W London Leicester Square: disappointing

A recent stay in London allowed me to test the W Leicester Square which was still missing from my list.

Location

The hotel is ideally located in central London in the heart of a very lively area.

It is very easy to access, no matter where you arrive from. In my case, coming from London City Airport (just to enjoy this route one last time before it stops), it took me half an hour in the tube to get to my destination

Once on site you can’t go wrong: as is often the case with W, discretion is anything but a priority in the specifications. The building is modern and cannot be missed.

W London — The W Leicester Square London is anything but discreet

The reception is on the first floor. As soon as I arrived on the first floor, the bellman took my suitcase away from me, which would later be delivered to my room.

Check-in

So I go to the first floor. The check-in area is not very big and, fortunately, being alone I won’t have to wait. The style is very W but not in bad taste.

The staff is very friendly and it is appreciated. Having done my “mobile check in” online I only have to give a signature and take possession of my room. I was told that I would be upgraded to a room not so happily named “room with more space” which would be better called a corner room because its particularity is to be in a corner.

I didn’t expect anything better. I had checked upon arrival that no more superior rooms were available for reservation. So goodbye to my request for a “Suite Night Award” in the superb W Suite. But nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Let’s go to the room.

More spacious corner room at W Leicester Square London

I go towards my room. Dark corridors and trendy electro music, we are well in a W.
As is often the case in London, you can’t expect miracles when it comes to room size. This “more spacious” room is therefore…small. The fact that it is angled gives it a deceptively spacious and bright look, but it doesn’t deceive for long

Corner Room - W London — A pillar spoils the whole impression of space;

You need a wide angle to try to capture the whole room.

No fault of taste but the pillar in the middle of the room ruins the whole space. A well designed and spacious desk is important for working.

As usual at W the bedding will be excellent.

A tablet allows me to control the TV, the music and light ambiance… to access all the services of the hotel, to make reservations. Very geeky but not gadgety.

The bathroom is not huge either, very dark and the TV screen embedded in the mirror will not change anything.

A good sized shower but we have seen much better.

The toilets are no better.

Small, dark, badly arranged, only the bliss bath products will bring a positive note.

Well, I must tell you that I don’t feel very well in this roomsomething doesn’t fit. It lacks that little something that makes you feel at home, that makes you think “I’ll feel good”. And when we know the promise of W on the experience, both luxury and lifestyle…. well there I find nothing.

At the limit we are in a rather dull Le Méridien.

I barely want to get my stuff out. I take out my computer to try to work a little but it dit not change my mind. And the sounds of the street outside are really present. Too present. Unworthy of a 5* in a recent building.

Bar and restaurant

The restaurant offer is rather weak: a bar and an “international” restaurant. I don’t feel like it…I’d rather go eat outside.

I take two minutes to photograph the facade at night, perhaps the only thing successful in the hotel.

A hailstorm surprises me, so I reluctantly have dinner at the hotel.

I pass in front of the restaurant…no, it really doesn’t tempt me. It’s empty, it looks like a train station hall or some kind of “dinner”.

I tell myself that it will end up in room service…but in desperation I decide to have a drink at the bar before returning to my room to order.

There are a few people and it’s nice. I sit at the bar.

The bar is very large, the staff present and efficient, the service fast. Finally I will linger a little more than expected to test the skills of the bartenders. A very pleasant surprise.

At the back there is a large room with very cosy areas. Nice when there are several of you or when you want to isolate yourself.

Finally instead of room service I will order at the bar. And it will be a “lobster Mac’n cheese”.

Simply succulent and hearty. If someone had told me one day that a good old “macaroni and cheese” would save my stay in a 5*…….

It is thus of a little better mood that I will join my room.

The noise of the street will prevent me from working properly and from finding sleep before late.

The next day, no desire to try the spa or the gym. I will work until noon before checking out online and heading to the other end of London where a conference was waiting for me.

Bottom line: W London doesn’t know how to inspire

Yes the location is good, yes the staff is very good, yes the bar and the mac’n cheese made my evening. But this is too little.

The room does not give desire, the lack of soundproofing is a disaster (that several customers had already reported to me)…

And that’s the whole problem with W London. It does not know how to give desire. Desire to stay, desire to make your room your own, explore the spa, go for dinner. When you are an experiential, luxury&liftestyle brand like W, and a very expensive one at that, and especially in London, failing to make people want to be there is failing on the whole promise.

At 300 pounds a night for a standard room, skip it.