HotelQuality Harrow > Review
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good
Not the most appropriately named hotel
Business trip
Breakfast only
Short trip (2-3 days)
Group
sue51 (42)
Swansea, United Kingdom
The Quality Hotel chain is part of the Choice Hotels Europe group, the quality brand sits between Comfort at the bottom of the chain, and Clarion at the top, so what is on offer at a Comfort doesn't bear thinking about. I seem to remember vaguely that this particular outlet was once a Comfort but presumably changed its name when renovated.
When visiting London, quite often, I take the car, park near Harrow on the Hill tube station and jump on a tube into the city. So the first time I had to stay, the concept of doing the same, and staying at a hotel with on-site parking was pretty much the same.
The venue on this occasion was the Quality Hotel, Harrow where I vaguely remembered staying some years before when, prior to refurbishment, it was a Comfort Inn.
LOCATION
Relatively easy to access from Junction 4 of the M4, the hotel is situated on the edge of Harrow, about 10 minutes walk from Harrow on the Hill tube and mainline station.; the main bus station is also within a few minutes walk.
The Quality Hotel is in relatively close proximity to the North Circular and therefore the M1, convenient if your onward journey takes you up North; we left in early rush hour, and although traffic was busy, we kept moving at all times. Heathrow airport is around 11 miles away, and planes can be regularly heard flying overhead.
There is a reasonable amount of free parking on-site, and from the front aspect, the Quality Harrow looks inviting.
CHECK-IN
Reception is a small affair, offering a check-in desk and small seating area, leading to a larger and nicely furnished bar. They also sell a range of chocolates and crisps.
In usual hotel style, personal details are taken, along with a credit card swipe if you want to add extras to the room, then you are despatched with room key, and someone to help you navigate its narrow and winding corridors.
THE ROOMS
I was allocated a small double room, small definitely being an appropriate description; there is NO WAY two adults could have stayed there. On offer was a three-quarter size bed, wardrobe & minute desk area. The en-suite was petite but somehow managed to house a bath, toilet, sink and midget towels. The furniture was reminiscent of my late grandmother's house back in the 1970's.
My colleague on the other hand was allocated a SMALL single, which she said you literally could not swing a cat in. She had no bath, only a shower and claims she has stayed in larger broom cupboards. Her room was situated at the front of the hotel, and was, she tells me, very noisy making sleep difficult.
Both rooms were rather over-stacked with radiators for their size, and heated the room very quickly. Luckily, the double glazed windows do open, and on returning home from an evening out, turning on the radiator for 2 minutes was sufficient to warm the room.
There was a remote control colour TV tucked into the corner, although I had to lie at quite an awkward angle in bed to see it. I am glad to see however, that many hotels are now offering ITV2 & 3, plus a few satellite news channels as part of their standard package.
There is wireless internet in the hotel although I didn't get chance to test whether it reached my room, tucked away at the back of the hotel.
Lighting in the room was excellent (it was too small not to be) and the bed was extraordinarily comfortable, so much so, I really did not want to get out the next morning (Nothing to do with the alcohol consumption the night before)
There is also a new building adjacent to the hotel offering additional accommodation, although if you are a woman travelling alone, you are unlikely to be given these rooms because of the security aspect of wandering around car-parks late at night.
EATING
Meals were available in the restaurant and for room service; however, with a Wetherspoons within easy walking distance, we elected to take advantage of their more reasonable prices.
Breakfast was half buffet for the continental products, and cooked to order for the rest. The cold buffet offered cereals, juices, yogurts, bread rolls, pastries and meats and cheeses, although had it not been included in the price, I think £15 was just a little too steep for what was on offer. Tea, Coffee and toast were made to order.
DRINKS
A very small bar that, in common with many hotels, only takes room keys for payment outside normal licensing hours, this is an outlet that really does know how to store its lager, and at less than £3 a pint, I was only too happy to check it wasn't a one off.
LEISURE FACILITIES
None I'm afraid, although with relatively easy access to central London (about 30 minutes on the tube), unless you have business in the immediate area, or attending a conference at the hotel, then I can think of few genuine reasons for staying here.
MY VERDICT
In keeping with my experience at the Glasgow Quality hotel, I would be unlikely to stay here again, unless there was no alternative (although to be fair, unlike the Glasgow Quality, at least it was clean) - I just feel that it overcharges for what it is.
The whole demeanour of the hotel is old fashioned and outdated, and vastly over-priced for what is on offer.
The staff however, couldn't do enough for you, and escorted guests to their rooms, although I suspect this was to ensure they didn't get lost en-route!!
Check in time is from 1400 hours on the day of arrival, and guests must vacate their rooms by 1200 Noon on the day of departure.
When visiting London, quite often, I take the car, park near Harrow on the Hill tube station and jump on a tube into the city. So the first time I had to stay, the concept of doing the same, and staying at a hotel with on-site parking was pretty much the same.
The venue on this occasion was the Quality Hotel, Harrow where I vaguely remembered staying some years before when, prior to refurbishment, it was a Comfort Inn.
LOCATION
Relatively easy to access from Junction 4 of the M4, the hotel is situated on the edge of Harrow, about 10 minutes walk from Harrow on the Hill tube and mainline station.; the main bus station is also within a few minutes walk.
The Quality Hotel is in relatively close proximity to the North Circular and therefore the M1, convenient if your onward journey takes you up North; we left in early rush hour, and although traffic was busy, we kept moving at all times. Heathrow airport is around 11 miles away, and planes can be regularly heard flying overhead.
There is a reasonable amount of free parking on-site, and from the front aspect, the Quality Harrow looks inviting.
CHECK-IN
Reception is a small affair, offering a check-in desk and small seating area, leading to a larger and nicely furnished bar. They also sell a range of chocolates and crisps.
In usual hotel style, personal details are taken, along with a credit card swipe if you want to add extras to the room, then you are despatched with room key, and someone to help you navigate its narrow and winding corridors.
THE ROOMS
I was allocated a small double room, small definitely being an appropriate description; there is NO WAY two adults could have stayed there. On offer was a three-quarter size bed, wardrobe & minute desk area. The en-suite was petite but somehow managed to house a bath, toilet, sink and midget towels. The furniture was reminiscent of my late grandmother's house back in the 1970's.
My colleague on the other hand was allocated a SMALL single, which she said you literally could not swing a cat in. She had no bath, only a shower and claims she has stayed in larger broom cupboards. Her room was situated at the front of the hotel, and was, she tells me, very noisy making sleep difficult.
Both rooms were rather over-stacked with radiators for their size, and heated the room very quickly. Luckily, the double glazed windows do open, and on returning home from an evening out, turning on the radiator for 2 minutes was sufficient to warm the room.
There was a remote control colour TV tucked into the corner, although I had to lie at quite an awkward angle in bed to see it. I am glad to see however, that many hotels are now offering ITV2 & 3, plus a few satellite news channels as part of their standard package.
There is wireless internet in the hotel although I didn't get chance to test whether it reached my room, tucked away at the back of the hotel.
Lighting in the room was excellent (it was too small not to be) and the bed was extraordinarily comfortable, so much so, I really did not want to get out the next morning (Nothing to do with the alcohol consumption the night before)
There is also a new building adjacent to the hotel offering additional accommodation, although if you are a woman travelling alone, you are unlikely to be given these rooms because of the security aspect of wandering around car-parks late at night.
EATING
Meals were available in the restaurant and for room service; however, with a Wetherspoons within easy walking distance, we elected to take advantage of their more reasonable prices.
Breakfast was half buffet for the continental products, and cooked to order for the rest. The cold buffet offered cereals, juices, yogurts, bread rolls, pastries and meats and cheeses, although had it not been included in the price, I think £15 was just a little too steep for what was on offer. Tea, Coffee and toast were made to order.
DRINKS
A very small bar that, in common with many hotels, only takes room keys for payment outside normal licensing hours, this is an outlet that really does know how to store its lager, and at less than £3 a pint, I was only too happy to check it wasn't a one off.
LEISURE FACILITIES
None I'm afraid, although with relatively easy access to central London (about 30 minutes on the tube), unless you have business in the immediate area, or attending a conference at the hotel, then I can think of few genuine reasons for staying here.
MY VERDICT
In keeping with my experience at the Glasgow Quality hotel, I would be unlikely to stay here again, unless there was no alternative (although to be fair, unlike the Glasgow Quality, at least it was clean) - I just feel that it overcharges for what it is.
The whole demeanour of the hotel is old fashioned and outdated, and vastly over-priced for what is on offer.
The staff however, couldn't do enough for you, and escorted guests to their rooms, although I suspect this was to ensure they didn't get lost en-route!!
Check in time is from 1400 hours on the day of arrival, and guests must vacate their rooms by 1200 Noon on the day of departure.
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