I had to stay there for business purposes (5 days) but will never return. Major problems included virtually no way to park a car within a mile (was told to park under the Barbican Centre for US$4 per hour 24 hrs/day, a very long walk with a suitcase), very high prices for mediocre accomodation, not able to get copies made(!), unhelpful staff with poor English, hotel surrounded by cheap smelly take aways, located within the London Congestion Charge Zone (Another $10/day). Only good points were closeness to city financial and law offices, and the excellent & courteous room service. I felt totally ripped off by the whole experience.

Stayed one night on business - 7 March 2004.
Having read previous reviews of this hotel on Trip Advisor requested single room at check-in within new block (as reports of rooms in old block were poor).

Annoyingly on check-in Thistle Hotels try and peruade you to pay an additional £20 to upgrade your room (rather similar approach to McDonalds) as business was paying I declined their offer.

Unfortunately as there is only one single room in the new block I was allocated a room in the old block.

The old block is opposite the main building and has an unmanned foyer/reception - the upper hallways were tatty with chipped paint and marked wallpaper.

The bedroom was on the first floor beside the traffic lights on a main road - as the room had no double glazing it was noisy and felt shabby.
I returned to the reception and was then allocated another room in the old block facing an internal courtyard - this was even shabbier than the first and smelt stale.

Once again I trailed back to reception and was finally given a twin room in the new block for the same price - unfortunately had to accept a smoking room but luckily did not smell to bad!.

The room in the new block was much nicer than those I had seen in the old block and the corriders/hallways were in much better condition.

Breakfast was ok - usual self service affair and check-out was quick and straightfoward.

On the plus the Receptionist that dealt with me at check-in should win a customer service award - she remained patient and upbeat through my many trips to the reception desk and even checked how I was when she saw me and my colleagues in the restaurant.

I agree that the hotel isn't in agreat location but I had a conference at the barbican the next day so it was handy for that! I had my car with me and managed to get a space out the front (£20 and night) the concerge was very helpful. Check in took some time! 1 lift was broken but my room on the 3rd floor was small but clean and well presented - ideal for my stay. I ordered room service whihc arrived promptly and was of good quality. Check out took forever!

I wouldn't stay here socially but for business it was fine :-)...pricey though.

I stayed at this hotel and vowed never to return.

The hotel itself is in a very run down part of London and personally I did not feel at all safe here. The hotel is quite close to the Barbican but is also surrounded by run-down council housing estates (the UK equivalent of the projects). I cannot imagine why anyone would want to visit this part of London and if they did I don't imagine that they would want to come back. If you have to stay in this area, the Jurys Hotel in Islington is at least a high street location.

I stayed in this hotel on business and was appalled with the poor standard of accommodation.

The hotel is in two halves - the main hotel and annexe. The rooms in the main hotel are not too bad (I saw a colleague's room) and at least have air conditioning. The rooms in the annexe are small and very dirty. The room I stayed in had a window that would not open and no air conditioning. The room was dirty and smelled of stale tobacco (even though it was supposed to be a non smoking room).

I will never stay at this hotel again.