This review is long and coming but since I am coming (2003) back to London this year thought I would do a writeup from my notes. As mentioned in earlier posts/reviews at this website the couple at the desk seemed grumpy especially when we arrived early for checkin by a few hours(or at least have a place to put our bags after flying in and arriving at Paddington station). At the time my g'friend was greek and she believed the owners to be of greek origin, possibly the ownership has changed since then.

They didn't have our room ready so they did give us an upgrade at the same cost except it was across the street and was on the top floor, 4th to 5th I believe. Quite a climb with heavy suitcases and no elevator. But for the price you can'y complain as it was reasonable.

And typical of upgrades done to older hotel rooms that didn't have their own baths they converted the closet into a tiny bathroom. This is quite common in the UK and sometimes require a bit of navigation to getting in! And carpeting in the bathroom, another thing common in the UK, is not that hygenic.

No A/C in the room either although we didn't expect it at this price, as well its not common in older hotels in the UK.

The room was clean although cramped by North American standards with 3 beds in the room. We didn't take in the free breakfast part which was located across the street in the main part of the hotel.

But if you're looking for a cheap hotel that is clean, near central London, then this one is okay, just mind the grumpy owners! LOL
(a bit of Basil Fawlty at the front desk) ;-)

My husband and I just returned from a vacation which included a week's stay at the Balmoral House Hotel in London. After reviewing what seemed like endless reviews and comments about dozens and dozens of London hotels I picked this one because, in general, the reviews were good, and because of its great location. The descriptions said that it was convenient to Paddington Station, which has an express train to and from Heathrow.

I'm so happy to report that all of the good things written about this hotel were true! Our room was very nice and always kept spotless, as was the bathroom, which was small but normal for that area. My husband and I like to walk and so we found the location even more convenient than I thought it would be. We were very close to Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. In fact, after a long day of sightseeing, we often spent some time in the parks to relax. We were able to walk to the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Space Museum, and also to Kensington Palace. And, one day we actually walked to Buckingham Palace, then to the Thames where we enjoyed Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, and the London Eye, then home by way of Trafalgar Square and Picadilly Circus, all in one day and all on foot!

On the few occasions where we went places by public transportation, we found Paddington Station a good starting point for any type of train or bus, and it's only a couple of blocks from the hotel. Along the way between the station and the hotel you'll find many restaurants and shops, so if you'd like to stay in the area, you can.

Our only glitch with the hotel was an issue involving our payment. By way of pleasant e-mails with the owner, Harry, I determined that we could pay for the hotel with British Pound Travelers Cheques. The night before we were leaving, we were checking out and were told by the lady manager that she could not accept them. After much discussion, including the fact that it was a bank holiday and we couldn't exchange them anywhere else, she finally did accept them. Upon returning home I sent an email to Harry explaining how unhappy I was about that problem. He explained that he and his wife were away on holiday and the substitute manager didn't understand that Travelers Cheques were acceptable as long as they were in British Pounds. He apologized and said he'd make sure she understood.

All in all, I'd say we were very happy with the Balmoral House Hotel.

The hotel itself is conveniently located very close to Paddington station.
It's nothing special, but pretty clean and well kept.
They can also give you discounts.
Breakfast was not the best I had in the UK. Bacon was very salty and toasts were cold at times.
And the old couple of Spaniards who own the place (Audi and her husband) were not very friendly. They have certain attitude problems and it shows.
Guys, maybe it's time for you to retire and pass your business to people who enjoy running a hotel.

During our trip to the UK, we stayed at the Balmoral House Hotel twice. The first stay was fine save the grumpy rude man in the hotel lobby. At the end of our first stay the son offered us a 10 pound a day discount if we paid in cash, we agreed and went to an ATM. When we returned a lady was at the desk, we told her about the deal and she was dubious but agreed. The next morning while leaving my fiancee asked for a reciept and the lady began yelling at us! When she was done yelling she asked if we still wanted the reciept and we said yes. She then said fine and told us she would see us in 2 weeks when we returned. When we returned in 2 weeks the grumpy man showed me my reservation but was perplexed that the room was given away that morning. So he calls the lady in who speaks to us in Spanish to pretend she does not remember us. After a few words she made some rude comment at us and told us she had no rooms for us but would walk us to another hotel. We walked next store (I am trying to recall the hotel name) and she rudely asks the lady is she has a room for us at any rate because she did not promise us a rate. Luckily this lady was not a crook and gave us the rate I told her we were originally promised. Long story short, I would never consider staying at the Balmoral House Hotel again.