Thistle Hotel

First of all, the receptionist won’t honor the confirmed tax-​included rate for our 3-​night stay, insisting that the 20% be added, that amounted to 350 GPB added to our confirmed rate, in an email. There is no fitness facility, TV channels are rather limited, no suitcase rack.

This was my second visit to the Thistle Royal Trafalgar. I’m not certain that I would return again sadly. I expect a certain bit of accommodation when you are staying at a hotel for six nights costing over US$ 2500. I had a guest for the first two nights and asked to upgrade to a king bed for two of the six nights… This said the cost was 40 pounds per evening. After the two nights I went to switch to my other room, they asked me if I would like to stay in the king room for 20 pounds per night. They should have offered that the first two nights. The king room was clearly thrown together at the last minute, the walls were scuffy, it was hot, and there were no toiletries or hair dryer and only towels for one. When I told the gentleman at the front desk in the evening what was missing, he said «they put that in all rooms,» okayyyyy, well it wasn’t in mine. It made me feel uncomfortable and unwelcome. The smaller room was put together much better, cleaner and with all accommodations. Location is great… Easy access to tube, the national Gallery, Trafalgar Square, & Leicster square. The benefit of this location is that it is right off the square but on a side street, so low noise level. Maybe this is typical in the UK, but when I asked the front desk for a cab, he said he would give me a «very good deal if I pay cash» versus a «much more expensive ride «if I use my credit card, I found that to be odd. The ladies at the front desk were nice, it was just more peculiar experiences with the men that worked there in the blue shirts with the vests. Almost argumentative. Although I nitpicked in this review, overall it was just fine, it was definitely somewhere I would have stayed again until the last day… Upon check out one of the females offered me US dollars or pounds to pay, without telling me the difference. I chose US dollars and on the receipt it’s stated I would pay a 3.5% conversion rate in addition to any bank fees. I told her this was unacceptable and that she needed to let me know ahead of time that I would be charged. She didn’t think she needed to tell me that. I told her I would not pay this and that I would call my credit card and cancel payment. She continued to argue with me that it is not her job to tell me about the charge, obviously I disagree. You don’t charge someone without telling them. We argued and then the manager came over and in 30 seconds kindly voided and started over. She said that the desk receptionist do not have authorization to void transactions. It left a sour taste.