DudleyPraetorius
February 22, 2024
I have stayed at other Premier Inns in London (Blackfriars and the Hub by Premier Inn in Soho) and enjoyed them - they were exactly what they were intended to be: contemporary, comfortable, reasonably priced hotels. This one had rooms that were very similar to those at Blackfriars, but the public spaces were less than pleasing. From what I understand, this building is an old, converted public government building (thus the name "County Hall"), and it shows. When you walk in the main entrance to the hotel, it feels like you're walking into a run-down college dormitory - or maybe even an old city hospital - that has only partially been converted into a hotel. All the public spaces felt this way. And, when you look out the back windows of the hotel (from the hallways by the elevators) that look into the inner courtyard of the massive complex it is part of, it feels like you're looking out into a prison yard. The restaurant has pretty much the same food as other Premier Inns, but the atmosphere was old and unpleasant; again, it felt like a run-down college dormitory. The saving graces of this place were the staff, the actual hotel rooms, and the location. The staff was always very friendly and professional; they seem to be very well trained and they seemed to love their jobs, which is a delight. The rooms are comfortable with modern bathrooms, however in my room the aging 6th-floor dormer window looked like it was the same old window from the building's past with a funky, dilapidated old sheer curtain hanging inside the two layers of glass enclosure. Oddly, I had paid for the premium style of room, but the premium rooms did not seem to be in premium locations within the building. The other saving grace is the location. Just around the corner from the London Eye and the charming waterfront along the Thames.