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The Thistle Holborn Hotel is a boutique hotel nestled in the heart of London. This hotel near Holborn tube station is a perfect option for a break in the centre of the city. You’ll find fantastic shopping on Oxford Street, fascinating cultural sites at the British Museum and a vibrant atmosphere in nearby Covent Garden, all within walking distance. With 129 en-suite rooms available, you’ll be able to explore knowing you’ve got somewhere great to come home to after a busy day, whether your visit is for work or play.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Mid-range
Languages Spoken
English, French, Spanish, Arabic and 8 more
Location
36-37 Bloomsbury Way, London WC1A 2SD England
Thistle Holborn Hotel
3,637 reviews
Getting there
Great for walkers
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Nestled in the heart of London, the Thistle Holborn Hotel receives accolades for its prime location, offering guests the ease of exploring the city's attractions. The cozy ambiance and historical charm make for a comfortable stay, complemented by commendable cleanliness standards and friendly service.
While some guests have mentioned compact rooms and occasional maintenance issues, many find the cozy beds and overall atmosphere to be quite welcoming. Opinions on value for money vary, with some guests noting room for improvement in amenities and decor.
Location
Central
Atmosphere
Charming
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Reasonable
Cleanliness
Immaculate
Service
Friendly
Amenities
Satisfactory
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We had a very enjoyable stay in December for a long weekend in a ‘junior suite’ Arriving early and intending to drop our bags off and come back later to check in, we were delighted to be told the room was ready a couple of hours sooner which meant we could pop them straight up, and freshen up The rooms were spacious with the unusual toiletries etc to hand and comfortable quality feeling linens They were also nice and clean We took breakfast each day in the comfortable dining room, with a wide variation of breakfast options which were well presented and very tasty. As we tend to wake early it was quiet with only a handful of other people first thing at a weekend. If I had a couple of negatives it would simply be that the sofas could have done with a few more cushions as they were a bit ‘squidgy’ (an armchair would have been nicer) and to have had more selection of lighting controls - as it seemed a bit all or nothing so difficult just to have a lamp on which is annoying for relaxing. I should add that with one lift out the rather slow single lift in operation was also a minor annoyance throughout an otherwise enjoyable stay. Will definitely use again. Ps conveniently located so as not to be entirely in the throe of things but near enough for a short walk to locations like Covent Garden. And the Sichuan Grand a few doors down has the most delicious Asian food.
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Date of stay: December 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Near the Shaftsbury theatre and walking distance from Russell Square with reasonable paving for...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Jaime Austin, Guest Services / Front Office at Thistle Holborn Hotel
Responded 12 May 2024
Hello Tim777P, Thank yuo for your feedback. We hoope to see you again. Kind regards
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The hotel location is very good, not far from Holborn tube station and within walking distance of Oxford St. Leicester Sq, theatres and the British Museum.
I booked this hotel purely due to its proximity to my office for a recent work trip but would consider staying here for a leisure trip due to the good location and the fact that there are plenty of food and drink options nearby.
Breakfast is a buffet service consisting of hot and cold options and the food/service was ok. I ate dinner in the restaurant on the first night (of four) with my eight colleagues which was a bit hit and miss. The food was ok but in terms of service, some starters came out after main meals and it wasn’t particularly busy whilst we were there.
There’s a nice bar in the lobby/entrance area serving draught Guinness and Becks, nice place to drop in for a drink before heading out or after a long day.
I had booked a single room through our corporate booking system which was small, as expected but perfectly fine for my needs and well equipped including air conditioning system which came in handy as the size of the room meant it was really hot at certain times. The bathroom was small too but in proportion to the size of the room and shower was nice and hot with plenty of pressure. The room was situated on the first floor and was very quiet with very little noise from outside.
All of the staff were polite, friendly and extremely helpful. I would recommend this hotel and certainly will consider staying again.
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Travelled on business
Room Tip:Walking distance from Holborn and Tottenham Court Road tube stations.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Vicki Hoque, Owner at Thistle Holborn Hotel
Responded 12 Feb 2023
Dear Leek, Thanks for your such a great and detailed review. I do really appreciate your time to drop us a feedback. I am going to share your review with my team and I am sure they will be delighted to see that. I would just like to thanks again and reassure that your next visit will definitely be more enjoyable and memorable with us . We are looking forward to welcoming again in near future. Kind Regards Vicki Reception Manager
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Very elegant hotel well served by public transport, two metro stops a few hundred meters away and a bus stop in front of the door. The very large room with atrium and walk-in closet, excellent bathroom. Excellent cleaning. In the room, kettle with tea and coffee, biscuits and 2 bottles of water always available at no extra cost. The bar is very nice to spend a late evening.
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Date of stay: May 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The hotel had everything we needed, including comfy bed and a great location to get to most areas of London by foot (or tube station - two close by), especially Covent Garden and Drury Lane, which has lots of restaurants to choose from. Staff was friendly, with a good bar. We didn't try the restaurant. The hotel does feel a tad shabby. The carpet in our room was rather worn and the bathroom had no fan (prepare for steamy and slightly swampy bathroom after shower). The value is good if you are using hotel strictly for sleeping and home base to get around town, but not necessarily for relaxing or luxuriating. Wonderful coffee and pastry place next door, The Bloomsbury.
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Date of stay: October 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Lifts were tiny and took a while so we mostly relied on the stairs.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Tanveer Shaik, Owner at Thistle Holborn Hotel
Responded 20 Oct 2024
Dear MFurnace, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We're pleased to hear that you found our location convenient for exploring London and appreciated the comfort of your bed. It’s great that our staff and bar met your expectations. We do acknowledge your feedback regarding the room's condition, including the worn carpet and lack of a bathroom fan. Your comments are valuable to us, and we will look into improvements to ensure a better experience for our guests. We hope to welcome you back again soon, and maybe next time you can try our restaurant too! Kind Regards, Tanveer Shaik Reception Manager
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Very good accommodation option in London. Adequate facilities, good breakfast - without being excellent - in a very pleasant space and perfect rooms (very comfortable beds, complimentary water, coffee, tea and cookies). But above all, what I value most is the location: 20 minutes walk from St Pancras train station, through the Bloomsbury neighborhood (mainly university, totally safe). Once at the hotel, located on a street that leads to New Oxford Street (very close to the British Museum, 2 minutes), you are a 10-minute walk from Covent Garden (along Neal Street) and 15 minutes from Piccadilly. Come on, perfect location. Highly recommended hotel. Oh, and a detail: the rooms have air conditioning. Something that, although it may seem unnecessary in London, may be advisable in August on certain dates. Finally, near the hotel there are many places to eat or dine, with a special recommendation: Pizza Union. Just 2 minutes from the hotel, it has unbeatable prices - for being cheap - for how expensive London usually is. With very thin and very delicious dough pizzas. It is a pizza establishment more than a restaurant, but with tables in a very cozy space to eat near the hotel.
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Date of stay: August 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
My experience at this hotel I am afraid wasn't good. We booked a junior suite and paid a fair price for it. When we got to the room the size was good but we realised the sofa bed hadn't been made up so we had to call down to get someone to come to do this as I was travelling with my daughter after trying to phone down to reception 6 times over the space of an hour someone finally answered and took another hour to come. Luckly we didn't need to sleep at that point. The floor is very creaky meaning every time I walked I had to tip toe if needing the bathroom in the night so I didn't wake my daughter. The beds were very uncomfortable pillows very hard and lumpy. The sofa bed was on a slant making sleeping difficult . But the worst was the doors banging all night constantly. From around 12am until 3ish then starting again around 6am so sleeping was impossible. The lift shaft was very noisy too. The view was of dirty extractor fans and the window in our room had been previously opened and wouldn't shut so as there was a ladder outside I was concerned someone can just come in. There were no plug sockets next to or anywhere near to bed and the lights were all controlled by the main bed meaning my daughter had to have her light off when I wanted to go to bed. Lamps were very close to pillows so you hit your head when getting up if you forget they are there. Air con was in bedroom and lounge area but they both worked with one control so I was hot and daughter was cold so we both had to compromise. Bathroom was tired and run down and has seen better days damp starting to appear round bath and grout looking very tired what you may expect and a 2 or 3 star but not with a hotel of this high rep. I was very disappointed and won't be returning even when leaving the man behind the desk was in such a rush to check us out he didn't even ask how the stay was so having to write here instead .
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Amal Unnithan, Guest Services / Front Office at Thistle Holborn Hotel
Responded 30 Aug 2023
Dear guest, I am truly sorry to hear about the challenges you faced during your stay at the hotel. Your feedback is valuable and will surely help the hotel improve its services. I understand that the issues with the room, service delays, and noise disturbances were quite frustrating. It is disappointing that your experience did not meet your expectations, especially given the reputation of the hotel. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and I hope that your future travels will provide you with more pleasant accommodations. Thank you, Best regards, Amal Unnithan- Reception Manager - Thistle
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Overall, we had a good stay at this hotel. This one is very well located, close to the metro and right next to the British Museum. We can reach the center without worry. If you want to go to the Harry Potter Studios, the station that takes you there is only 20 minutes away on foot so it is very reasonable. If you are passing through London, I recommend it.
Small downside: in the room there is a document (like we find more and more) explaining that for ecological reasons, it is advisable to keep our bath towels for several days... in this case, I hang it on the radiator or other. If, on the other hand, I want to be changed, I put it in the shower (see photo). Having wanted to change my towel for a personal matter, I put it in the shower. (I should point out that we kept the second one and the small hand towels, we still pay attention to ecology). What was my surprise when I returned to the room to see that my DIRTY towel had been folded and put away (like a new one). I find that this is not very friendly on the part of the room staff. In addition, since I had put the towel in the shower while still a little damp, my towel ended up all “raw” because it had not dried properly…. By asking for a LARGE towel at reception, the lady confirms to me that someone will arrive and you know what? With a small hand towel. I find it a shame not to respect customers' requests and especially not to respect the rules they ask us to follow...
Other than that, we had a good stay!
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Date of stay: March 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
It was a great experience overall! I really enjoyed staying at the Thistle in London. The Thistle had amazing staff, a great restaurant for breakfast and dinner and a great bar. The room was very cozy, very spacious and the cleaning crew was always on top of making and putting the bed down along with water refilled. The hotel was nice, it gave some historical vibes and atmosphere with the stair case and elevator. No one beats Mr. Maurizio the second shift manger. He was amazing and outstanding and had everyone have the best time of their lives.
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Date of stay: March 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Raul Munoz, Guest Services / Front Office at Thistle Holborn Hotel
Responded 20 Mar 2024
Dear Nicholas, Thank you so much for taking the time to send us your feedback which is very important for us. We are glad that you had a great time and I have passed your comments to all the staff and of course to Maurizio. Once again, many thanks and we hope to have you here again in the near future. Kind Regards, Raúl Muñoz, -Reception Manager-
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The Thistle Holborn is a very special place! The location is excellent for all our walking, sightseeing, entertainment and dining, tube and rail connections which made our stay a breeze. Additionally, the hotel staff made our stay extra special. We were warmly greeted each day. It felt like someone was really watching out for us in a caring way. Maureizio and Jannatal in the dining room and Laxman in the bar made a great connection with us along with serving us wonderful food and dinner.
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Date of stay: September 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Tanveer Shaik, Owner at Thistle Holborn Hotel
Responded 19 Oct 2024
Dear W2568CUcharlesm, Thank you so much for your kind words and for choosing Thistle Holborn! We're thrilled to hear that you had an excellent stay and that our central location made your sightseeing, entertainment, and dining experiences enjoyable and convenient. It's wonderful to know that our team, especially Maureizio, Jannatal, and Laxman, made such a positive impact and helped make your stay even more special. We truly appreciate your feedback and look forward to welcoming you back for another memorable stay! Kind Regards, Tanveer Shaik Reception Manager
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We came to London as part of our first leg of our vacation and stayed at this property for 3 nights / 4 days. Here is a quick summary:
Pros': 1.) Really Strong Air Conditioning This was great as we arrived at the hottest day on record 40C / 104 F
2.) Good Location Useful bus stop right outside the hotel, walking distance to British National Museum, and short walk to Holborn Underground Station for other locations
3.) Friendly Staff
4.) Delicious Breakfast See pics for the delicious London Breakfast
Con's 1.) Room is super small This is again for American standards. It take some time to get use to but I found it its actually decently sized compared to my stay in Paris
2.) Bathroom Tub/Shower Water blocker is small You have to be really careful when you take a shower or water will splash everywhere. I looked it up at the end and found out this is common in a lot of establishments to have this "half" glass plane that blocks some of the water
3.) Sink is super low At 5' 11", the sink was situated around my knees. It required me to bend over significantly to do anything such as brushing my teeth or washing my face.
4.) Toilet / Toilet Paper Hard to Reach You literally have to bend your elbow and arm in a weird way to reach the toilet paper. Maybe it's due to the small design but did not enjoy this at all.
5.) No sound proofing You can easily hear the cars outside on the street and people in their rooms. You will get use to it after a while but just a forewarning.
Overall I think I enjoyed my stay despite the con's. Once you get use to the small nature of European hotel rooms and the differences between American hotel rooms / European hotel rooms, you will be fine.
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Date of stay: July 2022
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip:Great Breakfast!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Rafael Senent, Guest Services / Front Office at Thistle Holborn Hotel
Responded 30 Jul 2022
Dear Guest, Thank you ever so much for taking the time to provide us with your detailed feedback on your recent stay with us and thank you for staying with us. Thank you for your balanced review, all of your comments are essential to us and contribute to train our team to provide our guest the highest level of hospitality. We love serving all of our guest and I am happy that you enjoyed your stay with us and the service that our staff provided you with. I do hope that despite your concerns, you decided to stay with us again as we consider all of our rooms to be lovely. Thank you once again for your balanced review. I take this oppportunity to wish you a lovely day ahead, With kindest regards, Rafael Sanmartin Reception Manager
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There are more places to choose from in the London area.
PRICE RANGE
£133 - £239 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
the kingsley by thistle hotel london, kingsley by thistle london, thistle bloomsbury, kingsley by thistle hotel london
LOCATION
United KingdomEnglandLondonBloomsbury
NUMBER OF ROOMS
129
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect nightly room rates, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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