Looks nothing like it does on the website!

A late afternoon meeting in Croydon, followed by an early morning one in London meant I needed somewhere quick and convenient to stay, I also needed windows that opened, on-site parking, air conditioning and high speed internet access. The Hilton Croydon promised to comply on all these factors.

The first thing that struck me was that the hotel looks NOTHING like it did on the website, and is reminiscent of a 1970s/80s build mini tower block!

*** THE ROOM ***
The hotel consists of three floors serviced by lifts and stairs. The first thing I noticed on my way up is that the décor of the corridors is decidedly tired, and the carpets very threadbare - and not what I have come to expect from what is supposed to be one of the leading hotel chains with prices to match.

There was no iron and board in the room as advertised, and the bedding was all feather and duck-down, despite my request for foam in all areas because of my allergy. This bedding was changed swiftly, but not exactly with the same good grace and pleasantries of the staff in the Hilton Coventry. The air conditioning was totally ineffective, and the window did open, but to expose a very noisy main road alongside.

The telephone handset in the

The evening meal consisted of chicken tikka massalla and rice, an extra portion of chips and a pint of Stella. Including the room tray charge of £3.50, it came to £20 which is just about acceptable. The curry was extremely tasty and far more authentic than that experienced at the Hilton Coventry, it was also moderately warm and chilly in parts, but t be honest, having eaten 2 biscuits and a packet of crisps all day, it literally didn't touch the sides, anyone who knew me, would have thought I had been taking lessons on eating off my beloved Labradors.

*** BREAKFAST ***
In keeping with most buffet breakfasts these days, I found to be lacking. The range of food was there, including bacon, veggie and meat sausages, hash browns, mushrooms, beans, tomatoes, cold meats, cheeses, fruits, cereals, pastries and cereals, not to mention eggs cooked freshly any way you like by the resident chef. I found the food difficult to eat, not properly cooked, and nowhere near as hot as it should have been.

On offer was a good sized swimming pool, gym, sauna, solarium, and beauty treatments, all but the beauty treatment are included in the accommodation fees for residents. Opening times are good ranging between 6 & 6.30 and 10 / 1030 each day.

*** SUITABILITY FOR ONWARD TRAVEL ***
If you are flying somewhere from Gatwick, with early morning transport to the airport (extra charge) operated by the hotel, then you could do a lot worse than staying here. Conversely, if you want to get to London, you are looking at a £8 to £10 taxi fare to the station, and then a £6.80 return fare into the city. Trains run literally every 4 to 5 minutes during the day, and the trains are clean, air conditioned and refreshing, some also offering T-Mobile wireless internet. Personally though, for access to London, I would say the Ramada Jarvis, Ealing Common is a much better bet.

I completed the customer complaint form outlining all the issues, and within a day, got a letter back from the hotel manager within a day apologising and confirming they would review their procedures - interestingly, only three times I have been driven to complete such forms, and two of these have been in Hiltons, the one in Milton Keynes and here in Croydon.

*** Rates ***
I paid £89 B&B through a third party, average rates on their website start from £103.50, but in keeping with many hotel chains, don't forget to check the small-print, because some of their deals are paid up front and do not have a cancellation policy, therefore be careful.

SEE WHAT ELSE IS ON OFFER BEFORE BOOKING HERE - there is a Jury's hotel in central Croydon which is cheaper, and according to colleagues, OK for a good nights stay, although I believe it doesn't have on-site parking nor air conditioning, two factors which were vital to me.