous because of some of the reviews. We booked through the Best Western site and found the cheapest deal was to pay fully in advance to get the best price (The Best Western site was cheaper than booking direct with the Hotel itself). Arrived early afternoon and had no problem booking in. Was offered help with my bag but politely declined. The room was a standard double for my wife and I. It was very clean and tastefully decorated, had a shower but no bath (whch is fine by me) and wasn't huge but perfectly comfortable for 2. Our room looked out onto the church to the rear of the hotel but the chimes stopped at 11pm and didn't start again till 6 or 7am and the double glazing kept most of the noise out. The Hotel is situated on Shaftesbury avenue which is perfect for both theatre goers and sightseeing. The Apollo which we were going to was no more than 100m down the road. To the front of the hotel is China Town and to the rear is Soho so it does get very lively on an evening and means there is plenty to do. A lot of the comments about the noise from it's location are a little exaggerated, the rooms are double glazed and i had no difficulty sleeping. The only disturbing noises i heard were from other guest who had children running in and out of rooms and the doors were slamming shut and because the rooms are close together the noise does carry but it is a hotel and you do have to expect that other people will be staying there.
If you like to moan about the little things or if you can't sleep unless there is complete silence then don't stay here, but if you want a nice, good value hotel in the heart of London then i can highly recommend The Shaftesbury Hotel. I hope you enjoy your stay as much as i did.
Good value for money
by TripAdvisor Member happymama
Just got back from a night in London where we booked in at the Shaftesbury hotel. Got a good rate of £99 for a premier double room, which was very very small but modern, clean and comfortable. Staff very friendly and the hotel is right bang in the middle of everywhere that you could possibly want to go to. Obviously it was extremely noisy being in the heart of Theatreland, and the noise doesn't stop all through the night - so the best thing to do is make sure you have a few bevvies to help you sleep right through! Would defintely recommend this place though and we will definitely be going back again.
Great location, very good hotel
by A TripAdvisor Member
Like other reviewers, I was nervous about booking the Shaftesbury, but the hotel has been extensively modernized (albeit not always organically). The bathroom, especially, was nicely finished, though the plumbing drained slowly, and neither the heated towel rack nor the in-wall TV worked. I had a "junior suite," which isn't large; based on the floor plan, I couldn't imagine staying in the standard rooms. (And, like another reviewer mentioned, the two twins pushed together to make a king bed do not align well.) The service is pleasant, and the breakfast is adequate. The location can't be beat for a theater trip, though the street noise does make itself heard late on Friday and Saturday nights. I got a very good B&B rate on the Best Western website; and I've certainly paid more for less in London. That's the bottom line, really. For a central London hotel--most of which range from appalling to mediocre and all of which are astoundingly overpriced--the Shaftesbury is a solid choice.
Good hotel but make sure you get the right room
by A TripAdvisor Member
Stayed here in April for four nights and was initially allocated an 'attic' room (510) which was so small that the bed stopped the wardrobe door opening fully. There was just a shower , rather than bath as advertised so I complained and was allocated a much better room (207). This was adequate in size, the bed was comfortable and the bathroom spacious with a good shower and a small TV. You have to request some of the advertised features, i.e. a DVD player and a bathrobe. There are tea making facilities and flat screen TV. I requested a quiet room , rather than one overlooking the busy Shaftesbury Avenue. The location is great if you are going to the theatre and if you like to be in the midst of the west end throng. It is opposite Soho with its many chinese restaurants.
Forum Posts
hotels near shaftesbury theatre
by gooner66
looking for a good quality and cheap hotel for one night for my parents (oap's)to visit hairspray stage show at shaftesbury theatre. Within 1 mile of theatre if possible. does anyone have any suggestions ?
Re: hotels near shaftesbury theatre
by leics
Travelodge? Nothing special, but will be reasonable quality (and may be reasonably-priced too....they sometimes are)..
http://www.travelodge.co.uk/find_a_hotel/hotel/hotel_id/318/LondonCoventGarden
Re: hotels near shaftesbury theatre
by hawkhead
I, too, suggest the Travelodge at Covent Garden. There's always the Strand Palace but I wouldn't recommend it.
Worth reconsidering...
by iblatt
Most hotels in the West End area are expensive.
You can find a good hotel for a much more reasonable price further away, and a taxi cost to and from the hotel will still be cheaper than hotels in the very center of London.
Re: hotels near shaftesbury theatre
by qaminari
Good quality and cheap rarely go together anywhere, but in London especially hotels are rarely cheap and some of the relatively inexpensive ones can be quite nasty. I still shudder at the memory of the breakfast served in a B&B in Bloomsbury. Anyway, the closest possibility would probably be the Shaftesbury Hotel which is now a Best Western: http://www.shaftesburyhotellondon.co.uk/?gclid=CPvU3-mlyY8CFQxIMAodOkFpzg
A reasonable one - relatively cheap for London - which is within easy walking distance of Shaftesbury Avenue is the St. Giles (formerly the Y Hotel, formerly the YMCA), just off Tottenham Court Road not far from the tube station: www.stgiles.com/londonhotel/
Re: hotels near shaftesbury theatre
by iandsmith
"Hairspray stage show"? Now there's something my sheltered life hasn't caught up on!
Cheers.
Re: hotels near shaftesbury theatre
by kalkit
Travelodge is the closest, but also very busy, so you have to be lucky to get a cheap price there - usually £105 a room when no cheap offers available. I usually stay in Paddington and travel in by bus!
Hairspray is definitely a great, feel good show to go and see, so get there and expand your life.You cannot help but feel better when you leave than you did going in, it is so full of fun and energy. It's just won the Evening Standard award for Best Musical too.
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