Hotel Review: London Marriott Hotel County Hall

Hotel Review: London Marriott Hotel County Hall

If you’re planning a family trip to London and are looking for a central London location with iconic views of the city, the London Marriott Hotel County Hall is a great choice.  The hotel is located in London's South Bank, next to Westminster Bridge and offers spectacular views of the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, the Thames and the London Eye.  

Hotel Overview

Situated in London’s former City Hall, overlooking the Houses of Parliament, the London Marriott Hotel County Hall shares the city’s rich history and embodies quintessential British charm.  

The central location next to River Thames and adjacent to Westminster Bridge makes it an easy walk to many nearby attractions you'd want to visit, including Westminster Abbey, the National Gallery, Borough Market, Buckingham Palace, Covent Garden and more, all within a 20 minute walk.

Hotel Amenities include

• Private balconies available in Balcony Suites
• M Club Lounge
• On-site dining options
• Onsite parking (if renting a car or driving in to London)
• Fitness Center and Pool: After a restful night's sleep, keep to your workout routine in the fitness center or relax in the indoor pool.

Accommodations

Guest rooms are spacious with white paneled walls, plush pillowtop beds, elegant marble bathrooms and quirky artwork featured throughout.  

For our stay here, we were in a River Thames View guest room that featured two double beds perfect for families of up to four.  The room provided plenty of space for us and provided a great view of River Thames, Big Ben and Houses of Parliament.  Rooms also come equipped with every possible power outlet option you'll need to charge and power your devices.

We stayed for five nights and did run into an early problem with the room we booked not being available.  I had used Marriott Bonvoy points (plus a small cash co-pay) to book a River Thames view room and that room category was somehow unavailable, at least for the first night of our stay.  Before I could get upset about the situation, a solution was offered where we would be moved the next day and for our inconvenience,  we'd be given points, first night free, as well as some kids amenities that included plush bears and kids bathrobes/slippers.  

While it was a little annoying have to pack back up and move the next morning, the hotel handled the situation graciously and ensured everything went smoothly.

Dining

When we weren't out exploring London, we did like having the option of being able to dine on-site at Gillray's Steakhouse or for smaller bites and drinks at the M Club Lounge in the evenings.

For breakfast each morning, we dined at The Library, which was setup for M Club Lounge guests only.  Instead of grabbing breakfast in the lounge, The Library was setup for M Club Lounge breakfast, where we enjoyed lovely breakfast meals with amazing views. 

This breakfast benefit was possible due to our Marriott Bonvoy Titanium status and the breakfast benefit was very generous based on other hotels we have stayed at in the past.  

We were given a menu to choose one hot item and one cold item, as well as juice, coffee or tea for the four of us.  

• Gillray's Steakhouse
• Gillray's Steakhouse is the signature restaurant onsite open for lunch and dinner
• Gillray's Bar
• Located next to the steakhouse, the bar features over 100 different gins to sample
• The Library
• Step inside The Library and be transported back to the 1920s' with decor featuring oak bookcases stacked with the classics and adorned with busts of literary and historical figures.

• M-Club Lounge:
• The M-Club Lounge is the 'hotel within a hotel' concept, where those seeking another level of exclusivity can relax in a sophisticated space where you can work or relax, dine, sip and mingle in perfect privacy.
• The M-Club Lounge offers a selection of complimentary cuisine and drinks throughout the day:
• Continental breakfast served between 6:30 and 10:30 a.m. 
• Snacks and soft drinks are available all day.
• Evening drinks (including alcohol) and appetizers are served between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. 
• Access to the M-Club Lounge is limited to guests staying in a M Club rooms, Executive Big Ben Room or any Suite along with Platinum level or higher Marriott Bonvoy members. 

Overall Impression

It is hard to beat the location of the London Marriott Hotel County Hall on the River Thames, overlooking the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and the London Eye.  

The convenient location is perfect for exploring the sights of London and the spacious and renovated rooms offer stylish modern accommodations perfect for anyone.

The one downside of the location is that the surrounding area can feel crowded and a little touristy, especially during the evenings as you make your way back to the hotel across Westminster Bridge.

From renowned culture to urban excitement, London truly has it all, and the London Marriott Hotel County Hall is the first option we consider staying at due to its location, service, on-site dining options with M Club Lounge access and all of the other amenities offered there.  I have a feeling we will be back in the future the next time we visit London.

Read more about our London Family Travel Guide Itinerary to check out some of the places we visited,  where we ate and our top recommendations on things to consider adding to your own trip to London.