Rosalind

I will be visiting London in a few weeks. I have reserved a room at the Morgan Hotel. I found on line today a good deal at the Russell Hotel in the Bloomsbury area. Have you stayed at the Russell? If so what is it like? What about the location and area? It is very large compared to the Morgan. I can't find info about the Russell Hotel in my tour books.

Thanks

Thanks.

nonnafelice

We stayed at the Russell over 10 years ago, and thought it was great. The lobby was very impressive, in lavish Victorian style, and we had a large room with an extra-large bathroom, overlooking Russell Square (a park). It's very near the British Museum, and convenient to the tube. If you get a good deal, I'd go for it, but make sure you bring your confirmation showing price. I do recall that when we arrived, they wanted to charge us their regular rate, which was about twice what we had booked for, until we showed them our confirmation.

ira

Hi Rosalind,

The Russel is very traditional.

Where did you find the great rate?

socialworker

HI--we stayed there in 1998 and liked it very much. It surprises me that you can't find info in your guide books b/c it is certainly a major hotel in London. It is a very large--but not overwhelming--and elegant hotel with the beauty of an earlier era. It is a very pleasant place to stay and has a wonderful "clubby" old lounge where you can enjoy an afternoon or late night refreshment. When we stayed, they served a great English breakfast--included in the price--in a very posh dining room. Our room was not overly large but was very pleasant. In '98 we paid $250/night for the room which was quite a bit more than other smaller, more modest hotels. However, my husband had been to a business meeting there a year or two before that and for my first visit to London, he wanted to be sure I would like the hotel so we splurged. I did not regret the expense, I loved the place.

Gothampc

I'll be honest, I stayed in the Russell about 3 years ago and I wasn't happy. It has a great location but the service was horrible. The breakfast was awful, cold eggs and they kept running out of tea and coffee. But the big shocker was that one day I came back to my room about 3:00 pm after a heavy day of touring and when I opened the door, there were two maids taking a nap on the bed. It's a nice hotel, great location, service stinks.

tod

Gothampc - Bloody hell!! Having stayed in the Russell Square area more than anywhere in London I passed the Russell Hotel at least 4 times a day.
I asked a dear friend of ours who travels an awful lot what she thought of it and her reply was "It has HUGE bathrooms which are FREEZING cold!" The only reason they stayed there was because of the musical 'CATS' which refers to it.

Kayb95

The Russell Hotel was recently purchased by the le Meridian chain. I've never stayed there but it's a beautiful, huge old Victorian hotel. it's located just across the street from Russell Square and is very close (2 minute walk) to the Russell Square tube. British Museum is about a 5 minute walk and it's also close to the British Library and the Dickens House Mueseum.

There is also a very good Italian restaurant called Il Fornello just down the street on Southampton Row.

sojourner

The Russell is no longer owned by le Meridian. It is now owned by Principal Hotels and is called Hotel Russell.

http://www.principal-hotels.com/hote...&pageid=11

I've never stayed there, so sorry, can't help with that.

ira

Be aware that there is the Hotel Russell, a big Victorian era builfing, and the Russell Hotel, a smaller place of older vintage and not at all as nice.

Rosalind

Ira, I am very confused. Are you saying that there are two Russell Hotels in the same area?

socialworker

I didn't know of the existence of the "lesser" hotel when I answered you but I was going to mention in my first response that the large, grand hotel in Russell Square goes by the name Hotel Russell not Russell Hotel. It seemed a little "prissy" to point that out and so I did not mention it but apparently is *was* relevant!!

ira

Hi Rosalind,

There were two a few years ago.

Not so strange, since Russell Sq. has been a popular place for a long time.

I expect that you want the big one.
http://www.hotelsrus.co.uk/search.ph...;HotelCode=RUS

Judyrem

I stayed there in March. I topped the thread" London eats sleeps walks" etc for you to read my review, but you may want to top it again, try doing a search for Hotel Russell. FYI Judy

Vorkuta

My parents spent their honeymoon at the Russell Hotel in 1949! So it has a good deal of sentimental value in our family. My husband and I stayed there in the late 1990s. The public spaces in the hotel are most impressive, and the breakfast was excellent. The hotel handy for public transport and you're within easy walking distance of many sights including the British Museum. If you got a good deal on the price, then definitely consider staying there.