Riverbank Park Plaza, London

Author's product rating:   

Advantages:	Digi - box, amazing views, more than you could want in the room
Disadvantages:	Bad pillows, very expensive

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

So I stayed in this hotel as part of a certain website's "mystery" hotels and it was actually booked as a surprise by my partner. And what a surprise it was! The nearest tube is possibly a toss-up between Vauxhall and Waterloo, but from Vauxhall it is straight down the one main road (which happens to basically run along the river!). From the outside, the hotel does not exactly look amazing, but as soon as you step inside it is a different story. From the turnstyle doors you approach a swanky bar immediately and just around the corner is the reception area where we checked in.

We did have to wait a while to be checked in, despite other people checking in before us with a different member of staff. I did feel that was a bit rude, but I was still in shock at the artistic pictures of Marilyn Monroe and jewelry dotted around the reception area. We were on the 7th floor and the lift had barely started when the doors opened and we were on our floor. As per a standard hotel, the room was then very easy to find with nice signs on the wall telling you which way to head. The room door was then operated by electronic key which was needed to turn the electricity on in the room.

In the main room, there was a comfy chair and small table, with accompanying magazine about Plaza hotels in general. There was also a desk with large mirror and chair with menus and information about the particular hotel on it. According to the menu, English breakfast in the bedroom would set you back £13 with a £5 delivery charge - we opted for a greasy spoon cafe back on the way to Vauxhall. The far wall of our room was purely window with nets and curtains to cover it. Unfortunately, the view was of the rooms opposite so thank goodness for the net curtains! Rooms with the spectacular view of the River and London cost a hell of a lot more, but would be worth it. Other information in the hotel info pack included information on spa treatments.

Not only did we have a kettle, two large cups and standard selection of teas and coffees, there was also a flatscreen TV, digital box and DVD player. I cannot tell you how good it was to watch Sky Three whilst drinking a cup of tea in their funky brightly coloured cups. I'm not used to that in most hotels, or maybe it's the type of hotel I usually stay in! The unit in which the kettle, DVD player, digi-box and mini-fridge were held had this amazing perspex on the top which was labelled with what was in that section of the unit. It did also include 4 drawers for your belongings.

Also in the main room, we had an iron and board kept within a wardrobe whose light came on when you opened the door. There were plenty of seats and storage possibilities which can sometimes be lacking in a hotel. In the bathroom, I found a walk-in shower with two shower heads (for the romantic?), toilet, very modern sink and shelf which slightly overlapped the edge of the bath and a bath with taps and another shower head (for the couple who bathe separately but at the same time?). There was also a complimentary shampoo, conditioner and body wash along with plenty of towels and spare pillows. The pillows, however, where incredibly too soft and did nothing for my migraine!

We checked out early the next morning without a problem apart from the fact that we wished we could have spent more time there.

It definitely deserves it's 4* rating.