Close to Paddington rail and tube station, restaurants, and attractions
Stylish rooms with flat-screen TVs, coffeemakers, and iPod docks
Gym with modern cardio and weight equipment
Garfunkel's serves traditional British fare for breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Breakfast (fee) includes a range of items; limited room service available
Small lobby bar open throughout the day
Free loaner smartphones with unlimited data and calls
Third-party valet parking (with limited hours)
One meeting room
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Not within walking distance of most attractions
Busy, noisy location
Reports of musty smell in bathrooms
Small rooms and bathrooms
Standard Rooms lack mini-fridges
Stairs to elevator, which might be an issue for some
The three-pearl Mercure London Paddington Hotel is located next to Paddington rail and tube station, where the Heathrow Express and Connect stop. It's a busy area that can get noisy. The 64 rooms are small but sleek, with flat-screen TVs, iPod docks, coffeemakers, and free Wi-Fi; Executive Rooms add mini-fridges and Nespresso machines. It's a hotel that covers the basics well -- it has a small gym, a decent restaurant that serves a full English breakfast (not included), and one meeting room. Overall, the hotel delivers, but travelers could also consider the nearby Best Western Plus Delmere Hotel, which has a more fashionable look.
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Scene
Modern chain hotel with a sleek design and diverse clientele
The Mercure London Paddington Hotel is a basic mid-range chain property, and despite a generous dose of purple accents, public spaces remain rather unmemorable. The lobby has a functional design with a wooden front desk bracketed in neon lighting, two purple leather armchairs, and a small lobby bar in the corner. The on-site Garfunkel’s restaurant is adjacent to the lobby and is decorated in warm woods, slightly dated mauve booths, and city artwork and photographs on the walls. Stairs lead to the elevators (which could be problematic for guests with mobility issues). Given its handy connection to Heathrow Airport, the hotel attracts business travelers and tourists in London on short stays.
Location
Not in walking distance to most attractions, but next to a tube and near Kensington Gardens
The Mercure London Paddington Hotel is right next to the Paddington train and tube station, which has a direct connection to Heathrow Airport (the trip takes about 20, or it's 35 minutes driving). The area is packed with restaurants, and shopping can be found on Oxford Street -- a 20-minute walk away. As far as sights go, Kensington Gardens is an eight-minute walk away, while Kensington Palace is about a 20-minute walk. Guests can cut through Kensington Gardens to reach Buckingham Palace, but it's about a 40-minute walk (or 23 minutes on public transportation).
Rooms
Modern rooms with AC, flat-screen TVs, iPod docks, coffeemakers, and free Wi-Fi
Most of the 64 rooms at the Mercure London Paddington have a similar chocolate-and-cream color palette, with dark wood furniture, cream-colored carpet, and puffy white bedding. Coffee-colored pillows and bed runners provide the finishing touches. Some Executive Rooms tip the color scheme toward a trendy gray and add lime-green pillows and colorful prints, going a ways to up the style factor. All rooms have air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, safes, tea kettles and coffeemakers, and work desks. Executive Rooms have free stocked mini-fridges and Nespresso machines, and some have pullout couches. But on the whole, all rooms are small and cramped. Functional bathrooms in either cream or gray tiles come stocked with toiletries and hairdryers. Standard Rooms have small shower stalls, while Executive Rooms have either walk-in glass showers with rainfall showerheads or shower/tub combos. Be aware that rooms can pick up area noise, but the hotel provides free earplugs.
Features
Breakfast buffet, restaurant, lobby bar, fitness center, meeting rooms, and free smartphones
Like other hotels in the Mercure chain, the Mercure London Paddington covers the basics. The hotel offers a breakfast buffet (for a fee) with hot and cold items, as well as a full English breakfast. It’s served in the attached restaurant Garfunkel’s, which offers traditional British and standard international fare for lunch and dinner. Room service is available with limited hours. There’s also a lobby bar that serves a variety of alcoholic drinks throughout the day. The hotel's windowless gym is on the small side, but it has modern cardio and weight-lifting equipment and free weights. Business features include fully equipped meeting rooms and free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. The Mercure provides free loaner smartphones to guests with unlimited 3G data and calls -- a rare perk at this price point. Limited valet parking is available for a fee.
