This hotel blew me away! First of all, the ladies at the front desk were extremely helpful, and even helped us book London tours for the following days. We were at this hotel for three nights and loved every minute of it. The rooms were small, but we're talking London! The hotel was greatly situated a few blocks from a Metro station, and there was a street of shopping adjacent to the road the hotel was on. There was also a great little pub just down the lane from it where the food was great and the bartenders very friendly!!! The room had two windows that worked, and a fan in the bathroom. The bathroom, although small was extremely clean - no mould in the shower!! There was a full length mirror, and a desk. . . . It was lovely. The breakfast wasn't bad, with croissants, buns, cereal, and ham and cheese. All in all, this hotel was absolutely phenomenal!!!

We stayed at the Phoenix from August 16 - 20, 2006 and thought that it was excellent value for money. The "continental" breakfast was buffet style and allowed us to start the day with a full stomach. The area is safe and there are lots of Internet cafes around should you choose to leave your computer at home but need to check your e-mail (don't use the hotel's computer , there are many cheaper options just down the street near Bayswater station).

Here is our only complaint:
Our plane was leaving on Sunday morning and we had to be at Gatwick by 8:00 am due to all of the extra security at check-in. The subway starts late on Sundays, so we had to get a taxi to Victoria to get a train to Gatwick. We asked the people on desk if we could order a taxi in the morning but they suggested that it be ordered on Saturday night. When the cab showed up on Sunday morning, it was a minicab and the driver charged £14. When we questioned the fare, the driver said "Victoria Station is not that close." Victoria station is in fact 3.5 miles or 5.5 kilometres from the hotel. To give you an idea of a realistic fare, a black cab would have cost less than £8.00. Mini cabs are supposed to be cheaper than black cabs.

It's really unfortunate that the hotel chose to phone a company that would rip off their guests because it was our last experience related to the hotel and it left us with a sick, disappointed feeling.

I suggest that if you need a cab, you just go out into street near Bayswater station and not rely on the hotel.

Booked 5 nights at this hotel via BA website. The non-smoking single room faced the street and was tiny and the bathroom even tinier. The first night the tiny TV didn't work and the showerhead in the ti... (OK, OK you guys get the picture) shower sprayed water everywhere except on my body. Both the problems were fixed promptly the next day. The street can get noisy (conversations carried quite loudly at night into the room even with the window closed) so I would suggest booking a room away from it if you want some peace and quiet. Add to that the thin walls and you hear a lot of door banging and conversation. The decor is showing signs of wear and tear. The hotel is located off busy Queensway road with a lot of ethnic activity and has a host of Middle Eastern, Thai, Chinese, Indian and other take-out/eating places (my favorite was Nando's Portuguese BBQ about 5 minutes walk away). The breakfast was basic and I would imagine it was meant to be tucked into to tide you over your morning activity.

On the plus side is the hotel's location (a few minutes walk to the tube and to Kensington Palace/Park), friendly staff and reasonable value for money. Recommended.

I read a lot of review and choose the Phoenix. I was very happy. Good location with very helpful staff. Very good value for money.