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Hilton Metropole is sprucing up its lobby.
The Hilton Metropole has been listed here in the past as one of our favourite hotels in London for doing business in. It always had one of the most “functional” and convenient lobbies for meetings and its central location made it ideal for anything arranged at the last minute. But clearly someone got tired of the slightly dated look (pictured above).
If you’d dropped by there last week as I did, you’d have found it in the midst of a massive refurbishment – apparently part of a multi-million project for this thoroughbred London Hilton. When the work is complete in Spring 2013, it will host a Whisky Lounge and other exciting new features.
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Above is an artist’s impression of what the new lobby will look like and judging by the modern minimalist design it may well be worth the wait.
But what does this mean for guests and visitors right now? Currently the entrance to the hotel is actually through the back because of the construction works. And you need to follow some rather unsightly notices with arrows around construction walls to find it. Not very dignified.
And if you try to find the lobby cafe then good luck because it’s disappeared! You’ll be redirected instead to the ‘Costa’ on the 23rd floor which has some absolutely stunning panoramic London views.
But when I went up there for my meeting as suggested by a friendly Hilton staffer at reception, I found it to be no more than a cafe with a Costa logo with none of the coffee chain’s key elements apart from the coffee itself: you can’t collect loyalty points nor take advantage of Costa’s free WiFi. My single espresso cost £3.60; a sky-high price which you can swallow in exchange for the view. What does go down bitter though is the cost of Hilton’s WiFi (a minimum £6 charge for 90 minutes even for hotel guests!).
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Take a look at the stunning views on YouTube and let us know – is the price worth it? It may be if you come from outside for a meeting, but if I were a hotel guest I’d be annoyed about the steep WiFi charges.
How ironic that the company that virtually invented the modern hotel is now dragging its feet over such a basic amenity as free WiFi for guests, even after budget brands like Travelodge and Premier Inn have seen the light.
We just hope they introduce a wiser internet policy when the shiny new lobby opens for business because this has always been a great hotel for meetings (it also has some fabulous wedding and events rooms).
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Photo credits: Hilton Hotels, welshbendu (YouTube).
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