Marriott is running a ludicrous promotion for 2022 Q1, which makes retain my Titanium status much easier. My first stop is London Marriott County Hall, a renowned Marriott property in central London.
Although it’s only a Marriott, it’s one the most sought-after hotels in London, even compared to the luxurious brands such as JW Marriott, Edition and W. This is largely thanks to its location – by River Thames and right next to the London Eye!
Hotel entrance is on the south side. It’s a Grade-II listed building and originally served as London’s County Hall in 1922. It retired after 64 years and became a Marriott hotel in 1988.
I’m presented with a glass of Prosecco while waiting for check-in to complete.
It’s a prime touristic location, which explains the red telephone box and many other London icons in the hotel.
I used my suite upgrade voucher for the first time, and it didn’t take long for them to confirm my upgrade to a River Thames View Suite. I think it’s the second-highest room category (only second to the Westminster Suite), but I may be wrong.
The corridor turns orange when I approach my suite – is it the renovated part of the hotel?
I was stunned when I opened the door and saw the living room:
The furniture and the finish are perfectly spot-on, and it’s even completed with a six-seat dining table. However, the most amazing part of the living room has to be its view.
Especially when the sun shines, you are basically looking at a painting!
The living room and bedroom are connected by an curvy hallway.
The bathroom is also very beautiful, with a smart toilet seat.
Here’s the wardrobe:
And finally the bedroom:
If you are tired of the Big Ben view in the living room, have a change of scenery here for the London Eye:
The design of their wellness centre is a bit weird. For accessing the swimming pool, you need to request an access code from the fifth floor, and then go up to the sixth floor to open a gate, which leads you down to the swimming pool.
The pool itself, though, is very impressive – it’s probably the largest I’ve ever seen in a hotel.
Same can be said with their massive gym.
M Club is located on the fifth floor.
The club lounge is quite big, but unfortunately not with enough windows.
The happy hour is a big let-down though. Everything’s table service and canapes are limited to 2 or 3 portions per person, which you have to order from the staff.
Here’s what I got after a 30-minute wait. It’s not a new policy though – I visited the lounge once about three years ago courtesy of a friend, and it was the same arrangement back then.
Breakfast (free for Platinum members and above) is served in the main restaurant. It’s fully a-la-carta and decent.
I’m genuinely impressed by this stay, and rate London Marriott County Hall higher than W Leicester Square and JW Marriott Grosvenor House. The River Thames View Suite and swimming pool are absolutely stunning, and the hotel is a definite must-visit if you are a Marriott fan!