I actually work as a Blue Badge Guide in London and so was not staying at the Radisson VanderBilt Hotel, but a party of my clients was, and I needed some rather special assistance.
And I certainly got it, efficient and reliable to the end. I had to meet my group there but was flying in from South Africa that same morning. Unfortunately I was a bit late. I had sent an email to the Concierge at the hotel to ask him to manage things for me in the event of my plane coming in late. The name of this Concierge was Darius (from Lithuania originally, I think). He got the group mustered at the Radisson and sent them off to do some London-exploring. When I arrived, he had it all sorted - He got me washed and changed, he took my luggage and had me out of the door in minutes, looking less the weary traveller that I was and more like the Blue Badge Guide that I had to be. He sent me to the right place to meet the group, just in time for the Changing of the Guard - and the rest was easy.
The clients had a great day - and my thanks to Darius for his quiet efficiency in liasing with both me and my group. Great Concierge work.

I have reviewed this hotel before, but, as I probably stay at the Radisson Blu Edwardian Vanderbilt (or one of its sister hotels) on around 10 occasions each year, it seems timely to update my recommendation. The hotel has a number of practical advantages. It is on the tube line direct from Heathrow, and just seconds away from Gloucester Road station. I like to spend the afternoon before my meetings visiting galleries and museums, and this hotel is a short walk from the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and the V&A. Less tangibly, from my many visits over the years, I have found that the staff are very welcoming and friendly, without being intrusive. I also enjoy the Edwardian decor, which gives the hotel a character that distinguishes it from some of its rather more bland modern competitors. Overall, it is convenient, but also has a personal quality to it that makes it more than just another bedroom for the night.

I had booked this last minute as I had been in and it of London three times and did not have a pleasant experience in London, so I decided to book a decent hotel. I got a great deal (though not cheap for someone travelling on thief own). The room was not huge, but a good enough size for one. I had a good view and a window that could open to allow for fresh air.

The restaurant was great and even though you had to pay extra for an espresso, it was a good strong coffee. None of that watered down dirty water business. I had asked the hotel to arrange a shuttle to the airport and on my departure day, they realised that they had forgot to do it, so they arranged a black taxi to take me to the airport and paid for it themselves. This was a great solution to their own error.

Will I stay here again? Definitely, but it can be a little pricey so try and get a good deal.

This is an old review as I had stayed here in September 2007, but I recommended this to friends who also stayed here in August 2012.

We booked this stay for our son's 4th birthday as we were visiting the Natural History and Science Museum. The staff at the front desk were very welcoming and friendly, and the location for both museums is great.

However, the family room that we had booked was tiny and there was no space for the travel cot that we had requested (of which there was no sign of in the room anyway). We asked to be moved to another family room; the room we were given was no bigger but when we moved a small table and chairs we were able to create enough room for a travel cot, which still hadn't arrived - eventually arriving after we had made two phone calls to the front desk, followed by two further calls to request bedding for this (my daughter ended up using a sheet and a towel as a duvet as we were given a thick king size wool blanket when we asked for a quilt for the cot).

The room smelt of cooking, the windows did not open and the air con didn't work. So it was hot, smelly and stuffy! Add to that it was noisy as the air con generator was directly outside of our room. All made worse by the fact that there was no hot water at all in the room, and we had to use the shower in another room in the morning, which was at the opposite end of the corridor (so that's the 3rd room now, for an overnight stay)

A terrible experience in a hotel that is not at all suited for families.