We arrived at around 4 pm on New Year's Eve 2012' looking forward to our long awaited end of year celebration in Central London. One of the receptionists told me that our rooms were not available due to Maintenance Issues and promptly said that we would have to spend the evening at the Best Western Grand Hotel HEATHROW AIRPORT! We then realised that all of the people arriving in the reception ( around 3 or 4 couples ) were going to have to the same problem. It was quite obvious that the hotel had taken in higher paid guests that day or days before, because we had paid cheaper rates online when we booked in November. Our party and indeed everyone arriving with there prepaid literature had to be shipped off to Heathrow in a fleet of Hotel taxis, obviously well prepared for the situation. We could have had transport back to the city free if needed, but we were totally dispirited by then and elected to stay at Heathrow for the evening. I can only describe the evening as disastrous. There is no way of getting any information or apologies from either the hotel or Expedia despite many emails. Please do not use the Shaftsbury hotel chain in Central London.

I have stayed with this group of hotels a few times and for the price it has been overall a good experience.
But this time is the last I will be staying with them.
First the hotel I wanted to stay in was moving me to a "sister hotel" as works where being done on the hotel.
At first upset but the receptionist was polite and being in the industry, things can happen so let it be.
Got to our new hotel and the rooms are tiny!
I know it is cheap but please.
Two people cannot move around in them. Couldn't open our suitcase without putting it on the bed.
Room stank of of damp.
Bed was broken.
Didn't have a good nights sleep at all.
Returned one night and had lost my key.
Asked if I could get a new key.
Got one straight away.
All they asked was for room number and surname.
I could have been anyone, they didn't ask for a ID proof. Being in the hospitality industry, I know it's the most common way to steal all the possessions of a guest.
And when checking out, the receptionist was too busy sorting bills and papers for even spare five seconds to look at me and give me a smile. I felt like I was bothering them, when I was just checking out, which is what guests do!
As I said other hotels in the group are nice but this one is the one that let's all that hard work go to waist.

Travelled to London for a Christmas night out. Had been emailed in the day to say due to maintenance we had been 'upgraded' to another hotel. We arrived at the other hotel which was nowhere near where we wanted to be to be shown a cupboard in the basement which was apparently our bedroom. After a phone call and speaking to reception we were 'upgraded' again to a cupboard on the 2nd floor which was classed as a club room. We were due at a function so took the room which had the window open this should have set off alarm bells, before we left we closed the window. We had to get a cab due to the distance we now were from the restaurant, the cab arrange by the hotel drove in circles so cost nearly twice as much as on the way back. We arrived back at the hotel about midnight to the smell in our room of sewers. A member of staff came to the room and brought an air fresher as a solution to the problem, not an acceptable one. We ended up getting a cab home. I would never book this hotel and would ensure no-one I know booked with them either. I wish I had read the comments on here first and will check this site in future. My next phone call will be to environmental health.

I returned to the Shaftesbury Metropolis London again this year. My daughter is at Oxford, and we wanted to spend 5 days in London. The Staff was excellent and accomodating, the room was clean and very nice. We had a club room. The beds were very comfortable. The breakfast was very good and a lot of choices and the dining room staff were wonderful. The location is excellent for us. Bus stops across the street, or short 2 blocks to a number of buses to get us all over London. Short walk to Paddington. A bus ride to Oxford St. and Hyde Park. Also a great Pub right across the street. The owner Gary was fabulous. Good food. I will come back and stay with my family across the Pond. Gurpreet and Aparna are fantastic and go out of their way to make you comfortable.