Photo: londondrum.comUseful things to know before your stay
Star rating: ★★★★★ Address: The Waldorf Hilton, Aldwych, Covent Garden WC2B 4DD. Telephone: 0207 836 2400. Website: hilton.com
Is the hotel a good base for sightseeing?
Definitely, yes. Covent Garden and Trafalgar Square are both a short walk away, and St. Paul’s and the Houses of Parliament aren’t too far either. Other attractions within a 15 minute walk include Transport Museum, Courtauld Gallery, Covent Garden, Hunterian Museum, Royal Courts of Justice, Cleopatra’s Needle, Sir John Soane’s Museum, Temple Bar, Lincoln’s Inn, Temple Church, Benjamin Franklin House, National Portrait Gallery, Hayward Gallery, National Gallery and Trafalgar Square.
How much does it cost to stay at the hotel?
Prices can change from day to day depending on availability, but a rough guide for both single and double rooms is £286 to £414 per night.
How many rooms does it have?
The Waldorf Hilton has 298 rooms.
What facilities does the hotel have?
The hotel has a restaurant, two bars, plus a fitness centre, currency exchange and concierge services.
What facilities are in the rooms?
A standard room provides a minibar, tea & coffee making facilities, a TV, telephone, desk and wi-fi (for a charge), a personal safe, and an ensuite bathroom with a hairdryer, iron and air-conditioning.
What time is check-in, and check-out?
Check-in is from 3 PM and check-out is by 12 noon.
Which buses go to The Waldorf Hilton?
Bus routes 8, 26, 35, 42, 47, 48, 78, 135, 149, 205, 242, 344 and 388 all stop close by.
Which is the closest train station?
The nearest station is Temple, which connects with the Circle and District lines. You can walk the ¼ mile to The Waldorf Hilton in about 5 minutes.
Does the hotel have its own car park?
No, but here’s a list of car parks near Covent Garden.
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Email My review of The Waldorf Hilton
I thought I’d really like the Waldorf but I don’t think I do, but before I explain why, let me get all of the plaudits out of the way. Its location is great, right on the bend of Aldwych about two minutes from Covent Garden and five minutes from Trafalgar Square. You can even walk to St. Paul’s if you’re feeling energetic. And the outside looks fantastic with its warm yellow lamplights and fancy black iron work (especially on a rainy night).
The room is probably the second largest room I’ve ever slept in after The Ritz, but it’s all shiny white. It has white walls, a white bed, white tiles in the bathroom is white. Everything is white. This entire room is white. Whenever you see a lunatic locked up in a padded room, the room is invariably white. Mirrors positioned absolutely everywhere (seven of them). It’s like sleeping in a goddam hospital. There are a couple of black and white photos of Marlene Dietrich above my bed and in my hospital frame of mind I’m imagining them as being backlit x-rays of my skull.
Photo: londondrum.comI’m probably being a bit harsh here, because if the only thing that I can complain about is the whiteness of the walls then it can’t be too bad, can it? I’d be no good as an Inuit, that’s for sure. This igloo is too damn white! Happily you do get plenty of extras like a big TV, minibar, teabags and coffee, dressing gown and slippers (both white). You also get about ten light switches but only seven lights. That is one of the joys of moving into a new hotel room… trying to work out which switch does what. Sometimes they try and confuse you with a master switch that toggles off all the other ones before you’ve had a chance to turn them on, and this one also has a dim little lightbulb above the skirting board, about six inches off the floor. Have you ever seen such a thing? You literally have to get down on your hands and knees to see it. It’s a light for the mice.
One thing that really winds me up about 5-star hotels is the crazy amount of money they want for piddly little things. For example (and you are not going to believe this), for two days access to the hotel’s Wi-Fi they want £26 quid. No joke! McDonalds and Starbucks let you have their Wi-Fi for free but the Waldorf wants £26 quid. That is a total rip-off. There are no other words to describe it.
Photo: londondrum.comHappily things improve considerably when you get out of the room and into the bar. It’s just a tiny little room in dark wood, low lights, and soft jazz playing in the background. I definitely don’t belong but I can just about blag it as a smart man today because I’m wearing my funeral trousers and job interview shirt. When my coffee comes it’s in one of those thimble-sized cups and it’s so strong I have to do my best to stifle a cough. It’s almost like smoking a cigarette.
The breakfast is very nice. It takes place in a big dining hall with faux-Roman columns (imagine a mini-Banqueting House, but without the Rubens on the roof). There are lots of super-smart staff floating around, lots of city suits and shirts talking business over breakfast, and that soft jazz playing in the background again. Then you help yourself to all the usual stuff: eggs, bacon, beans, sausages, toast, yoghurts, cereals, etc. But no Sugar Puffs – it’s all muesli and cornflakes. One day I will find a 5-star hotel that serves Sugar Puffs and my quest will be complete.
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Things to do near Covent Garden
Book ahead and saveMamma Mia! -- ABBA’s smash-hit West End musical
Book ahead and saveRoald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical - Music by Tim Minchin
What do you think? (4)
Ask a question, or share your experience of Waldorf Hilton
Susan&Dave Hi Craig, do you think it’s worth spending a lot of money on a luxury hotel or would you rather spend it on sightseeing and meals? We want a really lovely stay but we’ve never been to London before and we’re torn about spending extra money on the Waldorf when we could put it to better use. Your thoughts would be appreciated! (reply)
Craig Hi Susan & Dave. That’s a tough one and I think it just comes down to personal choice at the end of the day. If you’re not planning on making any use out of the breakfast, bar and restaurant in the hotel, and you’re going to be eating out all the time, then maybe it’s a waste of money upgrading. But if you stay in a really nice 5-star hotel (my favourites are the Ritz, Royal Horseguards and Threadneedles) then it can really make your stay. I’m not sure the Waldorf really did that for me, though. (reply)
Niamh Is the location good for this hotel? (reply)
Craig Hi Niamh. The location is pretty much perfect – you can walk to Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus and Covent Garden. Big Ben and St. Paul’s are a bit further, but still easily walkable. You can walk straight over Waterloo Bridge to places like the London Eye and Tate Modern as well. (reply)
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