London Hotels Insight provides up-to-date, independent advice for your perfect stay in London. We research guest feedback, meet management and identify hotels at the top of their game.
A Covent Garden hotel both friendly and stylish.
Little Eastern touches add a dash of zen to the luxury Mercer Street Hotel
The Mercer Street Hotel has a prime spot by the Seven Dials landmark. The reception is a light, contemporary space with a few well-chosen artworks – but it was the friendly staff and the way they sprung into action to help at every opportunity that drew my attention on a recent stay.
The service is excellent – friendly, helpful but not too effusive. When my companion needed to plug in a French mobile charger, reception offered him an adapter for a reasonable £5 – or to show him the knack of plugging in without one. The fact it’s a free WiFi London hotel and even has special guest-friendly fridges further reinforce the image of a hotel where staff almost “conspire” to act in the guest’s interest even when this may generate slightly less short-term revenue for the hotel.
Both checking out and collecting left luggage, we found that staff had already anticipated our needs before we asked. That’s smart service.
Book direct with Radisson Edwardian Mercer Street at best guaranteed rate
Stylish black and white pictures celebrating the performance arts help to give the Mercer Street Hotel the air of a place that relishes its central Covent Garden location
The artwork in public areas is quirky – a golden sheep, for instance in reception – and has a big Oriental influence with big red Chinese earthenware jars, birdcages, Confucian sages. Black and white photographs of dancers decorate the rooms and corridors of this stylish luxury hotel in Covent Garden, while the lighting in public areas is provided by wonderful metal flower bouquet sconces. It’s a mix-and-match of influences, but they seem to dovetail well in combination.
Book direct with Radisson Edwardian Mercer Street at best guaranteed rate
The internal design reflects a unique mixture of influences
Rooms are furnished with delightfully zingy taste – lime green, aubergine and dark fuchsia all figured, with textures from velvet on the blinds to a shiny silvered metallic snakeskin wall behind the bed. From the fifth floor you can look down to the balconies and roofs of Neal’s Yard, and further to the fly tower of the Royal Opera House. A huge TV screen (with iPod dock) and a table with two comfortable armchairs, made lounging around very attractive compared to going out in the wind and rain.
Book direct with Radisson Edwardian Mercer Street at best guaranteed rate
King deluxe rooms are decorated in an extravagant signature Mercer Street style
Complimentary mineral water, tea and coffee are provided and if you want to order up a drink or two there’s a fridge to put it in rather than a conventional minibar system. There’s also a business centre in the basement and free WiFi throughout (unlike other boutique hotels in Covent Garden as previously blogged); I particularly like how once you get in, you don’t need a login code - you just use the PC as if you were at home.
Rooms are a reasonable size for London and the bathroom featured a bath and shower combined; all the little details were right – for instance, there are two sets of pump-action toiletries provided in the bath, one at a level you can access sitting, the other for those standing up under the shower.
Book direct with Radisson Edwardian Mercer Street at best guaranteed rate
The toiletries are conveniently accessible for those who use the shower as well as for guests who prefer taking a bath instead - a thoughtful touch that is rarely seen
I think it goes without saying that the beds at any luxury hotel are probably comfortable – here, extremely so! But it really was the friendliness of staff that made the Mercer Street Hotel memorable. Even the chambermaid we passed on our way to the lift was happy and smiley and asked us if we were enjoying our stay – raising our spirits on the way to breakfast.
Book direct with Radisson Edwardian Mercer Street at best guaranteed rate
The hotel's Dial Restaurant and Bar is a popular destination for classy sustenance from morning to night - including for afternoon tea and late night drinks.
Photo credits: London Hotels Insight blogger Andrea, London Hotels Insight Flickr.
Disclosure: Andrea was a guest of The Mercer Street Hotel.
Previous post: Apex lets wild animals loose in its hotels.
