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With 21 properties in London, Hilton fans weren’t exactly short on choice when it comes to saying in England’s capital but, just in case that wasn’t enough, Hilton has just opened a 22nd.
The Doubletree by Hilton London ExCel is taking reservations from 23 January onwards and is the latest addition to Hilton’s London portfolio.
The property was once the “Ramada Hotel & Suites London Docklands” but has undergone a thorough refurbishment before being rebranded as a Doubletree.
It’s location between London’s ExCel centre and London City airport together with its transport links to Canary Wharf and the rest of London make it a great place to be based if you’re mixing business with pleasure.
The area around ExCel had seen an incredible amount of renovation and new development over he last decade and, if the on-sire dining isn’t to your taste, there’s a lot more to choose from in the area than there ever was before.
The Doubletree London ExCel has 229 guest rooms, 35 suites and an on-site restaurant that can sit 100+ guests.
The Rooms
Per Hilton:
The spacious and modern guest rooms at this London ExCel hotel feature complimentary WiFi, a work desk, and an in-room safe. Upgrade to enjoy dock views and perks like bathrobes and slippers, or choose an inviting suite for a well-equipped kitchenette and a separate living area.
The kitchenette could come in useful for anyone looking to stay longer than a few days, especially when eating out 3 times a day becomes a chore.
The only images of the hotel (so far) are renderings that Hilton has made available….
Doubletree London ExCel
Doubletree London ExCel
Doubletree London ExCel
….but if the rooms look anything like these in real life, then this will be a good upgrade on the old Ramada.
Hotel Amenities
The on-site restaurant boasts dock views but, if a sit-down meal isn’t what you’re looking for, the property also offers a “Market Pantry” where guests can purchase snacks and hot meals to take away (presumably to their rooms).
As well as the main restaurant the Doubletree ExCel features a cocktail lounge which serves “sharing platers” and “popular bar classics”.
There’s a 24 hour business centre, a meeting area that can hold up to 40 guests and a fitness centre.
Importantly the hotel also offers complimentary onsite parking…which is a nice touch when so many other hotels in the area like to charge.
Pricing & HHonors
The Doubletree London ExCel is a Hilton HHonors Category 6 property which, per Hilton’s own chart, means that it will cost anywhere from 30,000 to 50,000 Hilton HHonors points per night.
A basic, Queen Guest room goes for £112/$162 per night on a random February weekend….
…while, unsurprisingly for a hotel next to a major exhibition centre, the price for the same room shoots up to £220/$320 for a February midweek night when ExCel is hosting an event:
Interestingly, for the months that London is a nice place to explore, the room rates are very favorable indeed. Take this period in July as an example:
£80/$116 for a room in a hotel that has very good access to London (you can be at the Tower of London in less than half an hour) is great value.
I can see this place becoming a favorite for those looking to do mattress runs to maintain their Hilton status.
Bottom Line
I’m a big fan of London’s Docklands and I happen to enjoy walking around the docks and the area where this hotel is so I’m a bit biased when it comes to the location of this hotel.
All that aside however, a new Hilton option in East London is nice and, at the rates currently being offered for the summer months, this could be a great place for a quick break (if you already live in the UK and want to visit London) or to base yourself if you’re visiting from abroad for longer.
I suspect this won’t be a great place at which to redeem Hilton HHonors points unless you absolutely have to stay on a night when the cash rates are astronomical. A quick look through the calendar shows that HHonors rates are rarely much under 40,000 points/night so there are better uses for HHonors points than here.
I’m hoping to visit this hotel in the next few days (I’m not staying overnight) so I’ll try to post some pictures if I get a chance.
All images courtesy of Hilton
